Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Steelhead in Idaho....when and where???

Any of you that are familar with the annual Steelhead run, would have a best guess of when they will hit the town of Salmon this year? How about around Challis and the Stanley area?

Late fall -Riggins !

That's bout all i know -John Wayne's prefered fishing hole..

I can't give you dates, but they should have near record runs this year based on the counts and passage over the Columbia River dams. They running at about twice the ten year average and don't seem to be shortstopping in the lower Columbia tributaries. Link to Columbia River fish counts

Wish I was going too, but it's time to load up the rifles now. I'd suggest calling a couple of Idaho's regional moose and goose offices to talk with their fish biologists. Good luck and give us some reports when you get out.

I'm heading to Salmon next week 14-21st fishing.I have been watching the IDFG fish reports.Look to be a few moving in.
BBJ

I'm back and we caught 6 fish biggest was a 33 inch Native I caught between shouo and North Fork,cant wait till next fall.
BBJ

Try the Shoup & North Fork area, usually there aren't many that make it as far as Challis and Salmon before the water temp's deop so much that they quit moving.

I am near Challis and I have not seen anyone on the river here.

A couple of friends were below Shoup a couple of weeks ago, (jet-boat) and they caught 6 each, all around 30 inches or so (if you can believe a fisherman).

drover

Fished the Shoup to North Fork area a couple days ago, got nothing. Headed back towards Salmon and fished the Bobcat Gulch boat launch, still nothing although there was several fisherman that claimed to have landed some fish there. I bait cast but man did I see like 95% of people fly-fishing....possibly that's a hint for me to change direction.

Ran into a guide from Montana and he gave me a few pointers, I'll let you know how that goes.

For what it's worth, I'll bet the farm the steelhead have yet to get even close to full swing on the run in that area.

Thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

Robert