Smallmouth by the Portland Airport

[fishman123]

Has anyone any ever tried fishing for smallmouth on the rocky shorline of the columbia by the portland airport?

Every time I drive over the 205 bridge I tell myself I need to try it out and never get around to it.

Also, if you already have a Washington fishing license, do you need an Oregon fishing license if you are bank fishing in the columbia river from the oregon side? I know that if you are in a boat you do not need a oregon license.

[PokerAddict]

no, if you are fishing in the columbia Oregon and Washington licence are OK

[AaronE]

I was under the impression that if you are fishing from the shore in adjoining waters you need a license for the state where that shore is located. I haven't done it since moving out here so maybe it's an east coast thing. I know the game wardens in West Virginia and Ohio will write you up for fishing on the Ohio River without the appropriate license for the shore you're on. First-hand experience on that one hehe....

[lskiles]

Yeah, I am not really sure about that either...

I sent an e-mail to WDFW and asked them about it. They usually answer right back.
I will post their response here.

I would hate to be missing out on a fishing opportunity!

Heads up:
If you ever have a question about the regs you can ask WDFW at fishregs@dfw.wa.gov

[islandbass]

no, if you are fishing in the columbia Oregon and Washington licence are OK

That sounds great, but not right and I hope you are because that would save me some $$ buying a non resident OR license. I just assumed I needed to get an OR license when I fished with my bro just south of the 205 bridge on the OR side.

Could you direct us to where you got your info? Thanks! Saving $$ is always a good thing.

-ib

To the subject, I too have always wondered about that section of the Columbia every time I pass it to visit my brother. Unfortunatly the last time I went down, we didn't get the chance to fish anywhere.

[cavdad45]

If you are in a boat fishing the Columbia, a valid license from either state is allowed. However, if you launch your boat from the Washington side, you must have a Washington license. Same with Oregon.

To shore fish the Columbia, you need a license from whichever state you are fishing from. Oregon shore means Oregon license. Washington shore means Washington license.

[lskiles]

Yeah, I am not really sure about that either...

I sent an e-mail to WDFW and asked them about it. They usually answer right back.
I will post their response here.

I would hate to be missing out on a fishing opportunity!

Heads up:
If you ever have a question about the regs you can ask WDFW at fishregs@dfw.wa.gov

Well I got an answer from my e-mail...

As stated per page 79 of the current regulation pamphlet: Where the
river coincides with the boundary between Washington and Oregon, the
license of either state is valid. Anglers must comply with the laws of
the state in which they are fishing, however, you may launch a boat from
either side of the river. An angler licensed only in Oregon may not fish
on the Washington shore or in Washington sloughs or tributaries, except
Camas Slough, where the license of either state is valid from a floating
device, and the same applies to a Washington license holder fishing the
Oregon shores, sloughs and tributaries. An angler fishing the Columbia
River is restricted to one daily limit even if licensed by both states.
Anglers may fish with either a saltwater, freshwater, or combination
license in the waters of the Columbia River between a line from Rocky
Point, on the Washington shore, to Tongue Point, on the Oregon shore,
and the Buoy 10 line described on page 80 of the regulation pamphlet.
For bottomfish and forage fish rules, Marine Area 1 rules apply this is
as described on page 79 of the regulation pamphlet under Eastside
Rivers-Special Rules-Columbia River.

So it sounds like the only difference between what WDFW says and what cavdad already told us is they say it does not matter which side of the river we launch from.
I have a friend who camps on the Columbia from his boat and he stops to camp on some islands that are officially on the Oregon side so he cannot fish from the shore of them even though they are in the middle of the Columbia.
Picky, picky, picky!