Good news for California anglers: salmon fishing is coming back to the Klamath River Basin and Sacramento River this summer and fall, following three consecutive years of closures driven by drought, warming conditions, and declining populations.
The California Fish and Game Commission adopted updated sport fishing regulations at its May 6 meeting, setting season dates, bag and possession limits for both the Klamath Basin and Central Valley, and establishing a fall-run adult quota of 3,248 fish for the Klamath and Trinity rivers.
On the Klamath, late spring-run Chinook fishing opens July 1, running through August 14. Fall-run season begins August 15 and continues through December 31. On the Trinity River, late spring-run fishing runs through August 31, with fall-run opening September 1. The daily bag limit for fall-run is two fish, with only one adult over 23 inches allowed; possession limits are six fish, no more than three of which may be adults.
In the Central Valley, the general fall-run season opens July 16 and closes December 16, with a daily bag limit of two fish and a possession limit of four. Inland anglers on the Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers will also enjoy a full season after a shortened one in 2025.
Ocean commercial fishing is also returning after a three-year closure, with recreational ocean anglers seeing significantly more open days than the six offered in 2025.
CDFW credits the rebound to a combination of increased hatchery production, habitat restoration, improved water years, and the removal of four dams on the Klamath River. State and federal agencies will implement in-season management to ensure harvest stays within guidelines.
Full regulations will be published in the CDFW Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations when available.
