Steelhead catch rates on the upper Salmon River remained good over the past week. The majority of anglers were found upstream of Salmon in location codes 17 through 19. Interviewed anglers fishing downstream of North Fork in location code 15 averaged 14 hours per steelhead caught and did not report keeping a steelhead. Upstream of North Fork in location code 16, interviewed anglers averaged 11 hours per steelhead caught and 23 hours per steelhead kept. In location code 17, upstream of the Lemhi River, interviewed anglers averaged 12 hours per steelhead caught and 22 hours per steelhead kept. Interviewed anglers upstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 18 averaged 11 hours per steelhead caught and 49 hours per steelhead kept. Upstream of the East Fork in location code 19 interviewed anglers averaged 13 hours per steelhead caught and 26 hours per steelhead kept.
Currently the Salmon River is flowing at 1,470 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is 118% of average for today’s date. Water conditions became cloudy over the weekend as flows increased throughout the area. Water temperatures were in the mid to upper 40s on Sunday.
As of March 31st, 2,703 adult hatchery steelhead have returned to the Pahsimeroi Hatchery, and 858 adult hatchery steelhead have returned to the Sawtooth Hatchery.
Report by Brent Beller * Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission * Idaho Department of Fish and Game – Region 7
