August 22, 2014
Action: Rule changes for steelhead fishery and other game fish.
Rule change for definition of the mouth of the Tucannon River
Effective date: Sept. 1, 2014 until further notice
Species affected: Hatchery steelhead (with missing adipose fin)
All other game fish
Steelhead and all other game fish
1. All steelhead landed in the Tucannon River with a missing adipose fin (hatchery origin) must be retained. Catch and release of hatchery steelhead is not allowed.
2. The daily limit is reduced to 2 hatchery steelhead per day.
3. Barbless hooks are required
4. Release all wild steelhead
5. The area from Marengo (at Turner Road Bridge) upstream is closed to fishing.
6. Modified boundary description
Boundary description: Waters of the Tucannon River south of a line of sight from an orange diamond shaped sign attached to the Hwy 261 guard rail (northwest of the Tucannon River and adjacent / downstream from the rest area turn off), running southeast across to the eastern, unsubmerged shoreline of the Tucannon River (point of land spit). The large embayment between the eastern shoreline of the Tucannon River and the rock bluff to the east along the south shore of the Snake River is considered part of the Snake River.
Reason for action: Natural origin steelhead returns to the Tucannon River are not meeting management goals for conservation and therefore the fishery for hatchery steelhead must be modified to provide more protection of naturally produced steelhead in the Tucannon River. Emergency rules are intended to focus the fishery on removal of stray hatchery steelhead that primarily enter the Tucannon River in late summer/fall and to prevent them from spawning, as well as provide a refuge area above Marengo to protect early returning wild steelhead, and close the fishery before March when most of the wild steelhead return to the Tucannon River.
Other Information:
Anglers must cease fishing for steelhead for the day once they have retained 2 hatchery steelhead or their 2 trout per day limit. Adipose fin-clipped fish must have a healed scar at the location of the missing fin. All steelhead with unclipped adipose fins must be immediately released unharmed. In addition, anglers cannot remove any steelhead from the water unless it is retained as part of the daily limit. Anglers should be sure to identify their catch because Chinook and coho salmon, as well as bull trout are also present in the Tucannon River during this steelhead fishery. All fisheries on the Tucannon River close on the last day of February 2015. Gamefish fisheries re-open in the Tucannon River on the first Saturday in June as described in the 2014-2015 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Information contact: For more information, contact John Whalen, Regional Fish Program Manager at (509) 892-1001 (ext. 304).
Rule change for definition of the mouth of the Tucannon River
Effective date: Sept. 1, 2014 until further notice
Species affected: Hatchery steelhead (with missing adipose fin)
All other game fish
Steelhead and all other game fish
1. All steelhead landed in the Tucannon River with a missing adipose fin (hatchery origin) must be retained. Catch and release of hatchery steelhead is not allowed.
2. The daily limit is reduced to 2 hatchery steelhead per day.
3. Barbless hooks are required
4. Release all wild steelhead
5. The area from Marengo (at Turner Road Bridge) upstream is closed to fishing.
6. Modified boundary description
Boundary description: Waters of the Tucannon River south of a line of sight from an orange diamond shaped sign attached to the Hwy 261 guard rail (northwest of the Tucannon River and adjacent / downstream from the rest area turn off), running southeast across to the eastern, unsubmerged shoreline of the Tucannon River (point of land spit). The large embayment between the eastern shoreline of the Tucannon River and the rock bluff to the east along the south shore of the Snake River is considered part of the Snake River.
Reason for action: Natural origin steelhead returns to the Tucannon River are not meeting management goals for conservation and therefore the fishery for hatchery steelhead must be modified to provide more protection of naturally produced steelhead in the Tucannon River. Emergency rules are intended to focus the fishery on removal of stray hatchery steelhead that primarily enter the Tucannon River in late summer/fall and to prevent them from spawning, as well as provide a refuge area above Marengo to protect early returning wild steelhead, and close the fishery before March when most of the wild steelhead return to the Tucannon River.
Other Information:
Anglers must cease fishing for steelhead for the day once they have retained 2 hatchery steelhead or their 2 trout per day limit. Adipose fin-clipped fish must have a healed scar at the location of the missing fin. All steelhead with unclipped adipose fins must be immediately released unharmed. In addition, anglers cannot remove any steelhead from the water unless it is retained as part of the daily limit. Anglers should be sure to identify their catch because Chinook and coho salmon, as well as bull trout are also present in the Tucannon River during this steelhead fishery. All fisheries on the Tucannon River close on the last day of February 2015. Gamefish fisheries re-open in the Tucannon River on the first Saturday in June as described in the 2014-2015 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Information contact: For more information, contact John Whalen, Regional Fish Program Manager at (509) 892-1001 (ext. 304).