Commission Expands Chinook Season

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission, Thursday, May 16, expanded Chinook salmon fishing to include additional reaches of the Clearwater main stem and South Fork Clearwater rivers. The Clearwater River main stem is open from the Camas Prairie railroad bridge at Lewiston upstream to the Cherry Lane Bridge and from the Lenore Bridge upstream to the Highway 11 Greer Bridge. The South Fork Clearwater River is open from its mouth upstream to the confluence of the American and Red rivers. Fish and Game asked commissioners to delay a decision on Chinook fisheries in the upper Salmon and South Fork Salmon rivers to early June when fish managers will have a better idea of how many fish are heading for those waters. River sections now open to fishing are: Clearwater River drainage: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday only.

• Clearwater River: From the Camas Prairie railroad bridge at Lewiston upstream to the Cherry Lane Bridge and from the Lenore Bridge upstream to the Highway 11 Greer Bridge.
• North Fork Clearwater: From the mouth upstream to Dworshak Dam excluding the perimeter of the Dworshak National Hatchery at Ahsahka. Fishing from any watercraft is prohibited.
• South Fork Clearwater River: From its mouth upstream to the confluence of the American and Red rivers.
• Middle Fork Clearwater River: From the mouth of the South Fork Clearwater River upstream to the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway rivers.
• Lochsa River is closed entirely to fishing.

Salmon River drainage:

• Lower Salmon River: From the Rice Creek Bridge upstream to the posted boundary at the mouth of Short's Creek (about 1.4 miles upstream of the mouth of the Little Salmon River).
• Little Salmon River: From the mouth upstream to the US Highway 95 Bridge near Smokey Boulder Road.

Snake River: From the Dug Bar boat ramp upstream to Hells Canyon Dam. Fishing hours: Consistent with hours fished in recent years. See the Idaho Fish and Game 2013 Chinook Salmon Seasons and Rules pamphlet for daily start and end times. Limits: On the Clearwater and Snake rivers, the daily limit is four Chinook, only one may be an adult, and the possession limit is 12 Chinook, only three of which may be adults. On the lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers, the daily limit is four, only two may be adults, and the possession limit is 12 Chinook, only six of which may be adults. Season limit statewide: 10 adult Chinook during the 2013 seasons occurring before September 1. Only Chinook salmon with a clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. An angler must cease fishing for Chinook salmon once they have retained their daily, possession, or season limit of adult Chinook salmon or their overall (fish of any size) daily or possession limit of Chinook salmon, whichever comes first. Only adult Chinook salmon must be recorded on the salmon permit. An adult Chinook is any adipose fin-clipped Chinook 24 or more inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Chinook salmon less than 24 inches (jacks) count against the daily limit but need not be recorded on the salmon permit. For details, see the Fish and Game website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?getPage=110.