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Idaho Fish and Game

Salmon Fishing Little Salmon River in 2015

Clearwater Region Chinook Update

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Hi everybody, this is Joe Dupont, Clearwater Region Fish Manager. It is time for this week's Clearwater Region Chinook update (6/13/16).  

Harvest Shares

The table below shows the number of adult Chinook Salmon that have passed over Lower Granite based on PIT tags (and their associated harvest shares) that are destined for the different fisheries in the Clearwater Region.  You may notice that the harvest shares have slightly exceeded what I projected last week and is because the survival of these fish as they migrate between Bonneville Dam and Lower Granite Dam was a little higher than occurs on average.

Chart of salmon passage at Lower Granite Dam as of 6/13/16       

 

This Jack return and what it may mean for next year

Now that many of our Chinook fisheries have ended, people have been asking me what next year’s run might be like.  One of the main things we use to predict next year’s adult return is the number of jacks that returned this year.  The relationship between jack returns and the following year’s adult returns can be inaccurate, but it typically gives us some idea on whether the run will be strong or weak.  Because so many of you have been asking, I have put together the table below to shed some light on the subject.  The numbers in the table below are all based on PIT tagged Chinook that have passed over Bonneville Dam.  This year’s jack return for both the Clearwater and Rapid River runs were similar to what we saw last year.  Not too surprising, when I modeled out what this may mean for next year’s adult run (yellow boxes below), it predicted an adult run similar to what we saw this year.  Please recognize that this is not an official forecast as that is done differently.  The official forecast will come out in the winter.    


Chart of jack salmon returning to Idaho as of 6/13/16

Clearwater River Fishery

Last week, fisheries remained open in the Clearwater basin to spring Chinook fishing upstream of Orofino Bridge.  Through our creel program, we estimated that 205 spring Chinook were harvested last week with most being harvested in the South Fork Clearwater River (see table below).  Not too surprising, this is also where the highest catch rates were (catch rates of 7 hrs/fish).   I have to admit, I’m a little surprised that the effort and success wasn’t higher in section 5 around Kooskia Hatchery.  There are over 4,000 fish headed to that hatchery, and most haven’t shown up at the hatchery or have been harvested yet.  Some of these fish migrate up the South Fork Clearwater, but many of them eventually turn back.  So, they are out there somewhere for the taking.

The nice thing about the harvest share increasing (due to higher migration survival) is there will be no need to make any closures this week as there is still about 380 fish left on the non-tribal harvest share.  As such, the mainstem Clearwater River upstream of Orofino Bridge, the Middle Fork Clearwater River, the South Fork Clearwater River, and the Lochsa River will remain open through the week.  The next time we will look at the data will be next Monday.  So, all these areas will remain open until at least then.  Don’t forget, that means starting on June 18 (this Saturday), for all these river reaches that remain open (except the South Fork), you will be able to keep a Chinook salmon with an unclipped adipose fish.  This is to take advantage of the summer Chinook salmon that will be passing through. 

Summer Run in the lower Clearwater

Last Friday (June 10) the lower Clearwater opened to the first summer Chinook fishery that this river has experienced in modern times.  Many people took advantage of this fishery, and put some time on the water to try and catch these fish.  Unfortunately, catch rates were very slow, but I did hear one boat actually landed two Chinook on the opener.  I don’t have any more information on this fishery for you at this point, but will provide more details in the next day or two.  Don’t forget, this fishery is only open four days a week (Friday through Monday).   Based on the slow catch rates, this fishery will remain open at least through the following week.  It will be interesting to see just how good the fishing for summer Chinook will get up by Powell as they start stacking up near our satellite facility.  I suspect that will start occurring in a couple weeks.

Rapid River Run

The entire Rapid River run fishery ended last Friday.  I had many people comment to me that catch rates were definitely slower this year than in the past; but if they kept at it, they were able to catch some fish.  Most wished the fishery lasted longer but understood that when the run is down our opportunities will be less.  Check the Harvest Report to see the year-end harvest statistics for this run.  Most areas had at least two weeks of good fishing, with about 55% of the harvest occurring in the main Salmon River and 45% in the Little Salmon. 

The last time I was fishing in Riggins, I was happy to see some folks walking around with garbage sacks cleaning up.  I really want to thank those of you who made these types of efforts, as you are making a difference.  Unfortunately, it only takes a few bad apples, and the area can quickly become a mess again.  I need all of your help to stop these types of actions in the future.  Disrespect for private property got so bad this year in a few areas that these landowners told me that they would not put up with it anymore and may shut down access to very popular stretches of river.  It saddens me that landowners who continue to provide access to the public are disrespected this way.  I can tell you that IDFG will make efforts to work with these landowners to keep the property open, but it will cost us money in personnel, signs, and garbage services to do so.  I know this is not how you want to see IDFG’s funds being spent.  Even these added efforts may not be enough unless all of us step up to the plate and put a stop to this.  Thanks for your understanding, and please help spread the word.

Chinook fishing is definitely winding down in the Clearwater Region.  For you die-hards, there are still some good opportunities out there.

Talk to you next week.

- Joe DuPont, Clearwater Region Fish Manager