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Idaho Fish and Game

Clearwater River Basin - Seasons and Limits

Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on what type of seasons and limits you would like to have for the Clearwater River basin’s spring Chinook Salmon fishery.

Comments will be accepted through March 3.

The 2024 spring Chinook salmon run to the Clearwater River Basin is forecasted to provide a harvest share of around 1,360 adults. Using this forecast and the spring Chinook seasons and limits proposal table below that was developed with angler input, we would recommend to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission the following strategy to manage this fishery: 

  • Fishing 4 days a week (Thr - Sun)
  • A daily limit of four (4) salmon with no more than one (1) being an adult
  • Season opens the fourth Saturday of April (April 27)
  • No fishing from boats would be allowed in the Big Eddy Hole
  • The season limit would be 10 adult fish. 

Should the run come in significantly larger or smaller than forecasted, our goal would be to follow the guidelines specified in the table below.

Chinook seasons and limits proposal table for the Clearwater River Basin based on harvest share. 
Adult Harvest ShareSeasonLimitRiver Sections Open to Fishing
<200

4 days a week

(Thr-Sun)

Jacks only

Clearwater River: Camas Prairie Bridge to HWY 12 Bridge and Pink House boat ramp to Greer Bridge

North Fork: (no boats)

Middle Fork:

South Fork: Harpster Grade to Mount Idaho Grade Bridge.

200-1,0002 days a week (Sat-Sun)1 adult

Clearwater River: Camas Prairie Bridge to Cherrylane Bridge (no boat fishing from HWY 12 Bridge to Cherrylane) and Pink House Boat Ramp to Five Mile Boat Ramp

North Fork: (no boats)

Middle Fork:

South Fork: Nez Perce Tribal boundary just downstream of Harpster to Mount Idaho Grade Bridge.

1,000-2,000

4 days a week

(Thr-Sun)

1 adult

Clearwater River: No closures except no fishing from boats in the Big Eddy Hole

 

2,000-6,000

7 days a week

(4 days a week in North Fork)

1 adult (2 in South Fork if > 4,000)

Clearwater River: No closures except no fishing from boats in the Big Eddy Hole

 

>6,000

7 days a week

(4 days a week in North Fork)

2 adultsNo Closures
Map of spring Chinook Salmon Fisheries in the Clearwater Basin