Idaho's Clearwater River Summer Steelhead?

We have a couple Ifish guys from Idaho and guys from Ore./Wash. that fish the Clearwater River below Orfino, Idaho. I heard a few reports early in the season on here and on Bob's BB about mediocre fishing. Didn't hear any since. The region wide and Columbia summer steelhead numbers were pretty good and I would like to hear how the fall season on the Clearwater group B Dworshak fish was? I do figure the water was relatively low and clear, but that is a big river. Would appreciate any feedback. I almost put together a trip over there with friends in October but the reports at the time were slow. I have driven past that river so many times going over Lolo Pass to Missoula, Montana and love the beauty of that whole area, right on up into the Bitteroots. - Thanks. - RT

[onstep]

RT,

Fishing has untill this last week been above average. Good sized fish. I've had a few incredible reports. My understanding is that the level of the river was raised 4ft. Which as you know means one of two things. They squirt up or hold down. Hopefully, pull more fish out of the snake. Water was very cold 2 weeks ago. Dispite that fact fish were biting. Backbouncing eggs and pulling plugs produced some very impressive results. It's tough to get reports out of that fishery they like they're privacy.

[local_hooker]

I moved here from Orofino 2 1/2 yr. ago. Still own a house there thanks to the 20% unemployment rate. I was told yesterday, by a friend in Clarkston, that fishing had been up and down depending on water levels. Most of the action was within a few miles of the hatchery, pole yard, mcgill, pink house, etc... I guess they had a great chinook run last spring. The fish are much larger there, I was ridiculed for keeping my first steelie because it was only 10lb. They also consider 1 fish every 8-10 hrs "red hot fishing". My old buddies don't believe me when I tell them of boating five fish before noon. The Clearwater Tribune has a sportmans report online, but it's pretty weak. It is written by the owner of the only sporting goods shop in the area, and according to him they are always biting. There is also a outfit called "the guide shop" in Orofino, they have an online report. I'll post the link if I can find it.

[nwjetboat]

Fishing was excellent until the first of December, river got cold and things slowed down. Had 4 friends go up second week in Jan. These guys fish good and everyone got skunked for 4 days. I just heard today, (fishng guide buddy), that with the releases from Dworshak again, (helping Calif. out of the dark)the fish are on the bite in the pole yard, pink house and mcgill. Overall this year the river level has been very low, very cold, and slow fishing. Waiting for spring thaw now. Springer fishing was good, fish to 20lbs. Looking to a better one this year.

Hey nwjb, if you thought last spring's Snake run was good, this year's ought to be great. With 364,000 coming up the Columbia there should be plenty to make it up the Clearwater, Salmon, and S.F. Salmon near Riggins. What's the Idaho % of natives to hatchery springers? I would assume the regs are to keep only finclipped hatchery fish up there? Thanks. - RT

[eatmebaitco]

nwjetboat,
Sooo, when are you going?
Heard anything about Riggins?

[HOGTIDE]

Are the Clearwater fish still in good shape, colorwise, fightwise, meatwise that far from the sea? I'm not be condiscending or presumptive (hard to tell in type). I am curious if that genetic strain enables the fish to retain their salt qualities further upstream.

Hog', I have seen springers in the hatchery holding ponds off the upper Salmon River; just above Stanley, with the Sawtooth Mts. in the background. This destination was over 900 river miles and several dams from the ocean. The springers are grey belly with decent meat as they ascend this long gauntlet, but they quickly get darker and and likely pale meated in the upper watershed and holding ponds; being so far inland. ... It's a similar situation with the Clearwater River summer/fall steelhead. They get greyish on their long journey to the Orfino area, and turn pretty dark as they hold below there for periods of time. After they do I would think the meat is not of good quality. I could be wrong, especially about the earliest caught fish soon after they arrive. ... It's just a special feeling to see these fish make it up there so far from the ocean! I would love to see some nates spawn in the Lochsa and Selway rivers, as they used to for thousands of years. - RT

[nwjetboat]

Yes the fish are in great shape. Many are surprisingly bright. Of couse not as bright as those with sea lice on them, but its amazing how silver they are. Steelhead are the same, with the "fresh" fish bright as can be. RT, yes our regs allow us to keep the fin-clipped fish and release the natives. I don'tknow the % of hatchery to natives. Rumour is that IDF&G is going to open the Main Salmon this year in addition to the Clearwater and the Little Salmon. The Little Salmon is a bank only fishery, along side of a hiway, a zoo at best.
The ice came off Salmon at Riggins this week, fishing is slow.

[Dances]

hey I was just woundering if any of you guys could mention some good spots on the clearwater and how to get to them and if you dont want to post it on the board then feel free to E-mail me at
Leigon31@aol.com
Thanks

[nwjetboat]

RT just got off the phone with the local salmon guru. Idaho is expecting 100K fish, 30% are natives. The proposal is for the Snake river to be open from the mouth of the Imnaha to Hells Canyon dam, the Salmon from Whitebird to Shorts Bar, and Clearwater from mouth to Locsha. Low snowpack over here should give us good fishing water. I'll post an invite if its good. Hopefully all you I-fish posters won't intercept them all.

Hey thanks. If I'm able I'd love to do that! You may have a bigger quota than us if the Col. Tribal Comm./NMFS gets their way and knocks us off the Columbia. We'll know pretty soon. - RT

[duke2]

nwjet, 100K is indeed a great run coming up but Im just curious if your guru friend sure about the 30% native fish? That number sounds pretty high considering that I thought the vast majority of the good returns were due to increased hatchery production a few years back. Also the total run numbers back then were pretty dismal. 1997 was the only year when over 40,000 total (wild + hatchery fish)fish made it back with '98 at 16K and '96 at 8-9K. Just for a low perspective, in 1995 we had a total of 2,864 chinook over Lower Granite dam. So things are definately looking much better for us over here.
Also, just a quick note fo Hogtide as far as the condition of our fish. What I have seen is that the fish normally stay in pretty good condition until we start getting into January but you are correct in that they do begin to deteriorate with the coming of spring and spawning. In Feb. you may find some fish that still have chrome on the outside but I have taken a few of these fish home to find a pale soft meat inside and they head directly into the smoker. I normally don't keep any fish from this side after December or mid January.

cheers,

duke