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Chinook Season to Close Sunday on Main Clearwater River by Staff Lewiston Morning Tribune, June 10, 2008

Spring chinook salmon fishing will close Sunday evening on the main Clearwater River between the mouth of the South Fork near Kooskia and Lewiston.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is shutting down the salmon fishing season in the main Clearwater in order to keep it open on the river's Middle Fork, South Fork, North Fork and the Lochsa River for another week or two.

By Sunday, fisheries officials estimate anglers will have caught about three quarters of the state's share of chinook in the Clearwater basin not needed for spawning at upriver hatcheries. Of that number more than 90 percent will have been caught on the main Clearwater between Kooskia and Lewiston. If the season were to remain open on the main section for another week, it would likely eat up the rest of the state's harvest share.

"We are trying to spread the fishery out," said Dave Cadwallader, supervisor of the department's Clearwater Region at Lewiston. "If we left it open down here we would probably have to close the whole river in a week. If we close the main section we can keep the Lochsa, Middle Fork and South Fork open for a couple of more weeks."

The agency has no plans to close other salmon seasons in places like the Lower Salmon River, Little Salmon River or Snake River in Hells Canyon.