|
Chinook run is late, below forecast and fishing
could end soon |
|
May 21, 2017 |
By Roger Phillips
IDFG Public Information Specialist
Anglers should soon know the fate of the 2017
spring Chinook run, and how much longer the
spring fishing season will continue.
Fisheries managers plan to re-evaluate the
season after seeing how many chinook cross
Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, which is
the first dam the fish cross that are bound for
Idaho.
The Chinook run is definitely late and possibly
the latest on record, but it’s also now expected
to be about half of the original projection of
45,000 spring Chinook at Lower Granite Dam on
the Snake River. Through May 18, only 472
Chinook had crossed Lower Granite Dam. The
10-year average is 30,789 for that date.
“This is uncharted territory; we’ve never seen
anything quite like this,” Fish and Game’s
fisheries Bureau Chief Jim Fredericks said. “The
question has been is it late or is it low? And
now it's looking like it's very late and very
low.”
Through May 18, 39,133 Chinook had crossed
Bonneville Dam. The 10-year average for that
date is 131,707. However, rivers have been
flowing high and cold, which typically slows
migration, so there’s still hope more fish are
heading to Idaho.
But Fredericks pointed out that “late runs
usually don’t turn out to be strong runs.”
Fisheries managers will look at the fish counts
over Bonneville Dam and get a better idea
whether more fish are heading upstream.
So far, few fish have been caught in the Snake
or Clearwater rivers, and Fredericks said
there’s concern fishing may have to be closed to
ensure enough Chinook are available to replenish
hatcheries.
“That’s our first priority before we try to
provide harvest,” he said.
Fishing is currently open Thursday through
Sunday of each week on the Clearwater River and
daily in the Snake and Salmon Rivers.
At the F&G commission meeting on Thursday, May
18, commissioners postponed a decision on
whether to open a summer Chinook season on the
Clearwater, South Fork of the Salmon River and
Upper Salmon River until the department gets a
better look at how many of those fish are
returning.
Counting for the summer runs begins June 1 at
Bonneville Dam.
The preseason forecast is about 10,000 summer
Chinook to return to Idaho, and about 2,300 of
those are needed to replenish hatcheries. |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
