This post shares five simple and flavorful recipes for cooking steelhead trout, each baked at 400°F for 10-14 minutes. Recipes include maple-mustard glaze, taco-seasoned fillets, pesto with Parmesan, a soy-ginger foil packet, and a hot-honey crunch. Baking with skin-side down is recommended for better results.

Steelhead fishing on the Upper Salmon River improved last week, attracting more anglers as river clarity increased. Although overall effort remained low compared to previous years, catch rates rose, particularly mid-week. Conditions appear favorable for continued fishing activity, with good visibility and stable water temperatures expected to persist.

Last weekend, steelhead anglers faced challenging conditions due to increased river flow and decreased visibility from recent heavy rainfall. Only two fish were caught among numerous anglers. However, conditions improved early this week as water clarity increased and temperatures dropped, prompting better catch rates and more fish movement expected upstream.

Idaho's steelhead run in 2026 is projected to be one of the lowest on record, with only 61,500 expected returns. To protect wild stocks and ensure hatchery fish, the daily bag limit is being reduced to two steelhead. Factors affecting the decline remain unclear, but larger fish may help hatchery production goals.

The Upper Salmon River fishing report for April 8, 2026, highlights excellent catch rates, improved river conditions, and significant hatchery trapping numbers, making it an ideal time for anglers to visit.

Idaho Fish and Game’s March 3, 2026 Upper Salmon River steelhead report shows another strong week, with the best catch rates upstream of the Pahsimeroi (location codes 18–19). Midweek weather reduced clarity downstream, but conditions improved by the weekend and PIT tag detections at the Elevenmile (USE) array climbed to 136 for the run year.

A mild winter kept the Upper Salmon River more open than usual in mid-February, with warmer water, a shorter ice jam, and stable flows. Monitoring from Feb. 11–15, 2026 also showed steelhead moving farther upstream than typical, with strong angler effort and good catch rates across most monitored areas.