Spring chinook salmon will begin returning to the Snake River in Hells Canyon, and the fishing season starts April 22, 2023.

LA GRANDE — Anglers will have a chance to try to hook a chinook salmon on Lookingglass Creek north of Elgin after all.

Earlier this spring, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that too few salmon were projected to return to the creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, to warrant a sport fishing season.

But recent salmon counts at Bonneville Dam, as well as fish trapped at the Lookingglass weir, have changed the situation considerably.

The creek will open for spring chinook salmon fishing June 18, and the season continues through June 29. The open area is from the creek’s mouth upstream to Jarboe Creek.

“This has been a unique year for predicting the run to Lookingglass,” Ethan Brandt, ODFW district fish biologist in La Grande, said in a press release. “Based on data from tagged fish, Lookingglass Creek chinook are still coming over Bonneville Dam. A few weeks ago, when using the average run timing, the chance for enough fish to return to make up the gap to have a fishery was slim to none.”

It’s unusual for spring chinook to still be migrating at Bonneville Dam, on the Columbia River between Hood River and Troutdale, this late in the spring, according to ODFW. Most years, the run of Lookingglass fish over Bonneville is over by mid-June.

This is the fourth straight year ODFW has opened a sport fishing season for chinook on Lookingglass Creek.

Anglers can keep two adipose fin-clipped chinook adults and five adipose fin-clipped jacks per day. Jack salmon are less than 24 inches in length. Anglers do not need to record jack catch on their combined angling tags, but it is illegal to continue fishing for jack chinook once the adult bag limit is met. Unmarked (wild) fish must be released carefully and unharmed.

Lookingglass Creek anglers are restricted to artificial flies and lures while fishing for salmon. The use of bait is prohibited in order to protect bull trout, a threatened species.

Anglers should be aware that private timberlands open to public access border a majority of the area open to sport fishing, and private residences downstream of the Moses Creek Lane Bridge are not open to public access. Anglers are reminded to respect all private property by picking up trash when leaving and respecting the privacy of nearby residents.

There is also construction at the Lookingglass hatchery. Large equipment may be going up and down the road during the day. Anglers will need to make sure they are parked well off the road so that equipment can get through.

Anglers are also reminded to ensure they have both Columbia Basin Endorsement and Combined Angling Tag in addition to their fishing license.