Steelhead Harvest Season Opens Soon on the Clearwater

Steelhead harvest fishing season will open October 15, on the Clearwater River upstream of the Memorial Bridge on U.S. Highway 12 near Lewiston. The steelhead harvest season already is open on the Clearwater River downstream of the Memorial Bridge. The harvest season opened September 1, on the Salmon, the Little Salmon and the lower Snake rivers. The fall steelhead season runs through December 31. The steelhead limit on the Snake, Salmon and Little Salmon is three per day and nine in possession. The limit on the Clearwater is two fish per day and six in possession. Anglers may keep 20 steelhead for the season. Once limits are reached, the angler must stop fishing for steelhead, even catch-and-release. Anglers must have a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit. They must stop fishing when the possession limit is reached - even catch-and-release. Steelhead anglers may use only barbless hooks, and may keep only hatchery steelhead marked with a clipped adipose fin. All other steelhead must be released unharmed. In the boundary waters on the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon or Washington, an angler with a valid 2010 Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit may fish where the river forms the boundary between Idaho and Oregon or Washington, but may not fish from the shoreline, including wading, and may not fish in sloughs or tributaries on the Oregon or Washington side. An angler may have only the limit allowed by one license regardless of the number of licenses the angler holds. For more information on steelhead fishing in Idaho, check the Fish and Game Website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov. In addition to steelhead, until October 31, anglers in the Snake River and part of the Clearwater River who have a valid salmon permit may harvest two fall Chinook salmon per day, only one of which may be an adult, and they may possess six fall Chinook salmon, only three of which may be adults. Adult fall Chinook salmon are included in the annual 40 fish limit for salmon anglers. Anglers should check the 2010 Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules for additional details.