Meeting September 15 via conference call, the Commission approved a Coho season for the Clearwater River. Fishing for Coho on the mainstem Clearwater River downstream from Memorial Bridge begins immediately with fishing allowed 7 days a week.
Beginning September 17, Coho fishing is allowed on the Mainstem Clearwater River from Memorial Bridge upstream to the confluence of the Middle and South Forks of the Clearwater River, the North Fork of the Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to Dworshak Dam, and the middle for Clearwater River form the South Fork Clearwater River upstream to the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway Rivers. For these sections, Coho fishing is only allowed Thursdays through Sundays until 11:59 p.m. on October 18, 2020. This structure allows ongoing evaluation of the overlapping fall Chinook fishery (which also closes October 18) and the steelhead fishery in these sections of the Clearwater River.
Beginning October 19, all of the listed sections of river are open for Coho fishing 7 days a week.
The season will close at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2020 or by emergency order, whichever comes first.
Daily bag limits for all open sections are 2 Coho salmon, which may be adipose clipped or unclipped. The possession limit is 6 Coho salmon, which may be clipped or unclipped. There is no season limit on the number of clipped or unclipped Coho salmon retained during the open season, but all harvested Coho must be recorded on a salmon permit. Multiple permits can be purchased.
All other rules pertaining to salmon fisheries apply to the Coho season. For more information, go to idfg.idaho.gov/fish/coho/rules .
To learn more about the coho run, read Clearwater Region Fisheries Joe Dupont's detailed breakdown of the fishery.
Steelhead run update
Lance Hebdon, Anadromous Fish Manager, also updated the Commission about the Clearwater steelhead return, stating “Steelhead returns to the Clearwater are coming in better than forecast and we’re confident that there are sufficient steelhead returning to the Clearwater to meet broodstock needs.”
Commission approves shooting hours for stocked pheasants
The Commission also approved shooting hours for pheasant stocking areas where an Upland Game Bird Permit is required. For 2020, the shooting hours are 10:00 a.m. to one-half hour after sunset, except for pheasant stocking areas in the Clearwater Region, where shooting hours would be 8:00 a.m. to one-half hour after sunset. For a list of all of the pheasant stocking properties where an Upland Game Bird Permit is required see idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/pheasant/stocking .