Emergency fishing regulations for the spring Chinook salmon fishery in the Klamath River Basin have been extended and fall Chinook salmon quota and fishery regulations were adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission during their May teleconference meeting. Please note that the regulation changes are currently awaiting approval from the Office of Administrative Law. These regulations are in place because spring Chinook salmon are a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and currently under status review for potential CESA listing.

The spring Chinook salmon fishery on the lower Klamath River (downstream of the Highway 96 bridge at Weitchpec) and Trinity River (upstream of the confluence of the South Fork Trinity River) will open July 1 and run through Aug. 14 on the Klamath River and through Aug. 31 on the Trinity River. The daily bag limit has been set to one Chinook salmon (no size restrictions), and the possession limit set at two Chinook salmon.

The fall Chinook salmon fishery in the Klamath River will open Aug. 15, and in the Trinity River, the fall Chinook salmon season begins Sept. 1. The Klamath-Trinity basin in-river quota is 1,296 adult fall Chinook salmon for 2020.

Fall Chinook salmon regulations on length have changed since 2019, with the adult size now being greater than 23 inches total length (previously 22 inches). Bag limits will remain the same as 2019, with a two-fish daily bag limit, with no more than one fish over 23 inches (such as one adult and one jack). The possession limit remains the same at six fish, with no more than three fish over 23 inches (effectively three daily bag limits).

Additionally, the brown trout bag and possession limits have doubled; increased to 10 fish per day and 20 fish in possession throughout the basin.

The in-river recreational adult fall Chinook salmon quota is divided among four sectors in the Klamath River basin:

KLAMATH RIVER

1. 3,500 feet downstream of Iron Gate Dam downstream to the Highway 96 bridge – 220 fish.
2. Highway 96 bridge downstream to the mouth of the Klamath River – 648 fish.

• • There is a sub-area closure at the mouth of the Klamath River when 15 percent of the basin allocation has been harvested – 194 fish harvested below the Highway 101 bridge triggers this closure.

TRINITY RIVER

1. Old Lewiston Bridge to Highway 299 West bridge at Cedar Flat – 214 fish.
2. Denny Road bridge downstream to the confluence with Klamath River – 214 fish.

Please see the 2020-2021 California Freshwater Sportfishing Regulations and 2020-2021 California Supplement Sport Fishing Regulations for more information. Additionally, anglers can obtain information on Klamath Basin regulations and fall Chinook salmon quota updates by calling the Klamath-Trinity fishing hotline at (800) 564-6479.