Clearwater Region Fishing Information
Weekly Fishing Report
Updated: October 1, 2008
This report highlights a few of the best places to fish, what anglers are using and what they are catching. The information is compiled from regional Fish and Game fishery managers, local tackle shops and anglers. Other general regional information is available below.
Salmon
Idaho is set to have a fall Chinook salmon season- the first in decades! The season opens Friday, October 3, and will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until October 31 or until further notice.
The Snake River is open to fall Chinook in three sections:
- From the Southway Bridge in Lewiston upstream to the mouth of the Salmon River.
- From the mouth of the Salmon River upstream to Granite Creek.
- From Granite Creek upstream to Hells Canyon Dam.
One or more of the three areas could close earlier than October 31.
Anglers may keep one fall Chinook per day, including jacks, and have three in possession. They may keep only fish with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, and they may keep 40 salmon for the year, including spring, summer and fall Chinook.
Anglers may use only barbless hooks no larger than five-eighths inch from the point to the shank. When the daily, possession or season limit is reached, the angler must stop fishing for salmon, including catch and-release. It is unlawful to take or fish for salmon by snagging. Salmon caught in a legal manner must be either released or killed immediately after landing.
Anglers must have a valid Idaho fishing license and salmon permit in possession to fish for salmon. A salmon permit for the spring or summer season still is valid; for anglers who didn't keep theirs, replacement permits are available for $7.25. A permit costs $12.75.
Please consult the 2008-2009 Fishing Seasons and Rules brochure for additional rules, license costs and other information.
Steelhead
Steelhead fishing is good. The bigger B run steelhead are starting to make their way into Idaho. Fishing at night with lighted lures is working well. Day fishing with a bobber and jig is slow.
Catch and keep steelhead season is open on the Clearwater River from the mouth to Memorial Bridge. Anglers are allowed to keep two steelhead per day with 6 in possession. Only steelhead with a clipped adipose fin may be kept.
Trout
The trout fishing is good in the local rivers and streams, including the Lochsa, the North Fork of the Clearwater and the Selway. For those bearing fly rods, you'll want to try big orange October caddis or little black midges.
Lowland Lakes
Mann Lake near Lewiston, Winchester Lake near Winchester, Waha Lake and Soldiers Meadow Reservoir near Waha, Spring Valley Reservoir near Troy, Moose Creek Reservoir near Bovill, and Elk Creek Reservoir near Elk River all offer a variety of species including trout, catfish, bluegill, and bass. Most of these waters have been stocked with catchable rainbow trout and offer great places to take the family.
When fishing with kids, the first thing to remember is that you are the expert. Be positive, make it fun and remember: It's not just your fishing trip - it's their fishing tip too. Consider it as an investment with payoffs in the future. If you do it right, pay-back time will come years later when they take you fishing.
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General Regional Information - Fall 2008
Steelhead Trout
Although all Idaho steelhead are summer run fish, which means they leave the ocean in the late summer, most of these fish arrive in Idaho in the early fall. These fish will then spend the fall and winter in the Snake, Salmon and Clearwater Rivers, and spawn the following spring.
Fish managers have broadly grouped Idaho steelhead into two run types, which we have termed "A-run", and "B-run". A-run steelhead originate mainly from the Snake and Salmon Rivers and typically spend one or two years in the ocean, returning as 5 to 10 pound adults. B-run fish originate from the Clearwater River, and typically spend two to three years in the ocean, returning as 10 to 20 pound adults.
For many Idaho steelhead anglers, fall is the time to go fishing, and the Clearwater Region is the place to do it. Fall fish are fresh from the ocean and are in peak condition. The Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater rivers all provide excellent fishing. The diversity of fishing opportunities is outstanding, ranging from the urban setting of levee fishing in downtown Lewiston to a backcountry float trip through the heart of the Salmon River Canyon.
By mid October, steelhead are distributed throughout the region, and anglers can expect to find good fishing in the Clearwater River upstream to Kooskia, the Snake upstream to Hell's Canyon Dam, and throughout the Salmon River. The 2008 steelhead run should be an excellent one, with up to 180,000 fish predicted to cross Lower Granite Dam this fall, including a near record 48,000 hatchery B-run. The average steelhead return the last ten years to Lower Granite Dam has been about 140,000 fish.
Catch and release steelhead fishing opened on the Clearwater July 1, and opened August 1 in the remainder of the state. The Clearwater River below the Memorial Bridge at Lewiston opened for harvest on August 1, but the remainder of the Clearwater remains catch and release until October 15.
Harvest season on the Snake and Salmon Rivers open September 1. The daily bag limit for steelhead this fall is 2 on the Clearwater and 3 on the Snake and Salmon rivers.
