South Fork Salmon Remains Open

Anglers fishing the South Fork Salmon River have been harvesting some Chinook salmon, but not enough to close the season yet. As of July 4 fisheries managers with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimated the harvest on the South Fork at 497 fish, about half of the state's share of the harvestable surplus. At the same time, 748 Chinook had arrived at the trap on the South Fork Salmon River, also about half the fish needed to satisfy goals for reproduction. Fisheries managers are confident hatchery goals will be met. Anadromous Fisheries Coordinator Bill Horton said how long the season remains open will depend on how many Chinook are caught over the next few days. "I'm not sure whether we'll make it to next weekend or not," Horton said "We will definitely have a couple more days of fishing, and then we'll evaluate the numbers to see how much longer we can stay open." Fish and Game will keep anglers informed and will notify anglers of any closure through local media and on the internet at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov