Steelhead Fishing

At a special meeting, Idaho Fish and Game Commission reduced the bag limit for steelhead anglers to one fish per day and three in possession. The new bag limit runs through Dec. 31, which is the end of the fall season. The bag limit applies to the following sections: 

Idaho’s Steelhead Update  September 1, 2021  

Knowing how many wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead are returning to the Snake River basin is a big deal. If too few wild fish return, then recreational fisheries can be restricted. Fishery restrictions and closures are decisions not taken lightly by managers, and they are not based solely on the number of fish with adipose fins versus those without. So, what is being done to make sure we accurately estimate hatchery and wild returns? The answer is a lot of time, effort, and technology.

The Potlatch River is home to one of the largest wild steelhead populations in the lower Clearwater River, and a culvert replacement project led to an increase in steelhead in one of its tributaries: Big Meadow Creek. 

Anglers who fish in Idaho’s Clearwater Region are encouraged to participate in a survey about potential changes to salmon and steelhead fishing seasons for 2022-24. Fish and Game is asking for public comment on potential changes to season and limits for fall Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead in the Clearwater, Snake and lower Salmon rivers.

Boise angler reclaims his former state catch-and-release record with a whopping 39.25-inch steelhead, topping the previous record by 1.25 inches. 

During the past week, steelhead angler effort on the upper Salmon River continued to shift upstream. Angler effort downstream of Salmon was minimal, and the majority of anglers were observed near the confluence of the Pahsimeroi River or upstream of the East Fork Salmon River in location code 19.