CLARKSTON, WA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced a four-day opening for spring Chinook salmon fishing on the Snake River, allowing anglers to retain up to two adult hatchery Chinook per day.
The openings are as follows:
- Below Little Goose Dam (from Texas Rapids boat launch to the fishing boundary below the dam, including “the Wall” walkway area):
Open Tuesday and Friday, June 3 and 6, 2025. - Below Ice Harbor Dam (from the southbound Highway 12 Bridge near Pasco upstream about seven miles to the fishing boundary below the dam):
Open Wednesday and Thursday, June 4 and 5, 2025.
The fishery rules include:
- Daily limit: Four hatchery (adipose-clipped) Chinook, including no more than two adults
- Minimum size: 12 inches
- All non-hatchery Chinook, bull trout, and steelhead must be released unharmed
- Use of barbless hooks required
- Night closure in effect
- Anglers must stop fishing once the adult limit is retained
- No Chinook or steelhead may be removed from the water unless being retained
WDFW stated that the fishery expansion is due to an upgraded upriver spring Chinook run, which has increased the allowable catch balance in the Snake River to 957 fish under Commission Policy C-3630. The fishery is authorized under the U.S. v. Oregon (2018–2027) Management Agreement, which includes Endangered Species Act coverage.
The department will continue monitoring the fishery and may adjust the schedule based on harvest levels, ESA considerations, or in-season run changes.
For updates and regulations, anglers are advised to consult the Washington Sport Fishing Rules or visit wdfw.wa.gov.
Information contact: Jeremy Trump, District 3 Fish Biologist, 509-382-1005.
