Chinook Salmon Fishing Update 6/25/2024: Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon, and Clearwater River Fisheries

Last week I mentioned that not many fish had been trapped at Kooskia Hatchery, and if we didn't start collecting broodstock there soon, it might be necessary to make some closures. Well, after a thorough investigation by the Nez Perce Tribe, they found that many of the fish were swimming into a side channel where they couldn't enter the trap. Once this side channel was blocked off, around 80 fish a day have been entering the trap. This is good news and precludes the need to make any closures. As such, all river sections will remain open for at least another week.

Lochsa River Summer Run Fishery

The Lochsa River summer run fishery opened last Thursday (June 20). Fishing effort has been slow, and we have not observed harvest of an adult fish yet. However, PIT tag detections on the Lochsa River arrays indicate over 200 adult hatchery salmon have entered the river with more on the way.

Rapid River Run Fishery

Last week, the only area in the Rapid River Run Fishery that was open to fishing was the Little Salmon River. We estimate that 228 adult fish were caught with catch rates being around 8 hrs/fish (see Table below). This brings the season harvest total to 1,886 adult fish and leaves 521 fish before our harvest share is met. As such, the Little Salmon River will remain open for at least another week.