After taking the long, circuitous route through the regulatory process, a rules change that will allow anglers to keep coho salmon that have gone either over or through Oroville Dam was made legally effective as of March 1.

Local DFG warden Lt. Sam Castillo explained, "The way the regulation is constructed, coho salmon can be taken in Lake Oroville, the Diversion Pools, the Forebay, and the Afterbay- including the canal leading into the Forebay- and the Feather River between the Diversion Pool Dam and the Fish Barrier Dam. Currently, if you catch a coho in the Feather River Low-Flow, you must release it."

Castillo cautioned, "As for trespass issues- folks would be subject to citation if they fish in the canal between the Diversion Pool and the Forebay, and the canal between the Power Dam and the Afterbay. All of those lands are currently clearly posted prohibiting trespass."

Department of Water Resources biologist Julie Brown added, "The limit for coho salmon in those areas is the same as Lake Oroville [5 per day and in possession]. DWR is doing a 'creel census', and may be interviewing anglers to count and measure their fish. With the angler's permission, we would also like to collect the heads of coho caught; so that we can recover the coded wire tags [CWT's] and learn more about the species survival, age, etc."