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Steelhead Fishing on Idaho's Clearwater River

By Scott Richmond

Home of some of the largest steehead in the lower 48, the Clearwater hits its prime in September and October. Includes access, best times to go, and fly fishing tips.

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o one was so glad to see the Clearwater River as the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition. In the fall of 1805, their venture was on the verge of disaster. They were desparate for food, and winter was nipping at their heels when they stumbled out of the mountains to the banks of this river. Here, their company quickly built canoes and skeedaddled downriver to the Snake and thence to the Columbia and the Oregon coast--where they spent a wet and miserable winter.

Today, you can see the place where Lewis and Clark built those canoes. It's a well-marked roadside stop along Highway 12, just west of Orofino. Modern visitors to the Clearwater prefer McKenzie-style driftboats and high-powered jetboats instead of canoes. Unlike Lewis and Clark, they linger longer because they are here for pleasure: the Clearwater is a steelhead mecca with some of the biggest steelhead in the US. Every fall, fish over 20 pounds are taken, and the average is around 12 pounds. Fishing can start in August and run until January, but prime time is September through mid-November.

Species

The Clearwater has two strains of steelhead. The A-run consists of 6-12 pound fish, most of which are of hatchery origin. They enter from the Snake River as early as August. Many of these are actually bound for the Salmon River and are taking a rest stop in the Clearwater. By Labor Day, they can be as far up river as Lenore.

A-run steelhead can hang around the lower part of the river for weeks. Typically, they enter the Clearwater when the water temperature there is lower than in the Snake. They'll drop back into the Snake if the Clearwater warms up again. Later, most of the remaining A-run fish return to the Snake, then continue to the Salmon River, their ultimate destination.

The Clearwater's real claim to fame is its B-run fish. These are big steelhead that can go 12-20 pounds. Historically, the run originated in the North Fork of the Clearwater. Dworshak Dam pretty much ended that wild run, and many of today's fish grew up the concrete tanks of a hatchery; still, there is a significant population that spawns in the mainstem of the Clearwater. The B-run fish generally spend an extra year in the ocean, which is why they grow so large.

B-run steelhead ener the Clearwater in mid-October and head up the mainstem, then up the South Fork Clearwater and the Lochsa (via the short Middle Fork). It's worth fishing them all the way to Kooskia (pronounced "KOOS-kie" by locals).

By February, both strains are on their spawning beds and should be left alone--although many thoughtless anglers continue to harass them.

Access

Highway 12 heads east out of Lewiston and follows the Clearwater all the way to the confluence of the South and Middle forks at Kooskia. The North Fork flows into Dworshak Reservoir, which empties into the mainstem at Orofino.

Much of the riverbank has public access, and anglers will find frequent turnouts along Highway 12. There are a few roads on the opposite side, too. Boat ramps are frequent; consult a map, such as the DeLorme's Idaho Atlas, for their locations.

Resources

Lewistown, Idaho, and neighboring Clarkston, Washington, are at the Clearwater's confluence with the Snake River. Both towns have ample resources for visiting anglers. Orofino, a smaller town upriver from Lewistion, has several hotels and restaurants.

You'd think there would be a specialty fly shop in Lewiston. Alas, there used to be a full-service shop but it closed down. However, some adventurous soul might open one some day or have a fly department as part of a larger sporting goods store.

But all is not lost on the fly front. The Red Shed (http://redshedflyshop.com/), which is--surprise!--a red shed, is the home of all things spey on the Clearwater. The shop is just off Highway 12 on Big Canyon Road, on the way to Peck. It sees a steady stream of fly anglers from September through mid-November. The Red Shed's reigning graybeard is Mike Cummins, known to all as "Poppy." He runs a well-equipped shop and loves to talk to anglers about what's going on. Poppy specializes in spey casting and keeps a stack of demo rods for you to try out. Sooner or later, all Clearwater anglers end up at the Red Shed.

For more details about resources and services, see Resources for Anglers Visiting Idaho's Clearwater.

