Steelhead angler effort increased this past week on the upper Salmon River. The majority of anglers were observed fishing downstream of North Fork in location code 15, but an increase in effort was also observed upstream, between North Fork and Ellis. Bank angler effort downstream of the Middle Fork in location code 14 remained low, and no anglers interviewed within location code 14 reported catching a steelhead. Anglers interviewed in location code 15 averaged 15 hours per steelhead caught and 22 hours per steelhead kept. Anglers interviewed between North Fork and Salmon in location code 16 averaged 6 hours per steelhead caught and 9 hours per steelhead kept. Upstream of the Lemhi River in location code 17, interviewed anglers averaged 13 hours per steelhead caught and 26 hours per steelhead kept. Anglers interviewed upstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 18 did not report catching a steelhead.
Conditions on the upper Salmon River steadily improved throughout the week, and by Sunday the river was running clear with temperatures in the mid-30s. As of Monday, March 5th the Salmon River is flowing at 1,240 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is 115% of average for today’s date.
(Report by Brent Beller – Idaho Fish & Game; feature photo via Salmon River Tours)
