The fall steelhead catch-and-release season is open on the Clearwater River and opens August 1 on the Salmon, Little Salmon and Snake rivers.
The fall catch-and-release season opened July 1 on:
- Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to the Memorial Bridge of U.S. Highway 12 at Lewiston.
- Clearwater River main stem and Middle Fork from the Memorial Bridge of U.S. Highway 12 at Lewiston upstream to Clear Creek.
- North Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to Dworshak Dam.
- South Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to the confluence of American and Red rivers.
The fall steelhead catch-and-release season opens August 1 on:
- Salmon River from its mouth upstream to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream of Sawtooth Hatchery.
- Little Salmon River from its mouth upstream to the U.S. Highway 95 bridge near Smokey Boulder Road.
- Snake River from the Washington state line at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream to Hells Canyon Dam.
The fall harvest season on the Clearwater River downstream of the Memorial Bridge of U.S. Highway 12 at Lewiston opens August 1 and opens October 15 on waters open to catch-and-release steelhead fishing upstream of the Memorial Bridge.
The fall harvest season on the Salmon, Little Salmon and Snake rivers, as listed above, opens September 1.
Anglers should refer to the current fishing rules brochure for areas open and daily, possession and season limits.
During the harvest season, only steelhead with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. Wild or hatchery steelhead or salmon with an unclipped adipose fin must always be released. Only barbless hooks with a maximum of 5/8-inch gap between the shank and point may be used when fishing for steelhead and salmon.
The holder of a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit may fish for steelhead in the Snake River where it forms the boundary between the states of Idaho and Oregon or Washington, subject to the fish and game laws of Idaho, but may not fish from the shoreline, including wading, and may not fish in sloughs or tributaries on the Oregon or Washington side.
Any angler who fishes on the Snake River or any other water forming an Idaho boundary is entitled to have in possession only the limit allowed by one license regardless of the number of licenses in possession.
All Idaho steelhead anglers, age 14 or older, must have a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit. Children under 14 must be accompanied by a steelhead permit holder to fish for steelhead without a permit; any steelhead harvested counts toward the permit holder's daily, possession and season limits and must be recorded on the permit.
Resident children under 14 may buy their own permit, and catch their own limit, without buying a license. Nonresident children under 14 may buy a nonresident fishing license and steelhead permit and catch their own limit.
For details on steelhead fishing see:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?getPage=38.
