Updated November 2026 — Sturgeon fishing above Bonneville Dam is catch-and-release first. Keeper seasons up here are short, quota-driven windows set each year by the Oregon and Washington fish managers, and the 2027 dates have not been released yet. Before you plan a keeper trip, check the current rules at the links below — what follows is how the pools work and how last season looked, not a promise about this season.
Catch-and-Release First
Most sturgeon fishing above Bonneville Dam is catch-and-release, open year-round except May 1 through August 31, when sanctuary closures apply below dam tailraces. Retention opens only in short windows the managers announce, and when the quota is caught, the window closes.
The Three Pools
Bonneville Pool — Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam. When a retention window opens, the slot is 38 to 54 inches fork length.
The Dalles Pool — The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam. Slot when open: 43 to 54 inches fork length.
John Day Pool — John Day Dam to McNary Dam. Slot when open: 43 to 54 inches fork length.
Bag limit during any retention season: 1 sturgeon per day, 2 per year statewide. Single-point barbless hooks are required, and you will need a fishing license, a Combined Angling Tag, and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement. A sturgeon over 54 inches fork length cannot be removed from the water.
How Last Season Looked (2026 — Not a Schedule for 2027)
In 2026, the Bonneville Pool retention window was February 16 only. The Dalles Pool opened February 16, 22, 26, and March 3. The John Day Pool opened January 1 through January 9. Those windows are last year’s news, not this year’s plan — the managers will release the 2027 dates, and I will update this page when they do.
How to Measure a Sturgeon
Measure fork length: a straight line from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail, with the fish on its side on a flat surface and the tape flat underneath it. Keep the fish wet, work fast, and never hang a sturgeon by its tail.
Check the Current Rules
Rules change year to year, so check before you go: ODFW Columbia Zone updates and ODFW sturgeon fishing in Oregon.
I launch at Cascade Locks, about 4 miles east of Bonneville Dam.
Book a sturgeon trip above Bonneville Dam — call or text me at 503-314-5087, or send a trip inquiry. Also see my main Columbia River sturgeon guide.
