Snake river fishing guides fish the Snake
River for Salmon, Bass, Steelhead, Sturgeon, Catfish, Crappie, and warmwater
fish. The Snake River winds through parts of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Snake
river fishing guides know the snake river and where and when to fish.
WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 http://wdfw.wa.gov/
April 13, 2011
Contact: John Whalen, 509-892-7861
Three sections of Snake River open for
spring chinook fishing this month
SPOKANE - Three sections of the Snake River will open to fishing for
spring chinook salmon this month, starting April 20 with the stretch
below Ice Harbor Dam.
Two other sections of the river - one near Little Goose Dam, the
other near Clarkston - will open April 25.
The daily catch limit for most of these areas is two hatchery-reared
chinook marked with a clipped adipose fin and four hatchery jacks,
measuring less than 24 inches.
The exception is the area along the south shoreline of Little Goose
Dam upstream to the juvenile-bypass return pipe, where anglers may
retain only one adult chinook and one jack per day. Anglers fishing
in that area must stop fishing for the day once they catch and keep
one adult chinook salmon.
In all areas of the river, anglers must use barbless hooks and
release, unharmed, all steelhead and all chinook salmon with an
intact adipose fin.
According to the pre-season forecast, some 198,400 spring chinook
salmon will return to the Snake River in southeast Washington,
including 66,000 hatchery fish.
That forecast is strong enough to open three areas of the river to
chinook fishing, but not the area near Lower Granite Dam that was
open last year, said John Whalen, manager of the eastern region fish
program for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
"The return estimate isn't quite as robust as last year," Whalen
said. "As a result, only three of the four sections of the Snake
will be open for hatchery chinook fishing this year."
Those fisheries are scheduled to run through May 31, but could be
closed earlier if catch monitoring shows too much impact on wild
stocks, Whalen said. He added that the fishery would not have opened
at all this year without revenue available from the Columbia River
Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement.
"The federal permit for this fishery requires close monitoring of
impacts on wild fish," Whalen said. "Without the $8.75 anglers pay
for the endorsement, the department could not afford the necessary
level of monitoring."
The three sections of the Snake River opening to chinook fishing
this month are defined as follows:
• The section below Ice Harbor Dam, which opens April 20, extends
from the Highway 12 Bridge at Pasco upstream about seven miles to a
point approximately 400 feet below the dam.
• The section near Little Goose Dam , which opens April 25, extends
about nine miles upriver from the railroad bridge (about a half-mile
downstream from the mouth of the Tucannon River) to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers boat launch on the south shore about a mile
upstream of the dam. The open area includes waters between the
juvenile bypass return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south
shoreline, including the walkway area known as "The Wall" in front
of the juvenile collection facility.
• The section near Clarkston , which opens April 25, from the
intersection of Steptoe Canyon Road with Highway 193 in Whitman
County, upriver about 12 miles to the Idaho state line, from the
north termination of the rock levee on the east side of the
Greenbelt boat launch (near the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office)
northwest across the Snake River to the Idaho/Washington marker on
the north shore.
Additional information about the fishery is included in the Fishing
Rule Change notice, available on WDFW's rules website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/
. Whalen also encourages anglers to review the 2010/2011 Fishing in
Washington rules pamphlet, in effect through April 30, 2011, and the
new 2011/2012 sport fishing rules pamphlet, which will posted on the
rules website and available from license dealers later this month.
WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife wdfw.wa.gov
April 13, 2010 Snake River spring chinook fishery expands for Snake river
fishing guides
Action: Expands the area open for spring/summer chinook fishing on
the Snake River and increases the daily limits.
Species affected: Spring chinook
Locations:
A) Snake River from the South Bound Highway 12 Bridge upstream about
7 miles to the fishing restriction boundary approximately 400 feet
below Ice Harbor Dam.
B) From Railroad Bridge, about 0.5 miles downstream of the Tucannon
River mouth, up about 9 miles to the Corps of Engineers boat launch
(approximately 1 mile upstream of Little Goose Dam along the south
shore). This zone includes the area between the juvenile bypass
return pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the
facility (includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in
front of the juvenile collection facility).
C) From Casey Creek upstream about 6 miles to the fishery
restriction area below Lower Granite Dam.
D) From Blyton Landing Boat Launch along the Snake River Road in
Whitman County (about 12 miles upstream of Lower Granite Dam)
upstream about 19 miles to the boat dock behind the Quality Inn in
Clarkston. (The boundary line is from the white sign for Hells
Canyon Tours approximately 100 ft upstream of the boat dock that has
the small green roofed shed on the south shore) across to the
culvert with tanks and trailers on the north shore.
Dates: April 20, 2010 through June 30, 2010 below Ice Harbor Dam
(Area A);
April 24, 2010 through June 30, 2010 for areas B, C and D.
Reason for action: The predicted return of 470,000 upriver spring
chinook allows for expanded fishing opportunities in the Snake River
within Washington. Expectations are for nearly 200,000 hatchery
chinook to return to the Snake River.
Other Information: Only adipose-clipped spring chinook adults or
jacks can be retained in these fisheries. The minimum size of any
retained chinook is 12 inches. Jacks are less than 24 inches long.
The adipose fin-clipped fish must have a healed scar at the location
of the missing fin. Fishing must cease as soon as the adult chinook
daily limit is retained. All chinook with the adipose fin intact,
and all steelhead, must be immediately released unharmed. chinook
harvest or retention is limited to 2 adults and 4 jacks per day.
EXCEPTION: The area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and
Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility, which
includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of
the juvenile collection facility. The daily bag limit for this
limited area is one jack and one adult, but an angler must cease
fishing when the 1 adipose-clipped adult is retained.
