Spring Chinook Salmon Fishery Update (7/1/2024): Clearwater River Return, Rapid River Run, and Hells Canyon Fisheries

Hi everybody.

It is time for my weekly spring Chinook Salmon update (July 1, 2024). There will be no additional closures this week for any of the spring Chinook Salmon fisheries.

HARVEST SHARES

Harvest shares for the different Chinook Salmon fisheries in the Clearwater Region are shown in the table below. Harvest shares as of July 1, 2024 are 4,755 adult fish for the Clearwater River Return fishery (darker peach row), 2,449 for the Rapid River Return fishery (darker blue row), 822 for the Hells Canyon fishery (green row), and 192 for the Lochsa Summer Run fishery.

FISHERIES

Clearwater River Basin Fishery

Last week, we estimated that 99 adult Chinook Salmon were harvested in the Clearwater River basin fishery (see table below). Almost all of the harvest occurred in the North Fork Clearwater (96 fish). Catch rates were excellent in the North Fork at 3 hrs/fish, but really slow elsewhere. Fishing effort was light in all areas open to fishing. All totaled, we estimate that 4,212 adult fish have been harvested in the Clearwater River Basin Fishery leaving 543 more fish to go before our harvest share is met. The North Fork (River Section 3) has 73 more fish to go before it reaches its harvest distribution goal (see blue area in table below). What this means is all river reaches currently open will remain open for another week. However, I suspect the North Fork will reach its harvest distribution goal by the end of this week which likely means this will be the last week this river section will remain open. 

Lochsa River Summer Run Fishery

So far, we have only observed jacks that were harvested in the Lochsa River summer run fishery. Nobody we have interviewed has harvested an adult. However, PIT tag detections on the Lochsa River arrays and trapping at the Powell trap indicate that fish are spread throughout the river. 

Rapid River Run Fishery

Last week we estimated that 60 adult fish were harvested in the Little Salmon River which is a considerable drop from the previous week (see table below). Part of the reason for this is about half as many people fished the river as the week before and the other reason is catch rates slowed a little to 9 hrs/fish. We estimate that 1,947 adult Chinook Salmon have been harvested this season which leaves 503 fish before our harvest share is met. As such, the Little Salmon River will remain open for at least another week.

Hells Canyon Fishery

We estimate that 40 adults and 7 jacks were harvested last week below Hells Canyon Dam (see table below). Catch rates averaged 7 hrs/fish based on people we interviewed. As of last Sunday (June 30, 2024), we estimate that 742 adult fish have been harvested which leaves 80 more before we reach our harvest share. As such, this fishery will remain open for at least another week. 

If you haven’t got your fill of Chinook Salmon fishing and are looking for a place to vacation for the Fourth of July, there are still a few good opportunities available. It’s going to be a hot one though.

Have fun and stay safe!