Steelhead fishing over Thanksgiving still strong

While Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and eat a large bird, some anglers use the four-day holiday weekend to sneak away in hopes of catching a steelhead. Steelhead anglers are finding success in the Snake, Clearwater, Salmon and Boise rivers. Catch rates in mid-November were about 8 hours per fish on average in the Salmon River downstream of the Salmon, 5 hour per fish on the Little Salmon River, 8 hours per fish on the Clearwater from the mouth upstream to Orofino, 13 hours per fish on the Salmon River from the Middle Fork upstream to the North Fork Salmon, and 7 hours per fish on the Salmon from Whitebird Creek upstream to the Little Salmon. Fishing for steelhead is unique, and most consider it to be good fishing when average catch rates are lower than 10 hours per fish caught. Idaho Fish and Game released another 165 steelhead from the Hells Canyon trap into the Boise River on Thursday, November 19, and a number of anglers have reported tangling with hard-fighting fish. They were stocked at four locations including Glenwood Bridge, just below the Broadway Avenue Bridge behind Boise State University, at Parkcenter Bridge and at Barber Park. Besides a fishing license, anglers need a $12.75 steelhead permit, good for 20 fish. For more information on steelhead fishing including the latest catch rates, seasons and rules, dam counts, and useful instructional videos, go to http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/fish/steelhead.