The Idaho Fish and Game Commission meets Wednesday to consider reopening steelhead fishing in the Clearwater River and lower Snake River downstream of Couse Creek Boat Ramp.
Daily bag limit in those sections would be limited to one adipose-clipped steelhead per day that is 28 inches or less.
Commissioners closed steelhead fishing entirely on the Clearwater in September, as well as the Snake River below Couse Creek, amid concerns that returns of hatchery steelhead would not be sufficient to meet broodstock needs for Clearwater hatcheries. Fisheries managers were waiting to see if enough steelhead would return to replenish hatcheries before proposing to the commission to resume fishing for both waterways.
An additional month of trapping steelhead gave officials confidence that there are enough steelhead both for hatcheries and for fishing opportunities.
Commissioners meet via conference call Wednesday. (IDFG)