Before you go, take a look at the steelhead regulations and especially remember the "Big Three":
- Pinch your barbs down on all hooks you use.
- Immediately release any steelhead you catch with an unclipped adipose fin.
- Immediately validate your steelhead permit upon retaining a legal steelhead.
Fall Chinook Salmon
Anglers fishing on the Snake River have an exciting new opportunity during the month of October as a fall chinook salmon season was opened by IDFG. The season is slated to run from October 3 through October 31 and includes the Snake River from the Southway Bridge at Lewiston upstream to Hells Canyon Dam.
The bag limit is one adipose clipped chinook per day, including jacks, and anglers must have a salmon permit in possession to participate in the fishery. Please check the fall chinook season regulations pamphlet for more details and stay informed as the season could close earlier than October 31.
In addition to fall chinook, coho salmon are also commonly encountered by steelhead anglers so it is important for anglers to know the difference between a salmon and a steelhead, as coho salmon are closed to harvest. Both chinook and coho salmon have black mouths, while steelhead have white mouths. Coho can be differentiated from chinook by the gumline. Coho have a white gumline, while the chinook's gumline is black. Remember that there are some fall Chinook and Coho around this year that have an adipose fin clip so it is critical that anglers can identify their catch. Remember, "If the mouth is black, put it back!"
Lowland Lakes
Fall is a great time to fish an area lowland lake, all of which receive generous fall plants of catchable rainbow trout. Algae and aquatic weeds are less of a problem and the crowds are smaller during the fall months. Below is a list of regional waters and some the fish you might expect to encounter:
- Deer Creek Reservoir - Near Pierce, Idaho. It is the state's newest fishing water. Excellent populations of stocked rainbow and cutthroat trout. The reservoir will be open all year to fishing, but because of wildlife related road restrictions, the access road will be open to motorized vehicles May 20-September 30 annually. Outside of those dates, anglers and other lake users will need to make a hike of about half a mile to reach the lake.
- Elk Creek Reservoir - Near Elk River, Idaho. Good populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, brook trout, and stocked rainbow trout.
- Mann Lake - Near Lewiston, Idaho. Mann Lake is an irrigation reservoir and is usually drawn down in the late summer, but fishing can still be good. Good populations of largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and stocked rainbow trout.
- Moose Creek Reservoir - Near Bovill, Idaho. Good populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, and stocked rainbow trout.
- Soldier's Meadow Reservoir - 20 miles south of Lewiston. Soldier's Meadow is an irrigation reservoir and is usually drawn down in late summer. Good populations of black crappie and stocked rainbow trout.
- Spring Valley Reservoir - Near Troy, Idaho. Family Fishing Water. Good populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, and stocked rainbow trout.
- Tolo Lake - Near Grangeville, Idaho. It is a fairly turbid natural lake but has been stocked with white crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish.
- Waha Lake - South of Lewiston, Idaho. Waha is a natural lake and has fair populations of smallmouth bass and stocked rainbow trout.
- Winchester Lake - Near Winchester, Idaho. It has excellent populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, tiger muskie, and stocked rainbow trout. Visitors to Winchester Lake will notice numerous floating structures on the lake. These are part of an experimental project to improve water quality and fishing by oxygenating the deeper portions of the lake.
Dworshak Reservoir - Near Orofino, Idaho. Water levels are usually down at minimum pool in the fall (about 80 feet down) as federal fish managers tap the reservoir's cool water in the summer to help juvenile salmon migrate to the ocean and made room for flood control for the next year's runoff. Kokanee fishing is usually slow in the fall, but trout and smallmouth bass fishing can be very good. Boat ramps at Canyon Creek and Grandad are unusable during the fall, but boaters can still launch at Bruce's Eddy, Dent, and Dworshak State Park. The low water levels can also make access to campsites more difficult. Although most of the reservoir is open to fishing year around, the reservoir above Grandad Bridge is open to fishing from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend until November 30. The trout limit in this part of the reservoir is 6 per day, but only 2 of those can be cutthroat. Anglers may also incidentally catch a bull trout and are reminded that they are closed to harvest. The fishing regulation pamphlet has a good fish identification key on pages 16-19.
The Department and the Army Corps of Engineers initiated a nutrient enhancement program in the spring of 2007 on Dworshak Reservoir. This project essentially involves adding specific nutrients (usually nitrogen) in specific doses to bring the overall nutrient levels in the lake into balance, and promises to improve water quality and fish growth. Several treatments were conducted throughout this past summer and results indicated a large increase in desirable plankton, as well as increased kokanee growth. The Department will be monitoring the progress of the treatments as this program progresses.
