Guest Submission
GOLD BEACH, Ore. – The Chetco River re-opened Nov. 5 to chinook angling upstream of the Harbor water intake tower at river mile (RM) 3. The Winchuck River also re-opens to chinook angling Nov. 5th.
Low flow closures were in effect on the Chetco and Winchuck rivers to protect fall chinook that were stacked up in tidewater. Chinook holding at the head of tide were extremely vulnerable to legal and illegal fishing.
With the weekend rains, chinook have moved upstream where they are much less vulnerable, allowing the Chetco and Winchuck to re-open for chinook angling. Parts of the Chetco Watershed received more than five inches of rain.
Anglers are reminded that temporary sport regulations adopted for 2008 set a reduced aggregate bag limit for fall chinook caught in all open waters in the Marine, Northwest and Southwest Fishing Zones.
Anglers can keep one non-fin clipped adult chinook per day and five non-fin clipped adult chinook for the season extending from Aug. 1 – Dec. 31, 2008. These regulations modify current regulations that allow two adult salmon or steelhead per day and 20 per year in the Zones.
Regulations for jack salmon remain unchanged – that is, five per day and two daily limits in possession.