Ask Fish and Game: Chinook Season, Late or Weak?

Q. Spring Chinook salmon fishing seasons opened April 25 on the Clearwater, the lower Salmon, Little Salmon and the Snake rivers. So where's the fish? A. The Idaho Fish and Game Commission sets spring Chinook seasons based on preseason forecasts. But forecasts are just that. The actual numbers may be higher or lower. Salmon managers have not revised their forecasts yet, but some do not expect the run at Bonneville Dam to meet preseason predictions. Others say the run is simply late and predict it will still come close to earlier expectations. So far, as of May 3, about 240 Chinook salmon have been counted at Lower Granite Dam on their way to Idaho - the 10-year average for this date is more than 17,000. And about 38,396 fish have crossed Bonneville Dam- the 10-year average is about 107,389 fish. The preseason forecast predicted about 105,600 hatchery origin and almost 23,000 wild Chinook would return to Idaho. That would translate into estimates of 13,341 fish available for nontribal anglers in the Clearwater River, 9,700 in the lower Salmon and Little Salmon, and 1,365 in the Snake River. For an online preview of the Chinook salmon season on YouTube go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86yoxrI9Wk.