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Fish and Game Friday: Steelhead Season by Christopher Mitchell KLEW, October 14, 2022

This year is the largest change in steelhead fishing regulations in roughly 40 years, according to the Clearwater Region of Idaho Fish and Game's Fisheries Manager, Joe DuPont.

The changes to the regulations take effect on October 15, then the harvesting season for a lot of the Clearwater River Basin will end and shift to catch and release.

"Here we are on October 14, and you can harvest fish, and this is the last day of the harvest season. Starting October 15, it's going to switch to catch and release in most of the Clearwater Basin," DuPont said.

However, he highlights the few locations on the Clearwater Basin where you will still be able to harvest fall steelhead.

"It'll be everywhere except downstream of Memorial Bridge. That's the lower two miles of the Clearwater, as well as the North Fork of the Clearwater from the mouth to the dams," DuPont said.

Steelhead harvesting on the Clearwater will open back up on November 10.

The regulations stand for three years at a time. So, the next two years will also follow these harvesting regulations.

Remember that is for the Clearwater River. The Snake River, from the Washington-Idaho border, to the Oxbow Dam, is open for harvest through the end of 2022.

"This year's steelhead return to the Clearwater is looking real exciting. We think about 37,000 hatchery steels are destined for the Clearwater River Basin will pass over Bonneville Dam," DuPont said.

While that number already seems impressive, DuPont can provide context to this return compared to recent past steelhead returns.

"When you compare that to past returns back to 2010, that will rank as the second best. In fact, if you compare it to all hatchery steelhead returns to the clearwater river basin, it would probably rank in the top six or seven. Ever," DuPont said.

Related Pages:
Spring Offers Big Steelhead Fishing Opportunities in Smaller Rivers by Idaho Fish & Game, EIN Presswire, 2/18/21
Steelhead Closure Extended In Eastern Oregon by Staff, KXI, 12/26/19
Steelhead Closure Extended on Columbia River by Staff, The Astorian, 12/23/19
Limited Steelhead Season Approved by Eric Barker, Moscow-Pulmman Daily News, 12/19/19