Upper Salmon River Chinook Fishery update - 6/25/25

 

Ultimately, there have been fish caught during the opening weekend of the fishery, river conditions are good and fish are entering the hatchery (more on those two topics below), the time to fish is now!! 

 

RIVER CONDITIONS

The Upper Salmon River is currently flowing at about 1,400 cfs (measured at the gauge below the Yankee Fork) which is about 53% of the long-term average. With the below average flows, we expect fish to make it upstream into the fishery and Sawtooth Hatchery rather quickly. The river is running clear within the fishery area, and we expect fishing conditions to remain good during the upcoming week. 

HATCHERY TRAPPING

Sawtooth Hatchery staff checked their trap for the first time of the season yesterday (6/24) and collected 112 adult hatchery Chinook salmon. Hatchery trapping numbers will be updated throughout the summer on the IDFG Hatchery Returns webpage, so make sure to bookmark that page if you want to stay up-to-date with the trapping totals.

 

RULES 

The Upper Salmon River fishery is open 7 days per week and will remain open until harvest share is reached, wild fish impacts are reached, or until August 10th, whichever comes first. The fishery is open from the posted boundary approximately 50 yards upstream of the Yankee Fork Salmon River upstream to the posted boundary approximately 100 yards downstream of the weir and trap at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery. Fishing hours are from 5:30am to 10:00 pm MDT. The daily limit is four (4) hatchery Chinook salmon per day, only two (2) of which may be adults (over 24 inches). For the full season rules, please click here.

If you have questions, comments, or would like to be added to my email update list, please reach out to me at: greg.schoby@idfg.idaho.gov or at the Salmon Regional Office at (208) 756-2271.