Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Hells Canyon spring Chinook salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through February 22, 2026.
The 2026 Hells Canyon Spring Chinook harvest share is forecasted for 378 adults. The harvest share for this fishery is rarely met and is heavily influenced by adult trapping operations. When adult trapping begins, catch and harvest quickly drops, resulting in fewer anglers targeting this return, which further reduces the likelihood of reaching the adult harvest share. Through public input, anglers prefer a 2-adult daily bag limit to maximize harvest opportunity, therefore, IDFG recommends the following fishery structure:
A 7-Day fishery with a daily limit of four (4) salmon with no more than two (2) adults.
Season opens Saturday, April 25, with fishing allowed on the Snake River from Dug Bar boat ramp to Hells Canyon Dam.
Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Chinook seasons and limits proposal table for the Hells Canyon fishery based on the available harvest share
*Highlighted row indicates IDFG recommendation to start the 2026 Hells Canyon Chinook Fishery
Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Hells Canyon spring Chinook salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through February 22, 2026.
The 2026 Hells Canyon Spring Chinook harvest share is forecasted for 378 adults. The harvest share for this fishery is rarely met and is heavily influenced by adult trapping operations. When adult trapping begins, catch and harvest quickly drops, resulting in fewer anglers targeting this return, which further reduces the likelihood of reaching the adult harvest share. Through public input, anglers prefer a 2-adult daily bag limit to maximize harvest opportunity, therefore, IDFG recommends the following fishery structure:
Should the run come in significantly different than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.
Chinook seasons and limits proposal table for the Hells Canyon fishery based on the available harvest share
*Highlighted row indicates IDFG recommendation to start the 2026 Hells Canyon Chinook Fishery
<1,000
7 Days
2 adults
Dug Bar Boat Ramp to Hells Canyon Dam
>1,000
7 Days
3 adults
Dug Bar Boat Ramp to Hells Canyon Dam