Fish and Game closes Clearwater for chinook

The spring chinook fishing season on Idaho’s Clearwater River and tributaries was closed Tuesday with little notice.

“Fishery managers have determined the spring chinook run to the Clearwater River will be lower than forecast and that the harvestable surplus has been caught,” Idaho Fish and Game officials said in a news release announcing the season had already been closed.

The season opened May 20, later than expected. Port anglers caught and kept about 790 fish in the short season, officials said.

The season will remain open on the Snake River in Hells Canyon possibly until Monday, on the Lower Salmon River until June 26 and on the Little Salmon River until July 31.

Fishermen wanted

Sport fishing companies say it’s the salmon fisherman, not the fish, who are hard to come by off the coast of Oregon and Washington.

Charter boat companies say business is tepid because of the misconception that commercial salmon fishing closures also pertain to them.

Commercial salmon fishing is restricted on 700 miles of coastline from Northern California to Florence, Ore., because of poor salmon returns on the Klamath River.

Sport fishermen are still free to reel them in.

The coho salmon season opens Saturday.

“The word is starting to get out that we’ll have an excellent season,” said Rick Mason, owner of Salmon Harbor Charters in Oregon’s Winchester Bay.

With limits on the commercial fishing industry, Mason said there is less pressure on salmon and the run should remain plentiful for sport fishing.

“It’s probably going to be the best salmon season we’ve had in 10 years,” he said. “So far, the tills don’t reflect the outlook.”