Regs Clarifaction

[Steelie Steve]

When you land a legal fish on the Columbia you are required (salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon) to tag the fish immediately prior to continuing your fishing. Along with marking that you kept a fish you mark the location it was caught. I would think that the location marked on the tag would work for proof. Without visual proof that you were fishing anywhere besides the columbia, the tag should provide the location.

Don't know for sure though.

Steve

[JeepMcMuddy]

Sounds a bit "grey area-ish" still, I will call odfw, and i guess for 8$ I can get a days worth of assurance :smile: Thanks for all your responses.

[Killertraylor]

Yes - you can launch in the Willamette, and fish the Columbia with a Wa. license - you just can't fish in the Willamette or the Mult. Channel. I keep my boat in Chinook, Wa all summer and launch there, fishing the Columbia with an Oregon license. I've been checked numerous times at the dock with no troubles. Just make sure to tag your fish with the right location code.

[jokester]

I agree. It's kind of a gray area??? :whazzup: I know you can launch from either side into the Columbia and fish and you'd be alright. I'd be a little bit skeptical about launching from the Willamette and fishing the Columbia? That's just my take on it though. I'm still learning myself.

-jokester

[JeepMcMuddy]

Question, can I as a Wa license holder, put in and take out on the Willamete and fish on the Columbia with my license? We wouldnt be fishing the Willamete. Or will I need a Ore tag as well? I read the rules below and it seems as I may be able to, but not 100% sure.

Thanks for your help!

This is from ODFW:
d. Anglers that are residents of either Oregon or Washington may launch or take out their boats from either shore, regardless
of which state license they hold;
e. Anglers that are not a resident of either Oregon or Washington must possess a nonresident license for the state in
which they are landing.
2. When fishing on tributaries, sloughs or from the land of a state, the angler must be licensed by that state and obey all angling
regulations of that state.

[ampersat]

as long as you are fishing in the columbia itself, it shouldn't matter where you are launching from.

[Hoosier Daddy]

I think this would be up to OSP's interpretation of the rule. No, if you are fishing the Columbia it shouldn't matter. You might have a hard time convincing a gamey that you were fishing the Columbia when you pull it at a Willamette boat ramp. Probably safer to put in on the Columbia somewhere. Or call OSP and ask them.

[Uglygreen]

Make sure you have several witnesses with you that are willing to testify to your activities, and maybe a video camera so you can prove it in court and you should be OK. The judge will probably cut the fine in half and give you options for making payments over time.

UG

[greenbuttskunk]

I agree, if you pull your boat out of an oregon ramp with a WA tag, W/O witness of fishing the columbia, you may have a problem. It's a grey area, so Mr. gamie would likely use his own discression.

[timinthegorge]

Steelie Steve is right. Catch a fish, mark the CR location on your tag, and you're good to go.

Any questions about where you caught your fish would have to be proven by eye witnesses, or pictures of you being illegal.

Since that won't be the case, :tongue: No Problem!

My .02... Tim :smile:

[lost_sailor]

I think they would have to see you fishing in the Willie or the MC for the charge to stick. I doubt you would be cited otherwise, should be no problem.