Rivers and Streams
Fall is a great time to fish one of the region's top cutthroat trout waters, such as the Lochsa, Selway, and North Fork Clearwater rivers. Excellent populations of native westslope cutthroat trout live in these rivers, as well as most of their tributaries. Most of the summer crowds are gone, and the fish are very active as they feed heavily before winter. To protect these outstanding fisheries, most of these rivers have harvest and gear restrictions, so be sure to review the regulations before you go.
The Snake and lower Salmon rivers both have excellent smallmouth bass populations and fall is a great time to catch them. Smallmouths usually average about 10 to 12-inches in these waters, but many fish up to five pounds are caught every year.
White Sturgeon
Both the Snake and lower Salmon rivers offer one of the most unique freshwater fishing experiences you can have anywhere - fishing for white sturgeon. Sturgeon can be caught all year but the prime times are spring, summer, and fall. White sturgeon can live to be over 80 years old and grow very slowly. Because of this, the sturgeon fishery has been managed under a strict catch and release regulation since 1970.
The Clearwater Region has perhaps the best population of white sturgeon in Idaho, in the 105 miles of free-flowing Snake River from Lewiston upstream to Hell's Canyon Dam. Recent studies estimate that there are from three to six thousand sturgeon between 2 and 11 feet long in this stretch. Over half of the fish are less than 3 feet long, indicating that there is good reproduction. Smaller numbers of sturgeon can also be found in the lower Salmon River.
Catch and release sturgeon angling continues to grow in popularity each year. As the number of anglers increases, so does the importance of treating hooked fish properly to insure their survival. If you decide to try your hand at this exciting sport, please treat these ancient fish with the respect they deserve by following these "low-impact" sturgeon fishing tips:
Hook 'Em Right: (Keep the fish from swallowing the hook)
- Use non-offset circle hooks-sizes 7/0 to 13/0. Non-offset circle hooks offer a tremendous advantage over traditional J-hooks because fish are almost never hooked deeply when using them. Two other advantages of these hooks are that fish rarely become unhooked during the fight, plus they are much less likely to snag on rocky river bottoms. Circle hooks are very different than J-hooks and require an angler to employ a few different techniques for them to work properly. First, make sure the hook point is exposed and not covered up with the bait. Next, when a fish starts to bite, let it mouth the bait a few seconds longer than you would with a J-hook, and lastly, don't set the hook. Instead, simply start reeling until you come tight on the fish. The hook will catch on the corner of the mouth as you smoothly tighten the line. For those not yet ready to make the switch to circle hooks, remember that when using a regular "J" hook, it is especially critical to stay attentive to the rod and hook the fish quickly before it has a chance to swallow the bait.
- Pinch the barb-(It’s the law). Pinch the barb down on your hook to ease hook removal and minimize the damage to a sturgeon’s fleshy mouth.
- Rig it right. Tie your sinker to a dropper line on a sliding swivel, using at least twenty pound test lighter line than your main line. This will minimize the chances of leaving a baited hook rig snagged to the bottom if you break off. We suspect that this "ghost gear" is getting to be a real problem in some popular fishing holes.
Play 'Em Fast: (Avoid overstressing the fish during the fight)
- 50-80 lb test monofilament lines or 130-150 lb test superbraid lines should be considered the minimum size to use. Monofilament has advantages in that it has much higher abrasion resistance and its stretch makes it much more forgiving when fighting large fish.
- Use heavy gear properly sized to fight powerful fish weighing up to 400 pounds and land the fish as quickly as possible. Lactic acid can build up in the fish’s muscles during long fights. A good sturgeon reel needs to be very well built, have a very smooth drag, and hold at least 250 yards of the proper line.
- Choose your fishing spot carefully. Be realistic about the chances of landing a large sturgeon when choosing a fishing hole, especially when fishing without a boat. Ask yourself if you will be able to follow the fish if it leaves the hole. Try to avoid having to tell the story of being spooled, leaving 200 yards or more of expensive line hooked to a fish.
Release 'Em Easy: (Ensure the fish will survive to fight another day)
- Keep the fish in the water-(It’s the law). Don’t pull the fish up on the rocks for a photo. Pulling the fish on the rocks will remove the fish’s layer of protective mucous and often will open cuts in the fish’s skin, which can lead the way to an infection. The best way to get a great sturgeon photo is to get in the water with the fish. In cold weather, this usually means having some waders handy. Keep water flowing over the gills at all times when removing the hook or snapping a picture.
- Don’t tie the fish by the tail. A tail-roped fish can easily be injured, especially if it starts thrashing.
- Revive a played-out fish by holding its mouth open in the current so water flows over its gills until it wants to swim away. A tired sturgeon will almost always remain calm when you hold them by the mouth upside down in the water. Keep your hands out of their gills at all times.