Based upon California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) projections of the recreational fall-run Chinook Salmon catch on the Klamath River, anglers will have met the Lower Klamath River adult fall-run Chinook salmon quota below the Highway 96 Bridge near Weitchpec for the 2026 season as of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, September 13.
This triggers the closure of the adult Chinook salmon fishery on the main stem of the Klamath River from the Highway 96 Bridge to the mouth of the Klamath River at the Pacific Ocean. The fishery at the mouth of the Klamath closed Wednesday, Sept. 2 and will remain closed to all fishing for the rest of the calendar year. The rest of the lower main stem of the Klamath River below the Highway 96 Bridge at Weitchpec will remain open to the harvest of jack (2-year-old) Chinook salmon (less than or equal to 23 inches). All adult Chinook salmon caught must be immediately released.
Anglers may still fish for adult Chinook salmon in other reaches of the Klamath Basin, including the main stem of the Klamath River above Weitchpec and the entire Trinity River until the closure of those fisheries.
Anglers may monitor the quota status of open and closed sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers by calling CDFW’s information hotline at (800) 564-6479. Learn more about the fishing quotas on the Klamath River (Video)(external link).
Additionally, CDFW reminds anglers targeting salmon in the Klamath and Trinity rivers that they must be in possession of a 2026 North Coast Salmon Report Card. Anglers are required to begin filling out their card at the start of fishing and record harvest and release in real-time.
For more information regarding Klamath River fishing regulations, please consult the 2026 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations at: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations#fresh-regs.
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Media Contacts:
Dan Troxel, CDFW Klamath River Project, (707) 822-0330
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858