Get ready, fishing aficionados! According to a recent announcement from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), fin-clipped Chinook salmon fishers can cast their lines in parts of the Snake River with the season set to open in early May. In an attempt to strike the balance between recreation and conservation, specific rules and locations will guide the spring Chinook salmon fishing season on the Snake River.
Starting May 7, sections of the river below the Little Goose Dam, designated as Location A, will be open for fishing on Tuesdays and Fridays only. Concurrently, Location B, which stretches below the Ice Harbor Dam, will see fishing activity permitted on Wednesdays and Thursdays, beginning May 8. The WDFW outlined the exact boundaries for these fishing heavens, so keen anglers should take note to avoid wading into troubled waters.
Restrictions are in place to ensure a sustainable fishing season. The daily limit is set to four hatchery (adipose fin-clipped) Chinook salmon, with only one adult Chinook permissible within the limit. Following the acquisition of the adult, fishing for the day must cease, according to WDFW regulations. Barbless hooks are mandatory, and a strict no-fishing-at-night policy will be enforced to protect the thriving ecosystem.
The WDFW's decision to greenlight the season hinges on the 2024 Columbia River forecasted return of upriver spring Chinook salmon, which appears to be sufficient for a controlled harvest. With 493 fish earmarked for recreational fisheries in the Snake River, carefully composed rules aim to maintain a delicate ecological balance. For fishers wondering about the specifics of their potential catch, the regulations stipulate that an adult Chinook measures 24 inches or more. Moreover, those retained must flaunt a healed scar where the clipped fin once resided, and the immediate release of all non-target species, including all non-clipped Chinook, is mandatory to secure populations of these iconic fish, swimming in the Snake River's currents.
While angling for the spring Chinook might be this season's catch by many, WDFW will be closely monitoring the fishery and spring Chinook returns, ready to reel in the fishery at a moment's notice if the harvest levels, Endangered Species Act impacts, in-season run adjustments, or any combination thereof, warrant it. Fishers are therefore encouraged to stay up-to-date by checking emergency rules before arranging their fishing expeditions for spring Chinook in the Snake River.
