If you’re fishing in the Clearwater River for coho salmon, or catch one while you’re steelhead or Chinook fishing, here’s a hint: The state catch-and-release record is wide open because this is the first coho fishing season since the catch-and-release records started in 2016.
Breaking the weight record for harvested coho is also possible, so weigh any fish you catch. Idaho had its first sport fishing season for coho in 2014, so there hasn’t been a lot of coho harvested in Idaho rivers.
No offense to Steve Micek, the current record state record holder, but his 11.75-pound coho isn’t exactly world class considering the world’s record is nearly three times that size (33 pounds, 4 ounces).
Anglers should also note that while the catch-and-release record is wide open, they can keep any coho they catch, with or without an adipose fin, as long as they have a valid salmon permit. This applies to coho salmon only. Here are the full coho rules.
To submit a weight record, the fish must be weighed on a certified scale. Here are the full rules to submit a weight record.
To submit a catch-and-release record, you need to take a photo of the fish with a tape measure or other measuring device that shows the length of the fish in inches. Here are the rules for submitting a catch-and-release record.