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Bait Your Hook for a Chinook by Jason Kauffman Idaho Mountain Express, May 23, 2008

Fishing for popular game fish near Stanley will begin June 19

The last time anglers could fish for chinook salmon in the Sawtooth Valley was more than 30 years ago in 1977. Since then, declines in the popular game fish have kept the Idaho Department of Fish and Game from allowing anglers to pursue chinook in the upper Salmon River.

That's set to change this summer. During their meeting in Jerome yesterday, Thursday, May 22, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted chinook salmon seasons on both the upper Salmon River and the South Fork of the Salmon River, a news release from the agency states.

The upper Salmon will be open from June 19 until August 2 or until further notice. Fishing will be open on the main Salmon River from the state Highway 75 bridge at milepost 231.5, about 10 miles west of Clayton, upstream to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream of the weir at the Sawtooth Hatchery south of Stanley.

The South Fork of the Salmon River will be open from June 25 until further notice. The South Fork will be open from the U.S. Forest Service bridge on Forest Service Road 48 that crosses just upstream from the confluence with the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River upstream about 33 river miles to a posted boundary about 100 yards downstream from the Idaho Fish and Game weir and trap.

On both rivers angler limits will be two adult spring chinook per day, with no more than six in possession. The statewide limit for adult chinook is 40 for the season.

Only hatchery chinook salmon with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. Salmon with an intact adipose fin are considered wild fish and must be released immediately. Any salmon caught in a legal manner must be released or killed immediately after landing.

When the chinook possession limit is reached, the angler must stop all fishing for salmon.

Anglers may use only barbless hooks no larger than five-eighths inch from the point to the shank. It is unlawful to take or fish for salmon by snagging.

Fishing hours are from a half hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.