the film forum library tutorial contact

Snake River Spring Chinook Fishery to Close Earlier than Expected by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, May 12, 2011

Spring chinook fishing on the Snake River will close below Ice Harbor on Saturday, May 14 at 12:01 a.m., and in the Little Goose and Clarkston areas on Monday, May 16 at 12:01 a.m. after catch rates skyrocketed this past week.

Originally these areas were to stay open through May, but John Whalen, a state Fish and Wildlife regional fish program manager said in a news release, "the fish were slow in getting to the Snake, but when they did arrive they came in large numbers. Fishing has been extremely good over the past week."

The catch limit for the Snake River fishery is governed by a federal permit, because the wild portion of the run is protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Fishing could reopen later depending on the updated run size.

"If the estimated run size keeps going up, anglers could be back on the Snake fishing for spring chinook," Whalen said.