OLYMPIA - Fishing for spring Chinook salmon opened today, June 12, on the Entiat River in Chelan County, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
     Angling will be allowed from the Highway 97A bridge, near the mouth of the Entiat River, upstream approximately six miles to 800 feet downstream of the Entiat National Fish Hatchery fish ladder entrance.
     The season will run June 12-30.
     Daily limit is two salmon with minimum size of 12 inches.
     The department estimates about 2,000 hatchery-origin spring Chinook and approximately 145-160 natural-origin spring Chinook are expected to return to the Entiat River in 2009.
     A selective fishery will remove excess, non-endemic hatchery spring Chinook, the department said.
     The Entiat River spring Chinook fishery will be regulated as a selective fishery requiring the use of barbless hooks, anti-snagging rules, night closure, and mandatory release of adipose present Chinook and all steelhead.