Steelhead angler effort increased throughout the upper Salmon River over the past week.
Once again angler effort and catch was highest downstream of North Fork in location code 15, although effort and catch increased in all the upriver location codes as well. The number of drift boats increased during the week, with the majority of boats observed near Salmon, ID or upstream near the Pahsimeroi River confluence.
Anglers interviewed downstream of the Middle Fork Salmon River in location code 14 averaged 16 hours per steelhead caught and did not report harvesting a steelhead. Anglers interviewed upstream of the Middle Fork in location code 15 averaged 7 hours per steelhead caught and 39 hours per steelhead kept. Anglers interviewed upstream of North Fork in location code 16 averaged 17 hours per steelhead caught and 69 hours per steelhead kept. Anglers interviewed upstream of the Lemhi River in location code 17 averaged 25 hours per steelhead caught and 224 hours per steelhead kept, and anglers interviewed upstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 18 averaged 13 hours per steelhead caught and 90 hours per steelhead kept. No interviews were obtained upstream of the East Fork Salmon River in location code 19.
River conditions remained stable throughout the past week, but that could begin to change with warmer weather predicted for the area this coming week. Currently the Salmon River is flowing at 1,170 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is average for today’s date. Over the weekend, mid-day river temperatures were in the low 40’s, and the river’s visibility was good.