The spring chinook season is open on portions of the Klamath and Trinity rivers. Photo courtesy of CDFW.

The spring chinook salmon fishery opened on the Klamath River downstream of the Highway 96 bridge in Weitchpec on Thursday.

From a California Department of Fish and Wildlife news release:

Fishing regulations for the spring Chinook fishery in the Klamath River Basin remain in effect following the June meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission.

The Commission did vote to list Upper Klamath and Trinity River spring Chinook salmon as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. Sport fishing regulatory changes implemented during species candidacy remain in effect. Additional regulatory changes were not made at the meeting and may be forthcoming in the future if warranted.

The spring Chinook salmon fishery on the lower Klamath River (downstream of the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec) and Trinity River (upstream of the confluence of the South Fork Trinity River) will open July 1 and run through August 14 on the Klamath River and through August 31 on the Trinity River. The daily bag limit remains at one Chinook salmon (no size restrictions), and a possession limit set of two Chinook salmon.

The Fish and Game Commission adopted fall Chinook quota and fishery regulations during its May teleconference meeting. A summary of 2021 regulations are described below.

The fall Chinook fishery in the Klamath River will open August 15, and in the Trinity River, the fall recreational Chinook salmon season begins September 1. The Klamath Basin’s in-river quota is 1,221 adult fall Chinook salmon for 2021.

Fall Chinook regulations on length have changed since 2019, with the adult size now being greater than 23 inches in total length (previously 22 inches). Bag limits will remain the same as 2020, with a two-fish daily bag limit, with no more than one fish over 23 inches (such as one adult and one jack). The possession limit remains the same at six fish, with no more than three fish over 23 inches (effectively three daily bag limits).

The in-river recreational adult fall Chinook quota is divided among four sectors in the Klamath River basin:

• KLAMATH RIVER
  1) 3,500 feet downstream of Iron Gate Dam downstream to the Highway 96 bridge – 208 fish.
  2) Highway 96 bridge downstream to the mouth of the Klamath River – 611 fish.
  • There is a sub-area closure at the mouth of the Klamath River when 15 percent of the basin allocation has been harvested – 183 adult fall Chinook salmon harvested below the Highway 101 bridge triggers this closure.

• TRINITY RIVER
  3) Old Lewiston Bridge to Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat – 201 fish.
  4) Denny Road bridge downstream to the confluence with Klamath River – 201 fish.

Please see the 2021-2022 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations (PDF)(opens in new tab) and the forthcoming 2021-2022 California Supplement Sport Fishing Regulations that will be posted to CDFW’s Inland Sport Fishing web page for more information. Additionally, anglers can obtain information on Klamath Basin regulations and fall Chinook quota updates by calling the Klamath-Trinity fishing hotline at (800) 564-6479.

CDFW reminds anglers that California is in the midst of a drought, to fish responsibly, and to avoid fishing waters visibly suffering from the drought’s impacts where warm water and low water conditions already may be stressing fish populations.

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