June 12, 2013
Action / Species affected: Spring chinook fishing open on the Snake River.
Locations:
A) Below Ice Harbor: Snake River from the South Bound Highway 12 Bridge at Pasco upstream about 7 miles to the fishing restriction boundary below Ice Harbor Dam;
B) Below Little Goose: Snake River from Texas Rapids boat launch (south side of the river upstream of the mouth of Tucannon River) to Little Goose Dam. This zone includes the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility (includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the juvenile collection facility);
C) Clarkston: Snake River from the intersection of Steptoe Canyon Road with the Wawawai River Road on the Whitman County shore up-river approximately 12 miles to the Washington state line (from the east levee of the Greenbelt boat launch in Clarkston northwest across the Snake River to the WA / ID boundary waters marker on the Whitman County shore).
Dates:
Zone C: open two days per week beginning June 14 and 15, and Friday and Saturday each week thereafter, until further notice;
Zone A: open one day per week beginning June 17, and Monday each week thereafter, until further notice;
Zone B: open one day per week beginning June 18, and Tuesday each week thereafter, until further notice.
Because the additional harvest allocation is small, these fisheries are not likely to remain open for more than 1 or 2 weeks.
Daily Limits: Five (5) hatchery chinook (adipose fin clipped), of which no more than one may be an adult chinook. EXCEPTION: the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility (includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the juvenile collection facility).
The daily bag limit for this limited area will allow retention of one hatchery jack and one adult hatchery chinook. For all areas open for chinook harvest, anglers must cease fishing when the hatchery adult chinook limit has been retained for the day.
Reason for action: Based on the updated spring chinook run prediction (now at 115,000 at the mouth of the Columbia River) the available harvest allocation for non-tribal fisheries in the Snake River has been modestly increased. Fishery managers expect to remain within available harvest and Endangered Species Act (ESA) allocations with the projected increase for the spring chinook run.
Other Information: The minimum size of any retained chinook is 12 inches. Jacks are less than 24 inches long. Adipose fin-clipped fish that can be retained must have a healed scar at the location of the missing fin. All chinook with the adipose fin intact, and all steelhead (through June 15), must immediately be released unharmed. Beginning June 16 up to three adipose clipped hatchery steelhead may be retained.
In addition: Anglers fishing in identified areas of the Snake River during the salmon fishery must use barbless hooks when fishing for all species, and only single point barbless hooks are allowed when fishing for sturgeon.
Night closure is in effect for salmon and sturgeon, and it shall be unlawful to use any hook larger than 5/8 inch (as measured from point of hook to shank) when fishing for all species except sturgeon. Anglers cannot remove any chinook or steelhead from the water unless it is retained as part of the daily bag limit.
Anglers are reminded to refer to the 2013/2014 Fishing in Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for other regulations, including safety closures, CLOSED WATERS, etc.
Locations:
A) Below Ice Harbor: Snake River from the South Bound Highway 12 Bridge at Pasco upstream about 7 miles to the fishing restriction boundary below Ice Harbor Dam;
B) Below Little Goose: Snake River from Texas Rapids boat launch (south side of the river upstream of the mouth of Tucannon River) to Little Goose Dam. This zone includes the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility (includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the juvenile collection facility);
C) Clarkston: Snake River from the intersection of Steptoe Canyon Road with the Wawawai River Road on the Whitman County shore up-river approximately 12 miles to the Washington state line (from the east levee of the Greenbelt boat launch in Clarkston northwest across the Snake River to the WA / ID boundary waters marker on the Whitman County shore).
Dates:
Zone C: open two days per week beginning June 14 and 15, and Friday and Saturday each week thereafter, until further notice;
Zone A: open one day per week beginning June 17, and Monday each week thereafter, until further notice;
Zone B: open one day per week beginning June 18, and Tuesday each week thereafter, until further notice.
Because the additional harvest allocation is small, these fisheries are not likely to remain open for more than 1 or 2 weeks.
Daily Limits: Five (5) hatchery chinook (adipose fin clipped), of which no more than one may be an adult chinook. EXCEPTION: the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility (includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the juvenile collection facility).
The daily bag limit for this limited area will allow retention of one hatchery jack and one adult hatchery chinook. For all areas open for chinook harvest, anglers must cease fishing when the hatchery adult chinook limit has been retained for the day.
Reason for action: Based on the updated spring chinook run prediction (now at 115,000 at the mouth of the Columbia River) the available harvest allocation for non-tribal fisheries in the Snake River has been modestly increased. Fishery managers expect to remain within available harvest and Endangered Species Act (ESA) allocations with the projected increase for the spring chinook run.
Other Information: The minimum size of any retained chinook is 12 inches. Jacks are less than 24 inches long. Adipose fin-clipped fish that can be retained must have a healed scar at the location of the missing fin. All chinook with the adipose fin intact, and all steelhead (through June 15), must immediately be released unharmed. Beginning June 16 up to three adipose clipped hatchery steelhead may be retained.
In addition: Anglers fishing in identified areas of the Snake River during the salmon fishery must use barbless hooks when fishing for all species, and only single point barbless hooks are allowed when fishing for sturgeon.
Night closure is in effect for salmon and sturgeon, and it shall be unlawful to use any hook larger than 5/8 inch (as measured from point of hook to shank) when fishing for all species except sturgeon. Anglers cannot remove any chinook or steelhead from the water unless it is retained as part of the daily bag limit.
Anglers are reminded to refer to the 2013/2014 Fishing in Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for other regulations, including safety closures, CLOSED WATERS, etc.