Idaho Fish Report

The water levels have come up on the Umatilla, visibility is about a foot and there are still fish being caught. A total of 130 steelhead have returned to Three Mile Falls Dam so far in April, with a total of 1,302 returning steelhead up to date for the overall run. Most of the steelhead should be higher up in the system and anglers are finding success with fish moving higher up past Pendleton.

Look for steelhead in the slower moving water, in the soft pockets on the insides of runs or in the slower water in pools. Anglers have been finding success using jigs and corkies, as well as swinging flies with sinking tips. The season is closed after April 30 so get out for the last few days to harvest a steelhead.

Due to the low predicated spring Chinook returns this year, the spring Chinook fishery will not be open this year. Broodstock collection takes priority to be able collect fish for future generations, and the predication is much higher than the broodstock goals for the Umatilla. Fisheries managers will continue to monitor the run and if the run progresses significantly larger than the predicated run fisheries managers will reevaluate whether a fishery would be opened.