Columbia Basin Bulletin, Fish and Wildlife News 6/20/08

Many anglers have been waiting a long time for the chinook salmon season that opens June 19.

It has been three decades since the last chinook season on the upper Salmon River.

The lower boundary of the area open to chinook fishing is at the Highway 75 Bridge over the mainstem of the Salmon River at milepost 213.5, which is about nine miles west of Clayton. The river is open upstream to the posted boundary about 100 yards downstream from the Sawtooth Hatchery weir.

Successful anglers can only keep hatchery chinook salmon with a clipped adipose fin. Unless there is a healed scar from the clipped fin, the salmon is considered wild and must be released immediately.

It is legal to catch both adult and jack chinook salmon on the upper Salmon River. Adult chinook are at least 24 inches long, while jacks are less than 24 inches long. Anglers can keep two jacks each day and six in possession. It is not necessary to record jacks on salmon permits.

After landing an adult chinook salmon, anglers should validate their permit. Limits on adult chinook salmon are two each day, six in possession, and 40 for the season. Anglers are required to stop fishing for salmon once they reach the adult salmon bag, possession, or season limit.

There will be three check stations, with two on Highway 75 and one on Highway 21. It is mandatory for anglers to stop at check stations, even if they haven't caught any fish.

Meanwhile, salmon fishing will close at the end of fishing Sunday, June 22, on the Middle Fork Clearwater, the Snake, and Lower Salmon rivers.

Clearwater River: Fishery managers for the Idaho Fish and Game estimate that as of June 15, anglers caught 64 percent of the state's harvest share of adult hatchery chinook salmon returning to the Clearwater River drainage. They estimate that by June 22, the state's share of salmon destined for the Kooskia Fish Hatchery will be met.

To ensure sufficient brood stock reaches the Kooskia Hatchery, IDFG says it is necessary to close salmon fishing in the Middle Fork Clearwater River. Within the Clearwater River drainage, Chinook fishing will remain open in the North Fork Clearwater, South Fork Clearwater and Lochsa rivers.

Fish and Game will provide updates on fishery status and potential closures in the Clearwater River basin every Monday until the season closes. Fish and Game expects some salmon fishing in the Clearwater River basin to remain open through the July Fourth weekend.

All salmon fishing in the Clearwater River basin will close once the remainder of the state's harvest share of Clearwater River hatchery salmon has been caught.

Snake River: Chinook salmon fishing in the Snake River from Dug Bar Boat Ramp upstream to Hells Canyon Dam will close at the end of fishing hours June 22. This decision was based on concerns about the extent of incidental take of natural origin chinook (adipose fin present) salmon caught and released in this reach of river.

Lower Salmon River: The chinook season on the lower Salmon River - from Hammer Creek boat ramp to Time Zone Bridge and Time Zone Bridge to Shorts Creek - will close as listed in the regulations at the end of fishing hours June 22. Fish and Game anticipates that about 75 percent of the state's harvest share of chinook salmon destined for the Rapid River Hatchery will be caught by this date. This will leave about 25 percent of the state's remaining share to be harvested from the Little Salmon River.

Salmon fishing in the Little Salmon River will remain open until the state's harvest share is met or August 3, whichever comes first