Steelheading Picks Up

Fish are in the rivers, water temperatures are right and steelhead anglers are beginning to catch substantial numbers from a record hatchery steelhead run. Catch-and-keep steelhead seasons have been underway this fall since September 1 in the Snake and Salmon rivers and since October 15 in the Clearwater River. Catch rates are improving as most of the 220,000 steelhead that have passed Lower Granite Dam on their journey from the ocean have entered Idaho waters. Water temperatures, generally in the low 50s (not too cold or warm), have allowed the fish to remain active. Bank anglers are primarily drifting bait through their favorite runs to catch steelhead, but some fly fishers have been quite successful also. Boat anglers are drifting bait and pulling plugs with equal success. This is the year to take advantage of the record run of hatchery steelhead returning to Idaho. November has traditionally been the month of greatest participation for steelheaders, and catch rates and harvest numbers are also relatively good. During the creel survey over the October 27/28 weekend, anglers were averaging a steelhead caught every four hours on the lower Snake River near Lewiston. In the lower Salmon River, it took about 14 hours for anglers to catch a steelhead. In the area closer to the town of Salmon anglers were averaging about nine hours per fish caught. Steelheading is considered to be good whenever the hours per fish caught are less than 20. All of this information is compiled by department personnel each week and is available on the Fish and Game web site at http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame. Anglers need to be sure the fish they catch is a steelhead, and be sure it is missing the adipose fin before keeping it. Fall chinook salmon and coho salmon are also in the rivers this time of year, but neither salmon can be kept by anglers, even if they are missing the adipose fin. There is no season on these salmon. The fishing rules state "only steelhead with a missing adipose fin (as evidenced by a healed scar) may be kept." Even if anglers catch a steelhead they think is a hatchery fish, it must be released if it has its adipose fin intact. About two percent of hatchery steelhead this year have an adipose fin because of either special programs or a mis-clip at the hatchery. Of the 220,000 steelhead counted over Lower Granite so far, about 160,000 are hatchery-reared A-run fish headed primarily for the Snake and Salmon Rivers. About 22,000 hatchery B-run steelhead, mostly bound for the Clearwater River, have been observed. So far wild fish make up about 17 percent of this year's total run, a percentage similar to the last three years.