Anglers have much to celebrate as 2008 begins, not the least of which is the opening of the spring steelhead season, which opened Tuesday and will run through April 30 with three exceptions.
The exceptions are:
- The season runs through May 15 on the Little Salmon River.
- The season ends March 31 on the Salmon River from Lake Creek Bridge to Long Tom Creek, about a quarter mile upstream of the Middle Fork.
- The season ends May 31 on the Snake River from Hells Canyon Dam upstream to Oxbow Dam and the Boise River from its mouth upstream to Barber Dam.
Steelhead are in the Boise River and in the Snake River between Hells Canyon and Oxbow dams only when stocked by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
About 1,000 steelhead were stocked in the Boise River and in the Hells Canyon Reservoir in November, and some will still be around for the spring season, an F&G news release said.
Barbless hooks are not required on these waters, but anglers must have a steelhead permit to fish for and keep steelhead, which are rainbow trout longer than 20 inches with a clipped adipose fin.
The spring steelhead limit is three fish per day, nine in possession and 20 for the season. Once limits are reached, the angler must stop fishing, even catch and release.
Anglers must have a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit. Steelhead anglers may use only barbless hooks and may keep only hatchery steelhead marked with a clipped
adipose fin.
All other steelhead must be released unharmed immediately. Open waters for steelhead are:
- Salmon River from its mouth upstream to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream from the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery weir near Stanley.
- Little Salmon River from its mouth upstream to the U.S. 95 bridge near Smokey Boulder Road.
- Snake River from the Washington state line at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream to Oxbow Dam.
- Clearwater River main stem and Middle Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to Clear Creek.
- North Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to Dworshak Dam.
- South Fork Clearwater River from its mouth upstream to the confluence of American and Red rivers.
- Boise River from its mouth upstream to Barber Dam.
In the boundary waters on the Snake River between Idaho and Oregon or Washington, an angler with a valid 2008 Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit may fish where the river forms the boundary between Idaho and Oregon or Washington.
Anglers may not fish from the shoreline, including wading, and may not fish in sloughs or tributaries on the Oregon or Washington side.
An angler may have only the limit allowed by one license regardless of the number of licenses the angler holds.
For more information on steelhead fishing in Idaho, check F&G's Web site: fishandgame.idaho.gov
