Chinook fishing reopens Saturday on Clearwater, Salmon, Little Salmon rivers

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission reopened spring Chinook salmon fishing on portions of the Clearwater River and the Little and Lower Salmon Rivers, as of Saturday.

The commission also set the summer Chinook seasons in portions of the Clearwater River system, South Fork of the Salmon River and Upper Salmon rivers. Those seasons will open June 22, and details will be released later.

Idaho’s Fish and Game Commission took a wait-and-see stand last week on whether to close fishing season, because fewer than 400 salmon had made it to Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River in Washington, the last of the eight dams between the Pacific Ocean and Idaho.

The reopened spring fishing season will target jack Chinook in the Clearwater River and adult and jack hatchery Chinook in the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers. Fishing will be limited to Thursday through Sunday weekly.

Anglers should pay special attention to rules on the Clearwater pertaining to harvest of jacks, clipped and unclipped fish, and no adult harvest until June 22 to protect returning spring Chinook.

The goal of reopening the seasons is to harvest targeted fish while protecting others, such as wild Chinook and adults needed for broodstock at hatcheries.

Fisheries managers anticipate about 1,000 adult and 1,000 jack hatchery Chinook will be available for harvest on the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers, and about 1,000 jacks available in the Clearwater.

To review all of the regulations on fishing for Chinook salmon, visit the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s website.

This story was originally published June 2, 2017 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Chinook fishing reopens Saturday on Clearwater, Salmon, Little Salmon rivers."