Icicle River Will Not Open For Chinook This Season

Icicle River will not open for spring chinook fishing

Action: The Icicle River will not open for salmon fishing on May 15 as scheduled in the 2016-17 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. The river will remain closed to salmon fishing.

Effective date:  May 15, 2017.

Species affected: Hatchery spring chinook salmon.

Effective Locations: Icicle River (Chelan County)

(1)  From the closure signs located 800 feet upstream of the mouth to 500 feet downstream of 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 of the Snow Lakes trailhead parking area).

Reason for action:  Preseason forecasts and current in-season run analysis estimate the number of spring chinook salmon returning to the Icicle River may not be sufficient to meet broodstock collection goals (1,640 spawners) at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery.  To avoid a potential broodstock shortage, it is necessary to close the upcoming salmon season at this time. WDFW will continue to monitor spring chinook salmon returns to the Icicle River and could open the season if numbers improve.  

Information contact: Travis Maitland, District 7 Fish Biologist, (509) 665-3337, Jeff Korth, Region 2 Fish Program Manager, (509) 754-4624 ext. 224.