Spring salmon regsOn the Columbia River, from the Rocky Point-Tongue Point line to the I-5 bridge at Vancouver, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six salmon (minimum size 12 inches), two of which may be adult hatchery chinook or hatchery steelhead or one of each, according to regulations found in the 2010 Fishing in Washington pamphlet, on page 74. All salmon, other than hatchery chinook, must be released. This season runs through March 31.
On the Cowlitz River, from markers at the mouth of the river to Mayfield Dam, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six salmon, two of which may be adult hatchery chinook or coho, through July 31. Minimum size is 12 inches. Only hatchery chinook and coho may be retained, which means that any jacks must be fin-clipped as well.
On the Kalama River, through July 31, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six hatchery chinook only. Only one adult may be retained daily, and the minimum size is 12 inches.
On the Lewis River system, from the mouth of the river to the mouth of the East Fork, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six hatchery chinook, only one of which may be an adult. Again, minimum size is 12 inches.
On the North Fork, from the mouth of the East Fork upstream to Merwin Dam, anglers are allowed a daily limit of six hatchery chinook, only one of which may be an adult salmon. Minimum size is 12 inches.
Only fin-clipped jacks may be retained in the waters listed, and in all but the Cowlitz, which allows silver salmon retention, jacks must be chinook. Be sure to check your copy of the fishing pamphlet before you go fishing, and stay tuned for any changes in regulations.