Ron Roberts shows off a wild steelhead from Fish Creek. Ron Roberts shows off a wild steelhead from Fish Creek.
Wild steelhead are an important part of Idaho’s natural history and angling legacy. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game monitors steelhead spawning in selected streams in the Clearwater and Salmon river drainages. This large male was the first fish of the year captured during March 2012 in Fish Creek, a tributary of the Lochsa River. After collecting a variety of information from these ocean-going migrants, the fish are passed upstream to continue their journey. This information helps IDFG manage wild steelhead while still allowing harvest of hatchery fish. For more information about monitoring steelhead, check out monitoring steelhead on the Lochsa River and our wild steelhead pamphlet.