Fishing in the Clearwater Region had a fairly significant increase this week with fall Chinook and the recent opening of coho and steelhead for harvest.
Anglers on the Snake River had a successful week catching steelhead, although many of them were caught before the harvest season opened. There were a few Chinook salmon caught this week, most of which were caught at either Heller Bar or Hells Canyon Dam. The majority of the anglers fishing this week around Heller Bar. Tuna has been the bait with the greatest success. Anglers were either floating tuna balls or using the super baits with tuna. Herring has been used as well as shrimp. They have still had success but tuna has been the best so far.
The Clearwater River picked up as anglers targeted coho this past weekend and, finally on Sunday, given the opportunity to harvest some steelhead. There were no Chinook reports of being caught this week but there were several coho caught with the majority of them caught in the Kooskia area.
With the number of locations being fished this week and catch and release closing, there were two reports for steelhead, one for the catch and release and the other for Sunday the opening of the catch and keep season. - Ryan Allen, Fisheries Technician 2, Clearwater Region