Idaho Fish and Game | by Brent Beller
Hi everyone, this is the Upper Salmon River steelhead fishing report for November 18, 2025, and the data discussed in this report were collected from November 10 through November 16.
Last week on the Upper Salmon River was the first week so far this fall where we observed a noticeable decline in steelhead angler effort. Fewer anglers were seen during the weekdays, but angler effort picked back up over the weekend with most anglers fishing downstream of Salmon, ID. More anglers were also fishing upstream of Salmon, though effort in that area remained relatively low.
Average catch rates improved or were similar to the previous week in most areas above the Middle Fork Salmon River. Anglers interviewed downstream of the Middle Fork in location code 14 averaged 50 hours per steelhead caught, while those interviewed downstream of North Fork in location code 15 averaged 14 hours per steelhead caught. Downstream of the Lemhi River in location code 16, anglers averaged 16 hours per steelhead caught, and upstream of the Lemhi River in location code 17, anglers averaged 19 hours per steelhead caught.
River conditions remained inconsistent last week as another round of precipitation and unseasonably warm weather moved through the area. Water temperatures began the week in the upper 30s but climbed back to around 46°F by the weekend. Flows also rose over the weekend, and the Salmon River is currently flowing at 1,350 cfs through the town of Salmon, which is 105% of average for today’s date. Visibility has generally been good over the past few weeks, with slightly cloudy visibility on days with increased flows and clear visibility when flows are stable. The forecast is calling for cooler weather this week (but still warm for late November) with a lower chance of rain, which should make for some excellent fishing conditions.
That’s all we have to share for this week’s update. If you have questions or would like additional information, please call the Salmon Regional Office at (208) 756-2271.
