Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report 10.14.26

Idaho Fish and Game’s first weekly Upper Salmon River steelhead report, by Brent Beller, of the fall 2026 season sets expectations early: this year’s return is tracking among the lowest ever recorded at Bonneville Dam since counts began in 1938, and statewide bag limits have been reduced to two adipose-clipped steelhead per day. Opening week brought light angler effort and tough fishing — a single released fish put the average catch rate at 64 hours per steelhead — even though river conditions remain favorable, with clear visibility, flows running 95% of average through Salmon, and water temperatures in the upper 40s. The bright spot is fish size: roughly 90% of this year’s return is made up of 2-ocean steelhead averaging around 28 inches, and past seasons suggest catch rates could still turn sharply better in November once the bulk of the run reaches the upper river.

Here’s the full report:

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 – 9:25 AM MDT

Hi everyone, this is the first weekly Upper Salmon River (USR) steelhead fishing report for the fall 2026 season. 

IDFG began interviewing steelhead anglers along the Upper Salmon River last Thursday, October 8. Angler effort was low throughout the week, with most anglers observed in river location code 15, downstream of North Fork (see table below). We interviewed one angler who reported releasing a steelhead in location code 15, resulting in an average catch rate of 64 hours per steelhead. 

Despite the poor weather over the weekend, river conditions were good in all areas downstream of Salmon, ID. The river had clear visibility and water temperatures were in the low to mid-50s before dropping into the upper 40s by Monday. As of today, the Salmon River is flowing at 1,200 cfs through the town of Salmon, ID which is 95% of average for today’s date. 

As discussed in the 2026 Idaho Steelhead Update, written by IDFG Region 2 Fisheries Manager Joe Thiessen, the steelhead return this fall is one of the lowest ever recorded at Bonneville Dam since fish counts began in 1938. In response to the low return, the daily bag and possession limits for the fall steelhead fishery have been reduced statewide to two (2) adipose-clipped steelhead per day with up to six (6) in possession. The fall season limit remains unchanged at 20 adipose-clipped steelhead. Anglers are encouraged to visit the IDFG Steelhead Seasons and Rules page before heading out to the river to stay up to date with current regulations.

PIT tag estimates at Bonneville Dam indicate that the number of steelhead returning to USR hatcheries (Pahsimeroi and Sawtooth) is in the same range as what returned during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 run years (see figures below). Unfortunately, that puts the estimated steelhead return at less than half of last year’s return. This will undoubtedly lead to some tough fishing, but we may still see weeks with good catch rates once more of the run makes its way up to the USR. For example, during the fall 2019 fishery, we had multiple weeks in November with average catch rates around 10 hours per steelhead caught, which is comparable to the catch rates we often record in years with higher returns.  

One positive aspect of this year’s steelhead return is the size of the fish anglers can expect to encounter. Approximately 90% of this year’s return is made up of 2-ocean fish that average around 28 inches, with some fish likely exceeding 30 inches. These larger fish should provide more of a fight than what anglers typically see on the USR.

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. 

^{Feature photo via IDFG}