Fish and Game will add another stretch of the Upper Salmon River open to Chinook fishing starting on July 7 in the section from the Colston Corner boat ramp upstream to the posted boundary approximately 50 yards upstream of the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River.
There is currently a harvestable surplus of hatchery Chinook salmon returning to Pahsimeroi Hatchery. Low returns of wild Chinook salmon prevented this area from being opened earlier, but fisheries staff worked with federal regulators to adjust the timing of the fishing season and the fishing area to minimize impacts to wild Chinook.
Season and rules are:
Boundaries: From the posted boundary at the Colston Corner boat ramp (about 6.5 miles downstream of Ellis), upstream to the posted boundary approximately 50 yards above the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River in Ellis.
Closing Dates: To be determined, area will be closed by closure order signed by the Director of Fish and Game.
Fishing Days: Fishing for Chinook salmon in the Upper Salmon River from Colston Corner boat ramp upstream to the posted boundary approximately 50 yards above the mouth of the Pahsimeroi River will be seven (7) days a week.
Fishing Hours: Upper Salmon River: Fishing is permitted from 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time
Limits: Bag and Possession limits for the Upper Salmon River Section 17 are four (4) Chinook daily, only two (2) of which may be adults; Twelve (12) Chinook in possession, only six (6) of which may be adults. Adult Chinook Salmon are defined as any Chinook Salmon greater than or equal to 24 inches in length. Jack Chinook Salmon are defined as any Chinook Salmon less than 24 inches in length.
Season Limit, statewide: No person may take more than twenty (20) adult Chinook Salmon statewide during 2018 salmon seasons occurring prior to August 13, 2018. (Set through March Commission Action)
Other rules: Anglers must cease fishing for all Chinook Salmon (including jacks) once they have retained their daily, possession or season limit of adult Chinook Salmon or their overall daily, possession, or season limit of Chinook Salmon of any size, whichever comes first.
Only Chinook Salmon with a clipped adipose fin (as evidence by a healed scar) may be kept.
Methods of take: Only barbless hooks not greater than 5/8 inch between the point and shank may be used when fishing for salmon. Bending the barb down to the shank of a single, double, or treble hook will meet the barbless requirement. It is unlawful to fish in any waters while having fish in possession that violate rules for those waters.
It is unlawful to have in the field or in transit any Chinook Salmon from which the head or tail has been removed unless:
- The angler is ashore and done fishing for the day;
- The adult Chinook Salmon is properly recorded on the anglers Chinook Salmon permit; and
- The fish is processed or packaged with the skin naturally attached to the flesh including a portion with a healed, clipped adipose fin scar. The fish must be processed or packaged in a manner that the number of fish harvested can be readily determined. Processed Chinook Salmon cannot be transported by boat.
All salmon that are hooked, landed and reduced to possession shall be counted in the limits of the person hooking the fish. Only adult salmon are counted in the annual limit. Salmon caught in a legal manner must be either released or killed immediately after landing.