Hatchery Salmon Seasons Slated

Break out the heavy tackle. Another salmon season is nearly here. Meeting via conference call this week, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved hatchery salmon fishing seasons on the Clearwater, Lower Salmon and Little Salmon Rivers. The Clearwater River is slated to open on April 12, with both the Lower Salmon and Little Salmon seasons opening on April 26. The Lower Salmon River season will close on June 15, the Clearwater on July 6, and the Little Salmon River on August 3 unless closed earlier by Commission action. Fishing boundaries are similar to last year. The Lower Salmon fishery will be open from Hammer Creek upstream to the mouth of the Little Salmon River (no change from last season), while the Little Salmon River will be open from its mouth upstream to the Highway 95 bridge, just north of the highway rest area. All boundaries will be clearly marked. Anglers will see reduced numbers of returning adult salmon in relation to the last two seasons. Poor water years and low juvenile salmon survival in their journey to the ocean are largely responsible for the lower returns. For example, about 1,200 hatchery chinook are available for sport harvest in the Little Salmon River. This represents about one-third the number of adult hatchery fish that anglers took home last year. The run of returning adults will be monitored closely, and seasons may be closed early to allow enough adult fish to return to Rapid River Hatchery for broodstock purposes. This reduction in numbers is reflected in the bag and possession limits for hatchery salmon this season. Limits are two hatchery salmon per day, six in possession and ten for the season.