Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Clearwater River basin’s spring Chinook Salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through March 1.
The 2025 spring Chinook salmon run to the Clearwater River Basin is forecasted to provide a harvest share of around 1,144 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 26)
No fishing from boats would be allowed in the Big Eddy Hole
Attempts would be made to distribute harvest as depicted in Clearwater harvest distribution map (below)
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 Share
Season
Limit
River Sections Open to Fishing
<200
4 days a week
(Thr-Sun)
Jacks only
Clearwater River: Camas Prairie Bridge to HWY 12 Bridge and Pink HouClearwater 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.
200-1,000
2 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
Idaho Fish and Game would like your input on how you would like the Clearwater River basin’s spring Chinook Salmon fishery to be managed.
Comments will be accepted through March 1.
The 2025 spring Chinook salmon run to the Clearwater River Basin is forecasted to provide a harvest share of around 1,144 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:
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.
4 days a week
(Thr-Sun)
North Fork: (no boats)
Middle Fork:
South Fork: Harpster Grade to Mount Idaho Grade Bridge.
North Fork: (no boats)
Middle Fork:
South Fork: Nez Perce Tribal boundary just downstream of Harpster to Mount Idaho Grade Bridge.
4 days a week
(Thr-Sun)
Clearwater River: No closures except no fishing from boats in the Big Eddy Hole
7 days a week
(4 days a week in North Fork)
Clearwater River: No closures except no fishing from boats in the Big Eddy Hole
7 days a week
(4 days a week in North Fork)