Steelhead angler effort on the upper Salmon River began to shift upstream during the past week. Effort increased considerably near the confluence of the Pahsimeroi River and upstream of the East Fork in location code 19, while effort downstream of Salmon, ID declined. The majority of steelhead were caught upstream of the East Fork in location code 19, and anglers interviewed in that area averaged 7 hours per steelhead caught. Anglers interviewed upstream of the Middle Fork Salmon River in location code 15 averaged 60 hours per steelhead caught, and anglers interviewed upstream of North Fork in location code 16 averaged 29 hours per steelhead caught. Anglers interviewed upstream of the Lemhi River in location code 17 averaged 27 hours per steelhead caught, and anglers interviewed upstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 18 averaged 51 hours per steelhead caught.
River conditions were good all week. The Salmon River had clear visibility upstream of the Pahsimeroi River and slightly cloudy visibility in the areas downstream. Water temperatures on Sunday ranged from the mid to upper 40s depending on location, and the Salmon River is flowing at 1,050 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is 87 percent of average for today’s date.
As of Monday, March 29, the Sawtooth Hatchery has trapped 120 hatchery steelhead, and the Pahsimeroi Hatchery has trapped 580 hatchery steelhead.
We would also like to remind anglers that the daily bag limit for the spring 2021 steelhead fishery is 2 hatchery steelhead per day with a possession limit of 6 hatchery steelhead. Anglers can find the most up-to-date steelhead fishing rules on the IDFG website at https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/steelhead/rules.
Report by Brent Beller | Idaho Fish & Game
