The Snake River trap starts fishing for juvenile salmon and steelhead trout, known as smolts, around the first week of March. Trapping continues until the end of May. This tradition has been repeated at the Blue Bridge since 1984.
Hundreds of motorists pass this fish trap each day. In spite of the trap being 100 feet long, few pay attention to it. Even fewer know its purpose. The smolts trapped here will be monitored and accommodations will be made to enhance their survival through the Snake and Columbia River Migration Corridor to the Pacific Ocean.
The trap can capture several thousand smolts each day. The arrival of the first pulse is variable and depends on river flows and other factors. Significant numbers are not trapped until a few weeks after the trap is connected to the bridge. During the wait, crews monitor river conditions, seven days per week, and complete minor trap maintenance.
Besides smolts, the trap is effective at catching future fisheries professionals. Several agencies and organizations have benefited from the experience that aspiring fisheries professionals gained on this smolt trap early in their careers. Consequently, this trap enhances the future for those that swim into it and those whom walk on it.