The Fish and Game Commission met today (May 16, 2024) to discuss a season and limit change recommended by IDFG staff for the spring Chinook Salmon fishery in the Clearwater River basin. 

Seasons and limits for the spring Chinook Salmon fishery in the Clearwater River basin were initially set by the commission on March 20, 2024. The seasons and limits were set based on a preseason forecast that estimated about 8,000 adult, hatchery spring Chinook Salmon would return to the Clearwater River basin and provide a harvest share of around 1,400 fish. Using this information, a season was set providing a 4-day/week fishery with a daily limit of four (4) fish with no more than one (1) being an adult (> 24 inches).

Now that about 90% of Idaho’s spring return has passed over Bonneville Dam, we have a good idea of how many fish will ultimately return to the Clearwater River basin. We are now projecting that around 14,000 adult fish (based on PIT tags) will return to Clearwater River and provide a harvest share of around 4,500 fish. With this significant increase in harvest share, more opportunity can be provided to anglers without jeopardizing other important goals like an extended fishing season and distributing harvest fairly across the basin. Specially, IDFG staff recommended following the season and limit guidelines displayed in the “Harvest Matrix” table below that anglers helped develop and support.