South Fork Salmon Season Approved

Anglers will get an opportunity to fish for Chinook salmon on the South Fork Salmon River, but it may be a very short season. Fishing on the South Fork will open Friday June 17. Unlike the spring Chinook fisheries on other rivers in Idaho, the South Fork will remain open seven days a week until harvest goals are achieved. Anglers will be allowed to harvest one adipose-clipped Chinook per day and will be allowed to have three in possession. The statewide season limit is 10 Chinook for all fisheries. Fisheries managers with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game are forecasting a surplus of 1200 to 2400 hatchery summer Chinook will return to the trap on the South Fork. That would allow a hatchery harvest of 600 to 1200 Chinook for recreational anglers and the same amount for tribal harvest. "Those are very fluid numbers" anadromous fisheries manager Sharon Kiefer said. "They may go up or down as we get additional data from pit tags, trapping, and from the fishery." In addition to the limited number of available hatchery fish, the South Fork Fishery is restricted by a limit on the number of naturally produced Chinook subject to incidental take. Incidental take refers to the number of mortalities that result from catching and releasing. The amount of incidental take allowed this year is expected to be low due to the low number of natural fish expected to return. The 2004 season ended in the middle of the three day Fourth of July holiday weekend when both the harvest and incidental take targets were achieved. Because of the small quota on hatchery fish and the low incidental take allowance managers say the likelihood of the fishery closing before July 4 this year is high. The South Fork could easily close in the middle of the holiday weekend again this year. Anglers targeting Chinook salmon must have a valid Idaho fishing license and a salmon permit. Barbless hooks are required, and anglers must immediately release all fish that do not have a clipped adipose fin. Any angler who keeps a salmon must quit fishing for that day, and any angler who has three fish in possession must also quit fishing. Other rules for the South Fork summer Chinook season will be available on the internet at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov./fish/rules/Chinook_seasons/ Rules brochures will be available at Fish and Game Headquarters in Boise, the regional offices in Nampa and McCall, and at license vendors in the Treasure Valley, McCall and Cascade prior to Friday's opener.