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Steelhead Fishing Continues/Reopens in Idaho by Steve Liebenthal The Columbian, March 15, 2019

Feds issue permit after decade delay

Fishing for steelhead in Idaho will continue, and two areas that were closed are now reopened. On Friday federal fisheries managers issued a permit allowing Idaho anglers to fish for steelhead. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had failed to issue a permit for a decade, but allowed fishing to continue in Idaho.

When several environmental groups threatened to sue over the lack of a permit, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission temporarily shut down the season. A compromise was reached that reopened fishing through most of Idaho, but kept sections of the Salmon River and South Fork Clearwater River closed, due to concern about angler impact on federally protected wild steelhead.

The new permit allows fishing to continue and resume with the following limits:

• One steelhead daily in the Mainstem Clearwater, North Fork Clearwater, Middle Fork Clearwater, Salmon, and Little Salmon rivers, and the Snake River from the Washington state line upstream to the Dug Bar Boat Ramp.

• Two steelhead daily in the South Fork Clearwater River and Snake River from the Dug Bar Boat Ramp to Hells Canyon Dam.