Heavy Spawn Halts Salmon River Trips

Sun., Sept. 14, 1997

Associated Press

Due to an unusual amount of salmon spawning activity, outfitted floating trips have been banned on a 45-mile stretch of the Upper Main Salmon River.

The closure affects the Main Salmon from its headwaters near Galena Summit to near the Custer County community of Clayton.

Sawtooth National Forest officials said four float boat outfitters operate out of Stanley on the Upper Main Salmon. Three completed their season Labor Day weekend or are winding down.

The fourth, The River Company will have to cancel several large group trips scheduled for later in the month.

Under federal regulations, the river is being managed to protect spawning salmon.

After spawning started, boaters were required to portage around the spawning areas.

On Aug. 22, the river was closed to private float boating because floaters violated closure and portage requirements. Commercial float trips were allowed to continue.

In an aerial survey this week, Idaho Fish and Game crews confirmed the presence of occupied redds or spawning nests, in all floatable stretches of the river. Area ranger Paul Ries said salmon are spawning this year in locations that haven’t been used in recent years because of small runs.

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