Salmon, Idaho Steelhead Fishing & Shuttle Information

Steelhead fishing  at Salmon will pick up soon.  The head of the ice jam is below North Fork.  Deadwater hasn’t broken out yet, but probably will pretty soon.  Idaho Fish and Game and Bureau of Land Management expect to push ice out of the launch ramps from Tower to North Fork in the next few days.  The Lemhi River is adding some mud, and the river is dirty below Salmon.  Above the Lemhi, the river has color, but today would have probably been fishable.  The river was 42 degrees in the afternoon.  There is still a lot of low snow in the valley.  Fields are still snow-covered, so warm days will mean run-off and dirty water.  The next few nights are predicted to be below freezing, so that will slow the melt, and the river may clear a little.  Anybody traveling to the Salmon area from out of town for steelhead fishing should make a last-minute check for current river conditions before leaving home.

Steelhead fishing at Salmon has been slow through the winter, with hard-core fishermen getting some fish. Many of these fishermen have been using spey rods, which have been becoming more popular in recent years. Warming river conditions will start the migration, There should soon be more fish in the area, with improving fishing success.

Access to the boat launch at the bridge in Salmon has been blocked due to concerns about the bridge to the island, but there is a temporary dirt ramp at the west end of the Main Street bridge–not great, but usable.  Parking is an issue, but there is an empty lot east of the river, next to the Bear.  Be considerate, and don’t leave a rig parked where it will interfere with using the ramp.  There are now several people offering shuttle service in the Salmon area now.  We recommend Todd Lansing, 208-258-9402.