A higher than anticipated run of summer Chinook salmon will allow for recreational fishing in the Upper Columbia River, though the state has further limited daily sockeye catches in the Upper and Mid-Columbia due to fewer fish than expected. 

The summer Chinook run was reported as 43,200 in the latest fishery update from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. That’s higher than the 38,000 that was anticipated and even slightly above the 42,511 summer Chinook that returned in 2024. 

“At this run size, sufficient numbers of summer Chinook are available for recreational harvest,” Fish & Wildlife said in a statement. 

Through Aug. 31, anglers may now catch up to one adult hatchery Chinook per day between the Highway 173 bridge at Brewster to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers safety marker on the Douglas County shore to the rock jetty at the upstream shoreline of Foster Creek.  

However, the daily limit on sockeye was reduced to two fish daily throughout the Upper and Mid-Columbia. The size of the sockeye run was recently assessed at 183,200, down from the earlier estimate of 350,200. 

Fisheries officials note that changes in the size of runs may lead to further increases or decreases for harvest. 

More information about current fishing rules for the region can be found online. Sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and check for emergency rules on the state's website prior to fishing. Refer to the 2024-25 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for fishing rules.