Sturgeon fishing to open Jan. 1

OLYMPIA – The white sturgeon fishery opens Jan. 1 for some the lower Columbia River.

Fishing for legal-size white sturgeon opens New Year’s Day in Bonneville Pool between Bonneville and The Dalles dams, The Dalles Pool between The Dalles and John Day dams, and the John Day Pool between John Day and McNary dams.

While Bonneville Pool and John Day Pool will be open daily, The Dalles Pool only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, officials said.

The Dalles Pool closed to sturgeon retention just a few days after opening in 2021, due in part to the opener falling on a long holiday weekend with mild weather ideal for fishing.

Officials said 235 sturgeon were caught in The Dalles Pool from Jan. 1-4 last winter.

The three-days-per-week opening should help prolong the season in The Dalles Pool and allow managers to monitor catch rates more closely, state Department of Fish and Wildlife sturgeon lead Laura Heironimus said.

“We’re always looking for the best way to offer fishing opportunity while still meeting our conservation objectives,” Heironimus said. “We believe that this days-per-week approach will help meet those two goals, and keep the fishery within the quota.””

The Dalles Pool will remain open for catch-and-release fishing on days not open for retention.

In 2022, anglers will be able to keep 190 legal-size sturgeon in The Dalles Pool and 105 in the John Day Pool.

The 500-fish quota for Bonneville Pool will be under review in January, pending results from the 2021 stock assessment.

The three-days-per-week restriction on the Dalles Pool will remain in place through Jan. 26.