SFSR Prediction

The Krassel PIT array has picked up quite a few clipped adult PIT detections over the past week. The current estimate is around 1,100 clipped adults are above the Krassel array, most of which crossed the array over the past 7 days. These fish are now within the fishery area and I expect fishing to be good this weekend. There are another 250 unclipped adults between Krassel and the South Fork Guard Station – headed to the fishery. When the fish are in and there are a lot of anglers on the river, it is not uncommon to see daily harvest of adults in the 50 to 100 fish range. The harvest share can go quickly in that scenario. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how much harvest is occurring during the fishery this week, and trying to determine how much farther the fishery can run after this weekend. As I’ve said, I don’t anticipate this fishery making through 4th of July weekend this year. So if you want to fish for Chinook on the South Fork Salmon, get out there this weekend!

Little Salmon River Fishery Recap

The Rapid River harvest share for the non-tribal fishery has been met, and as such the Director’s Office has signed a closure order for the Little Salmon River fishery effective immediately. 

Catch rates on the Little Salmon River were great over the past 4-day fishing interval. We saw slightly lower effort than during the previous interval, but more harvest overall. We estimated 162 adults were harvested, which brings our season total up to 532. When added to the 1,088 adults that were estimated harvested during the Lower Salmon River fishery, our total estimated season harvest for the Rapid River Run is 1,620 (Table 3). The most recent harvest share estimate is 1,622 adults, which means we’ve met our harvest share.