For an interesting side trip, see Being Educated by Wolves.

Fishing Tips

1. Prime time is September through mid-November.
2. The catch-and-release season is July 1 through October 14. During this time there are fewer bait anglers and powerboat traffic is less.
3. Barbless hooks only September 1 through April 30.
4. No powerboats above the bridge at Orofino.
5. For the current regulations, see the Idaho Fish and Game website, http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/rules/
6. All but the lower eight miles of the Clearwater flow through the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. You can use a state license to fish this section, or buy a Nez Perce permit which is good only in this part of the Clearwater.
7. Good fly-fishing runs are not difficult to spot if you're an experienced steelheader. However, learning where the most productive spots are in different flows/conditions takes time. You can short-circuit the process by hiring a guide.
8. As the weather cools, fish will head for deeper, slower runs.
9. It's a moody river, as moody as any I've been to. It can be hot one week, and stone cold the next.
10. The Clearwater is broad in many places, and steelhead can be scattered across the width of the river. Hence a long cast is felt by many to be a key to success here. For this reason, the Clearwater is a favorite with spey casters. This is the river that the best of the two-handed crowd comes to so they can zing out a 120-130 foot casts and feel like they're actually accomplishing something.
11. Not withstanding the above, I talked to one guide who said he actually catches more fish when he limits his casts to 85 feet or so. See Are You Casting Too Far?.
12. Water temperature is key. As mentioned above, A-run fish don't enter the river--or stay in it--until the Clearwater is cooler than the Snake. Above Orofino, the Clearwater can be in the mid-80s in summer. It takes awhile for the temperature to drop in the fall.
13. Some guides advocate a "two-and-two" tactic for prime runs: take two casts, then take two steps downstream and repeat. This is because Clearwater steelhead are active fish that will chase a fly. Often they follow a fly on its first pass, but won't take it. You probably won't notice this. But if you stand your ground and present the fly to that fish again, it is more likely to grab it. Because they will move for the fly, you can get away with stepping farther downriver before your next cast.
14. Rocks can be pretty slippery; bring a wading staff.
15. Most local fly anglers stick with a floating line until almost Thanksgiving, and many of them continue to use a waking fly in conjunction with a traditional wet fly that whole time. The water temperature might go down to 45 degrees, but they'll still be out there with a floating line. After Thanksgiving, they finally put on a weighted fly. If the water temperature dips below 45 degrees, locals will switch to a sink-tip line.
16. There's a strong local prejudice against fluorocarbon leaders. "Won't hold up. Those big fish nick it with their teeth and it'll snap off on you. Use Maxima." Of course, anglers on other rivers will insist on fluorocarbon because it's more resistant to abrasion, etc. Go figure.
17. Some guides prefer 8-10 pound Maxima Cameleon or Ultra Green for B-run fish, and 6-8 pound Maxima earlier in the season when it's just A-run steelhead.
18. By and large, this is not a difficult river to float. Much of it is suitable for jetboats, which is good if you own one and not good if you don't.
19. Powerboaters will pound the bejabbers out of a good run, making a drift through it or backtrolling, then motoring back up to do it again. If you're bank-bound or in a driftboat you're going to encounter this, so you'd better make up your mind to be philosophical and deal with it.

Scott Richmond is Westfly's creator and Executive Director. He is the author of eight books on Oregon fly fishing, including Fishing Oregon's Deschutes River (second edition).

Uploaded 08/28/2006.

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The Clearwater is a broad, shallow, and--guess what!--clear tributary of the Snake River

On the Clearwater, this 12-pound hatchery hen counts as a "small" steelhead.

The river is at its prime in September and October

The river's wide runs beg for a two-handed spey rod

Mike "Poppy" Cummins is the head of the Red Shed, a center for fly anglers visiting the Clearwater.

The Clearwater is moody, and not even an expert fishing guide cannot make a reluctant steelhead take a fly if it doesn't want to