Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Clearwater River's spring Chinook salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through February 22, 2026.
The 2026 aggregate Clearwater spring Chinook run is forecasted to provide a total harvest share of 2,003 adults. Clearwater River anglers have not reached the allowable harvest share in any of the past five years Idaho has conducted a salmon fishery. During that time, a total of 3,983 harvestable adults, about 20% of the annual harvest share, have gone unharvested in the Clearwater River. A combination of fishing conditions and conservative early-season fisheries structures have reduced anglers’ ability to fully achieve the sport share allocation in the Clearwater. Past assumptions were that unharvested mainstem Clearwater fish would be harvested in tributary and terminal fisheries, however, harvest data shows this is not the case. To maximize harvest opportunities and better meet harvest share objectives, early-season harvest in the Clearwater River “pass-through” fisheries would need to be increased. As such, IDFG recommends the following fishery structure for the 2026 Clearwater River Fishery:
A 4-day (Thur-Sun) fishery with a daily limit of four (4) salmon with no more than two (2) adults.
Season opens Saturday, April 25, with fishing allowed throughout the Clearwater River drainage, except no fishing from a boat in the Big Eddy Hole (see Spring Chinook Season and Limits pamphlet for boundary description).
Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Clearwater River Spring Chinook Fishery Proposal
*Highlighted row indicates IDFG recommendation to start the 2026 Clearwater Basin Chinook Fishery
Total Clearwater Adult Harvest Share
Days Per Week
Limit
River Sections and Expectations
<200
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
Jacks only
Fishing Permitted From: Camas Prairie Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge and Pink House Boat Ramp to Greer Bridge
200-1,000
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
1 adult
Fishing Permitted From: Camas Prairie Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge (no boat fishing from HWY 12 Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge) and Pink House Boat Ramp to Greer Bridge
1,000-6,000
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
2 adults
No Closures: except no fishing from boats in Big Eddy Hole
7 Days
1 adult
No Closures: except no fishing from boats in Big Eddy Hole
Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Clearwater River's spring Chinook salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through February 22, 2026.
The 2026 aggregate Clearwater spring Chinook run is forecasted to provide a total harvest share of 2,003 adults. Clearwater River anglers have not reached the allowable harvest share in any of the past five years Idaho has conducted a salmon fishery. During that time, a total of 3,983 harvestable adults, about 20% of the annual harvest share, have gone unharvested in the Clearwater River. A combination of fishing conditions and conservative early-season fisheries structures have reduced anglers’ ability to fully achieve the sport share allocation in the Clearwater. Past assumptions were that unharvested mainstem Clearwater fish would be harvested in tributary and terminal fisheries, however, harvest data shows this is not the case. To maximize harvest opportunities and better meet harvest share objectives, early-season harvest in the Clearwater River “pass-through” fisheries would need to be increased. As such, IDFG recommends the following fishery structure for the 2026 Clearwater River Fishery:
Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Clearwater River Spring Chinook Fishery Proposal
*Highlighted row indicates IDFG recommendation to start the 2026 Clearwater Basin Chinook Fishery
Total Clearwater Adult Harvest Share
Days Per Week
Limit
River Sections and Expectations
<200
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
Jacks only
Fishing Permitted From: Camas Prairie Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge and Pink House Boat Ramp to Greer Bridge
200-1,000
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
1 adult
Fishing Permitted From: Camas Prairie Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge (no boat fishing from HWY 12 Bridge to Cherry Lane Bridge) and Pink House Boat Ramp to Greer Bridge
1,000-6,000
4 Days
(Thur-Sun)
2 adults
No Closures: except no fishing from boats in Big Eddy Hole
7 Days
1 adult
No Closures: except no fishing from boats in Big Eddy Hole
>6,000
7 Days
2 adults
No Closures