Icicle River opens for hatchery spring Chinook salmon fishing

LEAVENWORTH - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced that the Icicle River will open for hatchery spring Chinook salmon fishing. The season will begin one hour before the official sunrise on Thursday, May 16, and continue until one hour after the official sunset on Sunday, June 30.

The decision to open the Icicle River for fishing results from a robust return of spring Chinook salmon forecasted to exceed the broodstock requirements at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. The excess fish will be available for sport angler harvest.

Anglers will be allowed to fish in two specific locations along the Icicle River: from the closure signs located 800 feet upstream of the mouth of the river to 500 feet downstream from the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Barrier Dam and from the shoreline markers where Cyo Road intersects the Icicle River at the Sleeping Lady Resort to the Icicle Peshastin Irrigation Footbridge.

The daily limit for hatchery Chinook salmon (adult or jack) is two, with a minimum size of 12 inches. Anglers must retain all hatchery Chinook caught and release all other salmon species. Night fishing and motorized vessels are prohibited on the Icicle River, as per Chelan County ordinance 7.20.190. The two-pole endorsement is also not permitted in this fishery.

The WDFW will closely monitor the fishery and may close it at any time if the non-treaty harvest share is met or if additional broodstock is needed. Anglers are advised to check the WDFW website at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/  for updates on the fishery's status.

This opening provides a unique opportunity for anglers to enjoy the beauty of the Icicle River while pursuing hatchery spring Chinook salmon, a prized catch for many fishing enthusiasts in the region.