KETCHUM, Idaho — Idaho Department of Fish and Game officials say a decade-low return of chinook salmon to the state means there will be no chinook fishing season on the upper Salmon River.
The Idaho Mountain Express reported the season usually begins about the third week in June and runs until about mid-July.
Columbia Basin Research at the University of Washington found that just under 38,000 chinook salmon passed through Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River through Wednesday. The 10-year average is just over 60,000 fish, marking a 37 percent decline.
State fisheries coordinator Sam Sharr said the chinook season on the South Fork of the Salmon River will open July 5 with fishing allowed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, he says the quota could be reached on the first weekend.
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Information from: Idaho Mountain Express, http://www.mtexpress.com
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