Fall wild Chinook salmon fishing in the Snake River closes today through October 31
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, September 19th, 2025 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
EASTERN OREGON – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced that the harvest of wild adult Chinook salmon in the Snake River is officially closed now through October 31. This includes all wild adult salmon fishing from the Oregon/Washington Border upstream to the Hells Canyon Dam. Hatchery salmon and other fish species harvests remain unimpacted. For more details on the closure, see the following release from ODFW:
(Release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)
During this period, anglers may continue to harvest adipose-clipped (hatchery) fall Chinook adults and jacks. All wild adult Chinook must be released unharmed. Fishing for all other species including steelhead remains unaffected.
The closure is being taken concurrently with Idaho Fish and Game. Warm water in the Columbia and Snake rivers has slowed Chinook migration, reducing the number of fish reaching northeast Oregon and Idaho. Closing the fishery to harvest of wild adults will help keep fisheries within agreed upon harvest allocations and reduce the risk of shutting down the entire Snake River fishery area.
“This temporary closure helps us stay within our harvest limits for wild fish while still keeping harvest of hatchery fish open for anglers,” said Kyle Bratcher, District Fish Biologist with ODFW in Enterprise. “By taking this step now, we can maintain opportunity for adipose-clipped Chinook and hatchery steelhead fishing through the fall.”
ODFW and IDFG will continue to review harvest and fish passage data throughout the season. If counts of fall Chinook increase at mainstem Snake River dams, additional harvest allocations may become available, and harvest of wild adult Chinook may reopen.
“We know anglers value consistency, but conditions can change quickly,” Bratcher added. “Our goal is to keep hatchery Chinook and steelhead fisheries open as long as possible, and this closure gives us the flexibility to do that.”
Regulation summary (Sept. 19 to Oct. 31 in the Snake River from the Oregon/Washington border upstream to Hells Canyon Dam):
• Harvest of wild adult fall Chinook salmon (non-adipose clipped, ≥24 inches) is closed.
• Adipose-clipped adult fall Chinook and all jacks may be harvested under existing bag limits.
• All other 2025 Oregon sport fishing regulations remain in effect.
