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Fall Chinook Fishing on Snake River Begins Sept. 1 by Staff Wallowa County Chieftain, August 26, 2013

Oregon fishery managers announced today the upper Snake River will open to hatchery fall chinook fishing beginning this Saturday, Sept. 1.

The river will be open from the Oregon -- Washington border to the deadline below Hells Canyon Dam and will remain open until Oct. 31, or until a closure is announced. In addition, the reach from Cliff Mountain Rapid (at river mile 246.7) upstream to the deadline at Hells Canyon Dam will be open from Nov. 1-17.

The daily bag limit will be six adipose fin-clipped chinook salmon. Anglers can also keep an unlimited number of fin-clipped jack chinook. Chinook jacks are salmon between 15 and 24 inches long.

This is the fourth year in a row that this fall chinook fishery has been open, after decades of being closed due to low returns. Fall chinook returns to the Snake River have rebounded in recent years due to increased hatchery production and ocean productivity.

Fishery managers at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are expecting a run of more than 41,000 fall chinook salmon to return to the Snake River above Lower Granite Dam this year.

"Each year we are seeing more and more Oregon anglers take advantage of this unique opportunity," said Jeff Yanke, ODFW district fish biologist in Enterprise. "We're hoping that another large return combined with liberal bag limits will translate into lots of great fishing."

Only barbless hooks may be used on this stretch of the Snake River, and anglers should consult the 2013 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for other rules that may apply.

Snake River fall chinook migrate over 800 miles and pass eight mainstream dams to reach Hells Canyon, the farthest they will travel in Oregon.