Above-Bonneville Springer Run Upgraded By 25 Percent

The Columbia’s upriver-origin spring Chinook run has been upgraded by nearly a quarter, allowing for a reopening on portions of Washington’s Snake.

While passage has begun to wane at Bonneville Dam, the U.S. v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee met Monday and now expects 152,900 Upper and Mid-Columbia and Snake River fish to arrive at the mouth of the big river this year, up from the preseason forecast of 122,500.

TAC made the call “(based) on current information and several passage projection models,” according to a statement forwarded by WDFW.

The upgrade increased the balance of fish available to Snake River salmon anglers to 957, which allows for two more days of fishing below Ice Harbor Dam and two below Little Goose Dam, according to a WDFW emergency rule change notice out this afternoon. Just yesterday, the agency had sent out word Snake salmon angling would close after this Friday’s opener, but now there will be opportunity next week.

Last week, with TAC’s expectation that the run would at minimum meet the preseason forecast, WDFW and ODFW were able to reopen the Lower Columbia from May 9 through May 22 and provide two more days (May 10 and 13) on the mainstem gorge pools.

“Fishery managers are actively monitoring the run and harvest to determine whether additional fishing opportunities may be available both above and below Bonneville Dam,” said Britton K. Ransford, a WDFW spokesman, this afternoon.

Washington and Oregon anglers aren’t the only ones cheering the bigger than expected run. Idaho salmon fishermen saw their Clearwater River harvest share grow “significantly higher,” from 1,144 adult fish when seasons were set to now 4,355, allowing that state’s Fish and Game Commission to liberalize open days and daily limits in much of that system earlier this week.

IDFG’s Joe Dupont expects 2025’s upriver run to come in better than seven of the previous 10 years.

Through yesterday, May 13, the Bonneville count for the year sits at 91,267 adult spring Chinook, nearly 20,000 more than the 10-year average. The tally would be higher still were it not for authorized fisheries below the dam and sea lion predation.

Meanwhile, the 2025 jack count, one of several indicators managers will look at when they read the portents and auguries for next year’s run, is well above the 10-year average of 4,454 at 7,011 and counting.

TAC is expected to continue monitoring the run and will meet again next Monday.