Icicle River Opens For Spring Chinook - June 15th

Icicle River will open June 15 for spring Chinook fishing

Action: Open the Icicle River to salmon fishing.

Effective date: One hour before official sunrise on June 15 through one hour after official sunset July 31, 2019.

Species affected:  Hatchery spring Chinook salmon.

Location:  Icicle River (Chelan County).

1) From the closure signs located 800 feet upstream of the mouth of the river to 500 feet downstream from the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam.

2) From the shoreline markers where Cyo Road intersects the Icicle River at the Sleeping Lady Resort to the Icicle Peshastin Irrigation Footbridge (approximately 750 feet upstream from the Snow Lakes trailhead parking area).

Reason for action: WDFW previously announced these areas would not open for spring chinook fishing. However, the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery just recently met its broodstock collection goals.  There are approximately 100 spring Chinook, mostly 3-year-old jacks, available for harvest.

Additional information:

Daily limit: One hatchery Chinook (adult or jack), minimum size 12 inches. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. (Anglers are reminded that they may retain only one daily limit of salmon regardless of the number of waters they fish in.)

General Rules: Retention of hatchery Chinook is mandatory.  Hatchery chinook are identified by a missing adipose fin with a healed scar in its location.

Chinook with an intact adipose fin must be released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water prior to release.

Night closure is in effect.

Two-pole endorsement does not apply to this fishery.

Motorized vessels are not allowed on the Icicle River (Chelan County ordinance 7.20.190 Motorboat restrictions).

Information contact: Travis Maitland, District 7 Fish Biologist, (509) 665-3337; Chad Jackson, Region 2 Fish Program Manager, (509) 754-4624.