1. Six major types of commercial gear have been used to take salmon and steelhead on the Columbia River; namely, gill nets, set nets, seines, traps, fish wheels and dip nets. 2. The five important commercial species in the Columbia River are chinook, silver, blueback and chum salmon and steelhead trout. 3. In 1927 fish wheels were eliminated in Oregon. In 1935 fish wheels, traps, seines and set nets were eliminated in Washington. 4. The effect of the gear change in Washington in 1935 has been to increase the take in other gears, while the previous trend of total landings has not changed appreciably. 5. There is no conclusive evidence that the elimination of fixed gear in Washington increased the escapement of salmon and steelhead. 6. There is no conclusive evidence that any gear is injurious to the run except by subtracting fish from the run. 7. Measures designed to increase the escapement should apply to all gears and cover the entire life history of each species.