North Fork Clearwater Steelhead Catch & Release Closed

The catch-and-release fishery for steelhead in the North Fork Clearwater River downstream from the Dworshak Dam closed July 26 and will remain closed through midnight August 31. Dworshak Hatchery is behind schedule in acquiring Chinook salmon brood stock, and managers anticipate that closing the steelhead catch-and-release fishery will increase the number of adult Chinook that can be captured as brood stock. The trapping period for spring Chinook at Dworshak will continue until the end of August. The fall catch-and-release steelhead season on the North Fork Clearwater River will resume September 1 and remain open through October 14. Meanwhile, the fall steelhead harvest season opens Thursday, August 1, on the Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to the Memorial Bridge of U.S. Highway 12 at Lewiston. The limit is two steelhead per day, six in possession and 20 for the fall season through the end of December. Elsewhere on the Clearwater, the fall catch-and-release season remains open through October 14 on:

• Clearwater River main stem and Middle Fork from the Memorial Bridge of U.S. Highway 12 at Lewiston upstream to Clear Creek.
• South Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to the confluence of the American and Red rivers.

The fall steelhead catch-and-release season opens August 1 on the Salmon, Little Salmon and Snake rivers. For details on steelhead fishing seasons and rules see: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?getPage=38.