In addition: The following rules will be in effect for anglers
fishing for all species in these areas of the Snake River during the
salmon fishery: Barbless hooks only, night closure in effect, and it
shall be unlawful to use any hook larger than 5/8 inch (point of
hook to shank). Anglers cannot remove any chinook or steelhead from
the water unless it is retained as part of the daily bag limit.
Anglers are reminded to refer to the 2009/2010 Fishing in Washington
Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet (in effect through April 30, 2010), and
the new 2010-2011 sport fishing rules pamphlet (in effect May 1,
2010) for other regulations, including safety closures, etc. Angler
catch rates will be monitored closely and Snake River salmon
fisheries may be closed prior to June 30 based upon conservation
needs.
Information contact: John Whalen (509) 892-7861
Snake River
fishing guides
On November 20, six respected orca
scientists asked the government to remove the lower Snake River
dams. A lack of food is a major reason why Puget Sound killer
whales - which once ate once-abundant Columbia and Snake River
salmon in the winter - have been added to the list of endangered
species. Snake River dam removal is a key to the survival of
both salmon and orcas.
On November 29, more than 100 chefs in Washington State
asked their members of Congress to do the same - to help restore
the same healthy sustainable food source, in this case for
people.
And, in the week between, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
endorsed lower Snake River dam removal in a letter to her
constituents who have asked for her help.
As the year closes, we celebrate these recent
successes, and take a moment to look forward.
2009 is the year to decide for Columbia & Snake River salmon,
for lower Snake River dam removal, and for Northwest residents and
the nation's taxpayers. The eight-year stalemate imposed by the
current administration will end in 2008. The next administration and
Congress will inherit a very real mess in 2009, but they will have
powerful reasons to act early to resolve the crisis.
Our salmon litigation climaxes in 2008-9. The "serious consequences"
the Federal Court has vowed if given yet another illegal plan (which
this administration will give it in early 2008) will start, we hope
and intend in 2008. This will give Congress and the administration
strong incentive to act. The window for salmon is closing. Working
with Columbia Basin tribes, our wins in court in recent years have
helped fish and gained some time. We can still restore these fish,
but only if we act now.
The Snake River is near Lewiston,
Idaho and Clarkston, Washington where Oregon, Idaho and Washington
meet. It flows into the Columbia River near the tri-cities of
Kennewick, Pasco and Richland Washington. It runs through Hells
Canyon provides recreation and fishing opportunities. Fish for
Steelhead
Salmon
Sturgeon: keeper Sturgeon and Trophy
Sturgeon
Smallmouth Bass
Channel Catfish
Trout
WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife http://wdfw.wa.gov
April 29, 2010 Snake River spring chinook fishery expands
Action: Expands the area open for spring/summer chinook fishing on the
Snake River and increases the daily limits. Also exempts hook size
restriction for sturgeon anglers.
Species affected: Spring chinook
Locations:
A) Snake River from the South Bound Highway 12 Bridge upstream about 7
miles to the fishing restriction boundary approximately 400 feet below
Ice Harbor Dam;
B) From Railroad Bridge, about 0.5 miles downstream of the Tucannon
River mouth, up about 9 miles to the Corps of Engineers boat launch
(approximately 1 mile upstream of Little Goose Dam along the south
shore). This zone includes the area between the juvenile bypass return
pipe and Little Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility
(includes the walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the
juvenile collection facility);
C) From Casey Creek upstream about 6 miles to the fishery restriction
area below Lower Granite Dam,
D) From Blyton Landing Boat Launch along the Snake River Road in Whitman
County (about 12 miles upstream of Lower Granite Dam) upstream about 19
miles to the boat dock behind the Quality Inn in Clarkston (boundary
line is from the white sign for Hells Canyon Tours approximately 100 ft
upstream of the boat dock that has the small green roofed shed on the
south shore) across to the culvert with tanks and trailers on the north
shore.
Dates: April 20, 2010 through June 30, 2010 below Ice Harbor Dam (Area
A);
April 24, 2010 through June 30, 2010 for areas B, C and D.
Reason for action: The predicted 470,000 upriver spring chinook return
allows for expanded fishing opportunities in the Snake River within
Washington. Expectations are for nearly 200,000 hatchery chinook to
return to the Snake River.
Other Information: Only adipose clipped spring chinook adults or jacks
can be retained in these fisheries. The minimum size of any retained
chinook is 12 inches. Jacks are less than 24 inches long. The adipose
fin-clipped fish must have a healed scar at the location of the missing
fin. Fishing must cease as soon as the adult chinook daily limit is
retained. All chinook with the adipose fin intact, and all steelhead,
must be immediately released unharmed. chinook harvest or retention is
limited to 2 adults and 4 jacks per day.
EXCEPTION: the area between the juvenile bypass return pipe and Little
Goose Dam along the south shoreline of the facility (includes the
walkway area locally known as "the Wall" in front of the juvenile
collection facility). The daily bag limit for this limited area is one
jack and one adult, but an angler must cease fishing when the one
adipose clipped adult is retained.
In addition: anglers fishing for all species in these areas of the Snake
River during the salmon fishery; barbless hooks only, night closure in
effect, and it shall be unlawful to use any hook larger than 5/8 inch
(point of hook to shank) when fishing for all species except sturgeon.
Anglers cannot remove any chinook or steelhead from the water unless it
is retained as part of the daily bag limit. Anglers are reminded to
refer to the 2009/2010 Fishing in Washington Sport Fishing Rules
pamphlet (in effect through April 30, 2010), and the new 2010/2011 sport
fishing rules pamphlet (in effect May 1, 2010) for other regulations,
including safety closures, etc. Angler catch rates will be monitored
closely and Snake River salmon fisheries may be closed prior to June 30
based on conservation needs.
Effective May 1 the new Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement is
required to fish in the Snake River.
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