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Upper Salmon River Chinook Salmon Season Update 2021

Hi everyone. I've received emails and phone calls from many people interested in the status of any potential Chinook seasons in the Upper Salmon River this year. Unfortunately, there are no proposed fisheries in the Upper Salmon River in 2021 because hatchery returns are not projected to meet broodstock needs at either Pahsimeroi or Sawtooth Hatchery. 

We've been watching the migration of Chinook Salmon over Bonneville Dam this spring, which is winding down for Idaho-bound fish. Joe DuPont (Regional Fisheries Manager in the Clearwater Region) provided a good summary of how this compares to the 10-year average in his most recent update (click here).  Unfortunately, very few of those fish entering the Columbia River are bound for the Upper Salmon River. Based on current PIT-tag estimates, we are at risk of not meeting our broodstock needs at either Upper Salmon River hatchery. On the bright side, we are seeing a fair amount of jacks heading to Sawtooth Hatchery this year, which is encouraging for the 2022 adult return.

For information about where salmon fishing is available see the Chinook seasons and rules page