Taking advantage of record salmon and steelhead returns to Oregon hatcheries, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to temporarily increase bag limits in several areas of the state this fall.?In all cases, the increased bag limits apply only to adipose fin-clipped fish.?All non adipose-clipped steelhead and coho must be carefully released unharmed.

The temporary rules are:


  • Willamette and Sandy River Basins:

    • The daily bag limit increases to include up to three adipose fin-clipped steelhead from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31 in the Willamette and Sandy basins. The temporary rule applies in the following waters with open steelhead seasons: main stem Sandy, Bull Run, main stem Willamette to the Coast Fork, Middle Fork Willamette, McKenzie, Santiam, and Clackamas rivers.

    Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists expect more than 40,000 adult summer steelhead to enter the Willamette and Sandy river basins. The current daily catch limit is two salmon or adipose fin-clipped steelhead.


  • Rogue and North Umpqua Rivers:

    • The daily bag limit increases to include up to three adipose fin-clipped coho in the Rogue River from the mouth upstream to the deadline markers at Cole Rivers Hatchery from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. ODFW staff estimate 22,000 hatchery coho will return to Cole Rivers Hatchery this fall. Less than 2,000 fish are needed to produce the next generation of fish at this facility.

    The current daily catch limit is two adult chinook, adipose fin-clipped coho or adipose fin-clipped steelhead. Additional angling area near the Cole Rivers Hatchery (the "Hatchery Hole") may be opened in November and December this year. A decision will be made following public comment.

    The daily bag limit increases to include up to three adipose fin-clipped coho in the North Umpqua River from the mouth upstream to the lower boundary of the "fly area" above Rock Creek from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. A return of 20,000 to 30,000 hatchery coho are expected to enter the North Umpqua River this fall and about 1,000 are needed for broodstock at Rock Creek Hatchery. The current daily catch limit is two salmon or adipose fin-clipped steelhead.


  • Trask River:

    • The Trask River opens to angling for adipose fin-clipped coho from the U.S. Highway 101 Bridge upstream to the confluence of the north and south forks from Aug. 16 to Oct. 31. The Trask River rule opens the coho season a month earlier to target the early returning portion of an estimated 30,000 coho returning to Trask Hatchery.


  • Snake River/Northeast Zones:

    • The daily bag limit increases to include up to three adipose fin-clipped steelhead in those areas open to steelhead angling in the Snake River and Northeast Zones from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Northeast Zone streams affected by the daily bag limit increase include: Catherine Creek, Grande Ronde River, Imnaha River, John Day Basin above Tumwater Falls, Umatilla River, Wallowa River and Wenaha River.

    The number of adult hatchery steelhead moving over Bonneville Dam is likely to exceed 350,000, which will top the previous annual record high of 250,200 in 1986. Many of these fish will be headed to northeast Oregon rivers. This temporary rule is proposed to continue into the early part of 2002. The 2002 rule will be considered in September by the commission as part of the 2002 Oregon Sport Fishing Rules.