Fall Steelhead Harvest Season Opens on Clearwater

The fall steelhead harvest season opens Wednesday, August 1, on a two-mile stretch of the lower Clearwater River from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 12 Memorial Bridge near Lewiston. The limits on these waters are two per day and six in possession. Rest of Clearwater and the Middle Fork, North Fork and South Fork rivers are open for catch-and-release only until October 15. The fall steelhead harvest season opens October 15 on the main stem of the Clearwater River above the Memorial Bridge, the South Fork Clearwater River, the North Fork Clearwater River below Dworshak Dam, and the Middle Fork Clearwater River below Clear Creek. Catch-and-release for steelhead also opens August 1 on the Snake, Salmon and Little Salmon rivers. The harvest season opens September 1. The limits on these waters are three per day and nine in possession. Anglers may keep 20 steelhead for the fall season, which ends December 31. Only steelhead with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. Any steelhead that has an intact adipose fin must be released unharmed. For additional information please consult the 2012 fishing rules and seasons brochure, available at all license vendors, Fish and Game offices and online at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/rules/steelhead.pdf