Fly Fishing the Upper Salmon River Idaho

The Salmon River is known as the river of no return as it flows 425 miles through Idaho. The Upper Salmon River begins near Galena Summit in the Sawtooth Mountains and is a tributary of the Snake River. The Upper Salmon River flows generally north to Challis and the intersection of highway #93 and highway #75. From Challis, the Upper Salmon River swings north following Rt 93 all the way to the town of Salmon. The Upper Salmon river continues north for 45 more before joining the North Fork of the Salmon River.

The Salmon River is the longest free flowing contained within one state within the continental states and it flows through the second deepest gorge in the continental USA.

The entire Upper Salmon River contains wild rainbow, cutthroat trout as well as bull trout but the steelhead are a completely different creature. They come into the Lower Salmon in the fall depending on the water temperatures and water levels and they do not make it to the Upper Salmon every year. However, when the sea run salmon are running, they will run upstream until the ice prohibits their run. While this run is occurring, the steelhead fishing is fantastic with some steelheads taken that will be almost a yard in length and will weigh in at 14 pounds and more.

The time to fish for the steelhead is during the spring spawning run which begins when the ice starts to melt in late February and early March. As the water warms up, the run intensifies with the peak usually occurring in April and the season ends April 30. The steelhead fishing can be governed by the condition of the water, for the most part; the muddy water is not desirable. However when the water clears, you will see steelhead taken with hardware like bit spinners. That is the time to go to the flies for real fun.

It is interesting to note that the steelhead do not produce eggs, but are hatchery raised and released as smolts. These partially wild hatchery born steelhead will have their adipose fin clipped to distinguish them from the wild steelhead. A true wild steelhead will not have the adipose fin clipped and when you catch one of these steelheads, it should be released quickly. The adipose fin is the fin on the top back of the fish behind the dorsal fin about half way to the tail fin of the fish.

Fly Fishing Guide to the Upper Salmon River:

The A-run steelhead are most prevalent ones and they are the smaller steelheads averaging about 5 to 6 pounds. They have been at sea for only one year, but the larger and more seldom caught B-run steelhead have been at sea for two years and average 12 to 15 pounds.

For the steelhead use full sinking lines although sink tip lines work in some cases. Fish down and across ensuring that the fly gets to the bottom.

With the excellent steelhead fishing it is common to overlook the equally as good fishing for the blue-ribbon cutthroat and the rainbows, but do not make that mistake.

Fly Fishing the Upper Salmon River in the Spring:

Steelhead fishing can start as early as late February but is very dependent on the weather. For the most part, the spring is an excellent time to fly fish the Upper Salmon River.

Fly Fishing the Upper Salmon River in the Summer:

Summer will prove to be a great time for rainbow and cutthroat trout and an occasional bull trout.

Fly Fishing the Upper Salmon River in the Fall:

Fishing for trout in the fall is a rewarding experience on the Upper Salmon River, but the higher elevations will prove to be cold for the most part. However, the steelhead fishing can be spotty.

Fly Fishing the Upper Salmon River in the Winter:

Most of the Upper Salmon River will be covered with ice in the winter, but look for it to start to break up in late February and March.