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Spring Chinook Fishing Open on the Snake River by Staff Statesman Journal, April 30, 2008

Because of a strong run of spring Chinook in the Snake River, officials with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have opened fishing for the highly prized sport fish below Hells Canyon Dam.

Fishing opened Saturday, and could last as late as July 20.

The river is open seven days per week from Dug Bar Boat Ramp to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam.

The daily bag limit is three adult adipose fin-clipped spring Chinook per day.

Anglers also can keep two fin-clipped jack Chinook in addition to the adult bag limit.

"The department expects more than 124,000 thousand hatchery spring/summer chinook to migrate over Lower Granite Dam in 2008," said Rhine Messmer, the department's Recreational Fisheries Program manager.

"These fish are more than what we need for broodstock purposes, and we expect several thousand of these hatchery fish to return to the base of Hells Canyon and be available for sport harvest."

Barbless hooks are required to reduce potential impacts on wild fish, and to conform with Idaho regulations.

Otherwise, general statewide angling regulations regarding gear restrictions, legal angling times and fishing methods apply.

The decision to open springer fishing was made jointly by officials with Oregon Fish and Wildlife and Idaho Fish and Game.

The Snake is jointly managed as a shared boundary water.