Fishing aficionados rejoice as the Oregon and Washington fishery managers have declared the opening of the much-anticipated 2025 white sturgeon seasons for sections of the Columbia River, as reported by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Starting January 1, sturgeon retention will be allowed in the Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day pools, with dates and limitations established to ensure the health and sustainability of the fish population.
A structured approach has been set with Wednesdays and Saturdays being the designated days for the Bonneville and The Dalles Pools from January 1 to January 29, 2025, or until the quotas for each pool are met. The John Day Pool will, however, allow fishermen to actively pursue their catch daily starting January 1, 2025, as per the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. This follows a days-per-week structure adopted back in 2022, designed to carefully monitor catch rates and to better manage the fishing effort in these popular sturgeon fisheries.
Anglers are permitted to keep one sturgeon per day, subject to a maximum of two annually across all retention fisheries. Size regulations vary by location, requiring a fork length of 38 to 54 inches in the Bonneville Pool and 43 to 54 inches in The Dalles and John Day Pools. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be available on non-retention days in the Bonneville and The Dalles pools. Current recreational harvest guidelines are 675 white sturgeon for the Bonneville Pool, 275 for The Dalles Pool, and 105 for the John Day Pool, with plans to reassess the Bonneville Pool's harvest guideline later in January 2025.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife strives to conserve fish and wildlife populations and their habitats, ensuring both recreational and commercial opportunities endure for generations to come. For detailed sturgeon regulations and updates, visit WDFW's white sturgeon webpage.
