CHINOOK SALMON As of 5/25/17, the current and recent past counts of Spring Chinook Salmon that have completed passage of Bonneville dam and entered the Columbia River system are: 2017: 69,046 2016: 128,949 10 yr avg: 141,414 As a result of the extremely low returns this year, Washington State fisheries managers have closed fishing on the […]
Washington, Oregon mull rolling closures, while Idaho adopts wait-and-see policy By ERIC BARKER of the Lewiston Tribune Washington and Oregon are poised to implement rolling closures of the steelhead fishery from the mouth of the Columbia River to the mouth of the Snake this summer and fall in an attempt to protect the dismal B-run, […]
Chinook A total of 5,059 spring Chinook salmon have crossed Lower Granite Dam as of 5/25/17. In 2016, a total of 42,093 had passed by now. The ten year average on this date is 43,019. Steelhead A total of 7,291 steelhead have crossed as of 5/25/17. These are fish that spent the winter in-river. In 2016, a […]
IDFG sets chinook season closures Only fishing in Hells Canyon will remain open By ERIC BARKER of the Lewiston Tribune Idaho’s spring chinook season will end early on the Clearwater, Salmon and Little Salmon rivers but continue on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. State fisheries officials determined Monday the closures are needed to guard […]
Three recent Letters to the Editor in the Lewiston Tribune have supported the breaching of the four lower Snake River dams. Citizens are having visions of a thriving economy based on a revitalized riverfront, recovered fish stocks, and 140 additional miles of free-flowing Snake River. Local economic growth has been lagging behind other areas of […]
Chinook As of 5/15/17, the current and recent past counts of Spring Chinook Salmon that have passed Bonneville dam and entered the Columbia River system are: 2017: 33,798 2016: 109,650 10 yr avg: 124,691 It appeared that the run had finally started to take off, but then river flows spiked and salmon returns slowed. Now, […]
Anemic return leads managers to close salmon fishing on Snake Area biolgists, hatchery officials monitoring the spring run of chinook Lewiston Tribune A new forecast that slashed the expected return of spring chinook to the Columbia River and its tributaries led Washington to close salmon fishing on the Snake River on Tuesday and cast uncertainty […]
The weekly update: A total of 234 spring Chinook salmon have crossed Lower Granite Dam as of 5/15/17. In 2016, a total of 29,544 had passed by now. The ten year average on this date is 25,823. A total of 7,258 steelhead have crossed as of 5/15/17. These are fish that spent the winter in-river. […]
High river flows can be hazardous for smolts Debris in bypass system blamed for death of salmon, steelhead young By ERIC BARKER of the Tribune Debris carried by high flows on the Snake River continues to cause fish passage problems at Little Goose Dam, about 70 miles west of Lewiston. Torn screens in the fish […]
The 2017 spring adult Chinook salmon and Steelhead migration to the Columbia River basin has begun. Bonneville dam is the first dam encountered by salmon and steelhead adults as they return to their natal waters to spawn. Fish destined for the middle and upper Columbia and Snake Rivers will encounter 3 more dams (The Dalles, […]