Salmon River snowpack today (December 31, 2015) is about 130% of average for this date. The fall was dry, but snowfall in the last half of December boosted the Salmon River snowpack to, at one point, 150% of average. Snowpack per cent will spike up during a stormy period, then commonly drop about a per […]
Winter has arrived according to the calendar, and we have winter steelhead fishing conditions in the Salmon area. There have been several periods of slush ice flowing, with intervals of clear water. The ice jam has backed up to between the Tower Creek and Red Bluff boat ramps, then cut back down a ways. There […]
Temperatures in the single digits have brought ice to the Salmon River in the Salmon area. Slush ice has been flowing for a couple of days, and steelhead fishing is suspended for the time being. With moderating temperatures the ice will ease off, and we will be able to put boats on and fish for […]
Steelhead fishing conditions in the Salmon area continue favorable, in spite of the the time of the year. It is common for slush ice to begin flowing in the Salmon area by mid-November, but this year the river is still getting into the low 40s. The river has come up a bit, to a strong […]
Steelhead fishing on the Salmon River near Salmon, Idaho, continues to have good river conditions, but mixed success. The river has been unseasonably warm all fall, up in the upper 40s and lower 50s until lately. Yesterday it was 44-45 degrees at the end of a cloudy day–a very good temperature for steelhead fishing, but […]
Steelhead fishing in the Salmon River near Salmon is improving, but is still erratic. There are good days, and some not so good. It seems as if there are groups of steelhead moving through the area, and if you are on the group, fishing is hot, but if you’re between, not so hot. Usually fishing […]
Steelhead are beginning to arrive in the Salmon area. Fishing success will pick up very quickly as more fish reach this section of river. River temperature has dropped to the low 50s. The river is fairly clear, and pretty low for this time of year. There has still not been a hard frost, but cottonwoods […]
Whitewater rafting trip dates for 2016 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon will change. The June dates of 2, 11, and 20 will remain the same, but trips in July will start on 2, 11, 20, and 29. In August, trips will start on 7 and 16. In September, dates will be 8 and […]
This week we finished a trip on the Lower Salmon River, a combination of whitewater rafting and smallmouth bass fishing. Bass fishing was good, with fish in the 16-17 inch range being caught. Size of bass on the Lower Salmon has increased in recent years. In the past, there was a 12-inch minimum to keep […]
The sky in Salmon River is gray with rain instead of smoke. The fire season is over. The peaks above Salmon are white with snow. The Salmon River has come up a bit with recent rains. Late August was a scramble of low, slow, water, smoke, worry about fire closures. We were lucky enough to […]
Salmon fishing season opens today in the Salmon Idaho area. The river is much lower that average for this time of year, but the Salmon River is carrying a fair amount of sediment, apparently from the East Fork of the Salmon. The number of salmon projected by the Fish and Game department is good, and […]
The Salmon River flow has apparently peaked for the season. The Middle Fork of the Salmon is running about 3.4 feet now, and has been dropping for several days. The Main Salmon at Corn Creek was at 4.1 a couple of days ago, but has been dropping. This is a little early for the Salmon […]
Stephanie and I spent last week rafting the Main Salmon River with a group of outfitters and personnel from the Forest Service and other agencies. The trip was an opportunity to discuss a number of management issues, including dealing with rafting trips during wildfire, and campsite reservations. A couple of Forest Service archaeologists provided cultural […]
Spring is early in the Salmon River country. Plant stages seem to be at least two weeks ahead of average. Our home elevation is 4500 feet. The red plums have just blossomed. Arrowleaf balsamroot is beginning to bloom, along with lupine, yellowbells, prickly pear, and many of the sagebrush flowers. Snowpack is about 70% of […]
Steelhead fishing in the Salmon area is winding down. I have put away my rods until fall. The river is off-color, several inches higher than average per date. Spring has come early this year. A clump of cottonwoods than I have watched for many years usually will show first leaves very close to the […]
Today was the first day of good steelhead fishing in the Salmon area in two or three weeks. This winter we had the best steelhead fishing that I am aware of, with such a mild winter, but we began to get dirty water early in March, and fishing fell apart. The river has been gradually […]
April has arrived in March in the Salmon area. Today the river was 46 degrees at mid-day, with about 8-10 inches of visibility, rising. Not good for steelhead fishing. We have had several mornings in the 40s recently. Grass is beginning to green. Buttercups are blooming. Usually we are in the beginning of our spring […]
Weather in the Salmon area has been unseasonably warm, and the Salmon River is warmer than most years on this date. The last few days the river has been about 40 degrees, or slightly warmer, at mid-day, then several degrees warmer by evening. The spring steelhead migration seems to have started earlier. Fish are traveling […]
The Salmon River near Salmon is clear, about 38 degrees at mid-day. The forecasted night temperature suggested that there might be ice flowing this morning, but there was none. I’m sure that issue is over now for the season. Steelhead fishermen are scattered along the river now, with catch rate pretty good. There is some […]
The spring steelhead fishing season in the Salmon area is off to an early start. This was a very unusual winter, with little ice in the river, and good steelhead fishing throughout the winter. In most years there is little fishing in the winter, and about this time, fishermen begin to get on the river […]
