Following the Sunday opener, retention fishing will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays on Bonneville and The Dalles pools
OLYMPIA – The 2023 white sturgeon fishing season gets underway Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 on select sections of the Columbia River upstream of Bonneville Dam, fishery managers from Oregon and Washington announced Wednesday.
Retention of legal-size sturgeon opens New Year’s Day on Bonneville Pool (located between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles Dam), The Dalles Pool (between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles Dam), and John Day Pool (between John Day Dam and McNary Dam).
Following the Sunday opener, retention fishing will be open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays on Bonneville and The Dalles pools, while the John Day Pool will be open for sturgeon retention seven days per week.
The Dalles Pool saw a similar three-days-per-week fishing schedule in 2021, but the days-per-week schedule is new this year for the Bonneville Pool. The change is meant to provide greater stability and longer seasons for these areas, which have seen early closures in recent years due to variable catch rates that quickly met allowable harvest limits for how many legal-size fish could be retained.
“This days-per-week approach allows for improved monitoring of catch and fishing effort in these popular fisheries, while also helping to prolong the seasons,” said Laura Heironimus, sturgeon lead with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “It worked well in The Dalles Pool in 2022, and we hope to replicate that success.”
The Dalles Pool closed to sturgeon retention just a few days into January 2021, when the quota was quickly met. After adopting the days-per-week fishing schedule in 2022, managers were able to extend the fishery there until late March.
The Bonneville Pool closed to daily fishing at the end of January 2022, after slow fishing in the first part of the month quickly gave way to increased catch rates in the latter half of the month.
Bonneville and The Dalles pools will remain open for catch-and-release fishing on days not open for retention.
In 2023, anglers will be able to keep up to 190 legal-size sturgeon in The Dalles Pool and 675 sturgeon in the Bonneville Pool. The 105-fish quota for John Day Pool will be under review in January, pending results from the 2022 stock assessment.
Anglers should consult the 2022-23 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for permanent regulations, and keep an eye out for any emergency rule updates, including additional modifications or potential closures on these pools.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish, wildlife, and recreational and commercial opportunities.
Also read:
- The Study of Sports Podcast March 13, 2026: We discuss the state basketball tournaments, the incredible run from Columbia River boys, the state placing for Evergreen girls, and more
Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss a series of subjects around the WIAA’s state basketball tournaments, plus we get into some Mariners baseball talk and NFL free agency/trade cancellations - Falcon Baseball Academy to host inaugural Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market at Prairie High School
Prairie High School’s Falcon Baseball Academy will host its first Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market on May 2, inviting local vendors and community members to support the school’s baseball program and student activities. - Trophy games: Columbia River boys finish fifth, Evergreen girls take sixth at state tournaments
Columbia River’s boys and Evergreen’s girls both reached the final day of their state basketball tournaments, returning to Vancouver with fifth- and sixth-place trophies. - High school state basketball: Columbia River suffers heartache in overtime loss in semifinals
Columbia River’s run to the Class 2A semifinals ended on a buzzer-beater in overtime, while Evergreen advanced to a trophy game and several other Clark County teams wrapped up their state tournament seasons. - Pro basketball: Vancouver Bears set to debut new name in new league
Vancouver’s professional basketball franchise has rebranded as the Vancouver Bears and will open its season in a new league March 7 at Hudson’s Bay High School.
