Steelhead Harvest to Open on Lower Clearwater River

The fall steelhead harvest season in Idaho opens Monday, August 1, on a two-mile stretch of the lower Clearwater River from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 12 Memorial Bridge near Lewiston. The catch-and-release steelhead season has been open on the lower Clearwater River since the beginning of July. On Monday, August 1, anglers can start to take some home. The daily limit is two fish with six in possession. Anglers may keep 20 steelhead for the fall season, which ends December 31. Only steelhead, defined as rainbow trout longer than 20 inches, with a clipped adipose fin, evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept. Upstream of the Memorial Bridge, steelhead fishing in the Clearwater is limited to catch-and-release. Catch-and-release fishing also opens August 1 on the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers and on the Snake River from the Washington border and the confluence with the Clearwater to Hells Canyon Dam. Steelhead harvest seasons open:

• September 1 - on the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers and the Snake River from its confluence with the Clearwater to Hells Canyon Dam open for steelhead harvest. The limits on these waters are three per day and nine in possession.
• October 15 - on the main stem of the Clearwater River above the Memorial Bridge, the South Fork Clearwater River, the North Fork Clearwater River below Dworshak Dam, and the Middle Fork Clearwater River below Clear Creek all open to steelhead harvest. The limits on these waters are two per day and six in possession.
• The season limit for the fall 2011 season is 20 fish statewide.

For regular steelhead counts at Bonneville and Lower Granite dams, visit the steelhead section of the Fishing page at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov.