Report date: 12/11/12

Currently the Clearwater is fishing great. Last week we had a high water event that shut things down for a few days, but as of yesterday the river was back to fishing great! On Monday 12/10/12 Clearwater river company clients had a fantastic day with one boat going 6-6 and the other boat going 5-7. Fish were landed while back trolling plugs and side drifting bait. This is a fantastic time of year to be fishing Idaho's Clearwater River! For the rest of this week and into next week we expect fishing to remain good, and as long as we don't get any super cold temps fishing will stay good through the end of the month and into January!

Don't forget we are offering a holiday special!  Any one who takes a trip with us during December and January will recive a twenty five percent discout!!! For More information check out www.clearwaterrivercompany.com

 

Report date: 11/20/12
Fishing over the past week was overall slower than the few weeks previous. This last Saturday was the big opening of the annual Lewiston steelhead derby. Although a good time is had by many of the contestants it almost always has a negative impact on the fishing due to the major spike in fishing pressure in a short time frame. But, with that said, when our guides found fresh ...

fish they did very well. One of our boats went 7-12 on Sunday, and another of our guides landed two on the swing on Saturday. Most of our success came for from back trolling plugs and side drifting bait. The fly guys that did well were swinging leach type patterns and sink tips.
For this week expect fishing to pick up some as the fish get used to the current conditions. I'm fact this week has gotten off to a great start as one of our guides went 5-7 today. Look to find fish in the places that might not be getting fished as regularly.

 

One word of caution to anyone headed this direction over the next few day.  WATCH THE RIVER LEVELS.  Things may get a little interesting, but then again sometimes the predictions are wrong!

Report Date: 11/13/12

Steelhead fishing on the Clearwater remained very good over the past week.  The weather front that came in on Thursday not only did not put the fish off, but made fishing better.  As has been the case over the past few weeks back trolling plugs and side drifting bait have been our two most successful methods.  Even our fly clients had very good outings this last week with multiple fish landed on flies throughout the week.  It seems that lower returns over Lower Granite have not translated into slow fishing on the Clearwater. 

Look for fishing to remain very good over the next week and into the upcoming holiday week.  For gear anglers back trolling plugs and side drifting bait will remain the top techniques for hooking Big B-Run Steelhead.  For fly anglers expect the guys throwing light sink tips to start hooking a much higher percentage of fly caught fish.  Also winter type steelhead patterns will be more effective patterns compared to earlier this season.  Think black bunny leaches!

 

Report date: 11/6/12

Fishing over the past week some of the best we have seen all season.  After the high water we had early in the week the fish seemed to be very aggressive and willing to bite.  Things were a little busy on the lower river due to a fishing derby being held in Lewiston (this was not the big derby for the year but a smaller weekend derby), but even with the increase in pressure on the lower river our guides managed to do very well.  Another plus for drift boat anglers is that the upper river has been fishing well for the last few weeks, and will continue to be a good option for anglers willing to get away from the crowds.  Our gear guides were successful back trolling plugs and side drifting eggs.  This last week was also a great week for fly angers on the river.  We heard several reports of guys getting into multiple big fish swinging flies!  Both the sink tip crowd and the guys fishing dry lines seemed to be getting into fish.  The same flies that have been producing all season continued to get grabs.  With steelhead fly fishing its more about getting your fly in front of a willing fish than the particular fly used. 

For this week expect fishing to stay good.  We have a large cold front predicted to hit the Clearwater area on Thursday so we will just have to see how that affects fishing for the weekend but there will be fish available throughout the entire river.

Report date: 10/30/12

Fishing over the past week has remained decent with last Friday being one of the best days of catching that the river has experienced since the opening of the steelhead retention season. All of our guides had multiple fish in the box at the end of the day along with plenty stories about the ones that didn't make it to the net. Gear anglers had the most consistent success side drifting eggs and back trolling plugs. Fly anglers also saw some success with most fish coming to wet flies near the surface.

The big news for this week is that just as the fishing was getting good Mother Nature decided to throw us a curve ball. Due to a very wet few days the river has become unfishable for a few days. The good news is that as I write this report the tribs seem to have peaked and flows are receding. We feel the river will be fishing well by Friday as long as flows continue dropping.

Report Date: 10/16/12

Fishing over the past week continued to be decent with gear anglers back trolling plugs having the highest rate of success.  On the water success for fly anglers seems to be as diverse as the anglers themselves.  Some guys are struggling to hook fish while others are consistently hooking up daily.  The biggest key to consistent success with the fly seems to be finding fish that want to move to the fly.  The guys out there covering the most water and fishing hard are the ones finding success.  It also seems that people willing to fish with a light sink tip are out fishing the floating line guys by a large margin. 

As most people know yesterday was the opening day of Steelhead Harvest season on most of the Clearwater River.  Some of our guides did very well getting their clients into a bunch of big B-Run steelhead.  If you are looking at getting into a few fish to keep now is the time to hit the Clearwater.  Our boats caught fish back trolling plugs and side drifting eggs.  Both of these methods can be extremely effective this time of year, and it seems that a combination of the two methods used throughout the day seems to give guys the best chance at success. 

Report Date 10/9/12

Fishing continued to be decent over the past week but the prolonged dry spell that we are in has the Clearwater running very, very, low and clear.  This has made things a little bit more difficult than normal for this time of year.  Even with the slightly more difficult conditions fly anglers continued to have a decent opportunity at hooking a few fish.  Most success has come to anglers that know the river well and are fishing hard.  Steelhead fly fishing is not easy and guys fishing lots fishy water are getting hookups.  Most of the normal dry line stuff has been producing, but the most success seems to be coming from guys willing to throw tips and larger flies.  For some reason the larger presentation is getting fish to move a little better. 

Gear anglers continue to have good success pulling plugs through productive steelhead water.  The biggest issue for gear anglers is the large numbers of fall Chinook in the system.  If you are able to get your gear into fishy water without a big nook grabbing it then we seem to end up hooking a steelhead. 

I feel overall that fishing has been fairly decent and if we can get some good rain we will see some fantastic steelhead fishing.  Pray for rain and keep fishing hard and the fish will come!

Report Date:  10/1/12

Fishing continued to be decent over the past week and we have started to see some very large B Run Steelhead enter the system.  Fly anglers continued to have moderate success as the river was fairly busy during the latter part of the week and into the weekend.  Anglers that seemed to find some untouched water and fish seemed to have decent success.  Most of our fish were caught fishing small hair wing type patterns near the surface while the sun was off the water, and on small leach type stuff in black or purple on a light sink tip during the mid-day period.  Once again it seems that the anglers covering the most water tend to be the ones rewarded with a fish or two also don’t forget to switch thing up a little when there are lots of other guys stepping through runs.  The crowds should calm down a little over last week as Poppy, from The Red Shed in Peck, Idaho was having his yearly spey gathering on the Clearwater.  After the clave things seem to calm down quite a bit. 

Gear anglers continued to have good success back trolling metallic finished plugs.  Guys who fish gear this time of year often have really good success catching big B Run Steelhead.  Other methods that consistently produce fish this time of year are spoons and float and jig presentations. 

All anglers need to remember that above Memorial Bridge in Lewiston the Clearwater River is Catch and Release for all steelhead fishing, and these fish need to be treated with the upmost respect.

On another note guys need to realize that the water is very low at this point in time and if you are running a power boat you need to be especially careful!  One of our guides actually got a drift boat stuck the other day!  Just be cautious and watch out for each other and things will be groovy.

Report Date: 9/24/12

Over the past week our guides have continued to have decent success swinging flies on the Lower Clearwater.  The fishing has not been gangbuster but the fish are here and anglers willing to fish hard have been having decent success.  The biggest key to success has been covering lots of water.  Anglers who fish hard over good water are having success.  Other major keys to successful fishing have been fishing good water (not just water that is easy to fish), not being afraid to try new water, and switching to light sink tips during periods of high sun and heavy fishing pressure.   Sometimes all it takes to get a grab is to present your fly a little lower in the water column.  Small, buggy, spey type patters and small leach type stuff have been our go to offerings.

Gear anglers continue to have good success back trolling plugs.  Metallic finishes have been the best producers.  Wiggle Wart and Hot Shot type plugs have been consistent producers.  I can’t think of a more enjoyable time of year to be out on the Clearwater Fishing for B Run Steelhead, and speaking of B runs our guides have been into quite a few large fish over the last few days.  Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come!

Report Date: 9/19/12

Over the past week steelhead numbers at Lower Granite have continued to increase daily.  Good numbers of fish have been crossing the dam since the middle of last week.  Fishing has also continued to improve in the lower Clearwater.  Most successful anglers are targeting the river below Cherry Lane Bridge, but there should be some fish distributed all the way to Orofino.  Fly anglers this week continued to have some success swinging small wet flies such as Lady Caroline’s and Green Butt Skunks near the surface on floating lines during low light hours or when the sun is behind the fish in the later afternoon hours.  During the mid-day hours anglers that switched things up a bit and fished small leach type patterns on light sink tips also found some success.  The key to getting a fish on a swung fly is to fish hard and this principal has not changed since last week.  Anglers willing to put their time in and cover lots of water have been rewarded with feisty steelhead.

Gear anglers also continued to have decent success with most fish coming to a variety of back trolled plugs such as hot shots and wiggle warts.  During this time of year the metallic type finishes seem to be the best plug options. 

Flows at Dworshak Dam have now been reduced to our low fall flows and the river is currently in prime fall form.  These are the water conditions most people associate with fall steelhead fishing in Idaho, and I must admit that I get a little giddy seeing all of the wonderful steelhead water reappear after a spring and summer of high flows.  This is the time of year we have all waited for, and I am jacked!

Report Date: 9/10/12

An increase in steelhead counts at Lower Granite over the past few days combined with dropping flows have led to an increase in catch rates on the Lower Clearwater.   We have been having consistent success swinging small traditional hair wing type pattern near the surface during the low light hours as well as small dark leachy stuff on light sink tips when the sun is high.  Our key to success has been to cover lots of water and fish hard.  When the water is still high in late summer guys need to approach the Clearwater a little different than you would during early October.  During August and the first half of September we look for fish in areas that will have little to no water later in the year.  Fish the fishy water and don’t be afraid to fish runs with your back in the brush and you will find fish.  The river is very big this time of year so fish the water you can effectively and forget about the rest.  Overcasting is one of the biggest mistakes we see from many anglers on the Clearwater.  Look for fishing to continue to improve during the next few weeks.  Discharge from Dworshak Dam will continue to decrease as the flow augmentation period for the lower river draws to a close.  The river will be slowly stepped down over the next week and a half and by the end of September the Clearwater will be in her prime low fall flows.  The fall is a magical time in the Clearwater Valley and should be on everyone’s to fish list!

Report Date:  8/12/12

Steelhead season has begun!  Over the past few weeks some early “A run” Steelhead have been trickling into the lower Clearwater River.  Although the river is not loaded with fish yet these fish are very aggressive and will attack a well presented fly if you get it in their vicinity.  This is a great sign that our fall season is going to be a good one.   During this time of year fly anglers that are not intimidated by the higher water, and are willing to fish with their backs against the brush often times find great success on early Clearwater Steelhead.   These are the same fish that guys will be catching on the Snake, Ronde, and Salmon Rivers later in the fall.  These early fish pull into the lower Clearwater to escape the warm temperatures in the main stem Snake, and hang out until they decide to head up river.  I can’t think of a better time of year to be out on the water.  The early portion of the run is a great time to hone up your casting skills and get everything in grove for later in the fall.  If you are interested in one of our early steelhead trips get in touch with us!  This is a great time to be on the water and anglers that are fishing now will not only be better caster, but better fisherman come prime time later in the fall. 

Thank you so much to all the great people who stopped by my booth at the FFF show in Spokane, Washington over the last few days.  Your buisness and support is much appreciated!

Thank you!!!

I just wanted to give a big thank you to all of my clients that fished with me this past steelhead season.  You are the reason I am able to continue to pursue this dream of mine and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your buisness, and I look forward to our continued relatonship long into the future. 

Kyle

Clearwater River Steelhead Report

Report Date 2.13.12

Fishing on the Clearwater remained very good over the past week.  A few really warm days combined with some clouds and a small amount of rain elevated temperatures in the lower river to almost 42 degrees F over the weekend.  These kinds of water temperatures really wake the fish up and get them moving again toward their spawning grounds.  Fresh moving fish were caught throughout the system last week.   As has been the case for the past month side drifting eggs and back trolling diver and shrimp were the two most productive methods for gear anglers over the week. 

For this week, look for fishing conditions to stay good.  Water temps in the upper 30s to low 40’s are great for February fishing!  Fish will be moving and more aggressive to gear and flies.  Look for both the lower and upper river to fish well.  The warmer water temps mean that drift boat anglers should have decent success on the upper river this week.  For gear anglers drifting bait or back trolling bait are the two most effective methods for producing steelhead this time of year.  For fly anglers nymphing techniques using egg patters drifted naturally in the current are by far the most productive for catching numbers of Clearwater B Runs, but with water temps the way they are guys who want to swing should expect to get a few grabs if they are fishing near the bottom and put some substantial time into their fishing.  As we have been saying all winter, the guys who continue to swing flies during the spring will not only have a great appreciation for every fish brought to hand, but will be much better swing fishers come next fall.

If anyone is interested in booking a trip with us this spring keep in mind that we only fish until March 15^th.  With that said we have some great dates still available so don’t hesitate to book your spring steelhead adventure. 

Clearwater River Steelhead Report

Report Date 2.6.12

Fishing on the Clearwater last week remained very good, but was a tad slower than the week before.   What I mean by a tad slower is that instead of landing 10 or 11 like the week prior we were into 6-7 per day last week.   The weather in the Clearwater area was absolutely beautiful last week with clear, warm, sunny days that made us feel like we were fishing in March.  The only downside to the clear sunny days was it meant cold clear nights that have steadily dropped water levels and temperatures.  Our best fishing for last week occurred during the afternoons.  Many days the afternoon bite was absolutely phenomenal!  We caught fish with a variety of methods last week but the two most consistent methods were diver and shrimp or side drifting eggs.   Like most always anglers that pick the method that they have the most confidence in seem to have the most success.  Most of our attention last week was on the lower river which has been producing very consistently for the past two months.   Fish seem to be spread out throughout the lower river so just pick a section you know and fish it well.  We also heard some great reports from the upper river.  The Kooskia/ Kamiah area fished very well mid week, but by the weekend cold night time temps had the river flowing some slush during the first few hours in the morning. 

For next week look for river and weather conditions to stay about the same.  Cold nights followed by clear warm days will mean that the afternoons are going to fish much better that the early mornings, so don’t worry about being on the water a first light.  The lower river should stay fairly consistent and should be the main focus area for the next week.  There are tons of fish in the upper river, but fishing conditions can be difficult with low clear flows.  Anglers that want to fish the upper river should sleep in and get a good breakfast before hitting the river.  Over the weekend the Ice has quit flowing by about 10 am, and good fishing started about 1pm. 

This has already been a really great spring season and we still have some great dates available.  If you are interested in a guided trip from us now is the time to book.  We fish until the middle of March, so book now to fish the best days.

Clearwater River Steelhead Report

Report Date 1.30.11

Last week the Clearwater continued to fish very well.  During the week we had some rain and warmer overall day and night time temperatures.  The combination of these two factors has led to some pretty darn good fishing in the lower river.  Friday was the best overall day of the week with one of our boats going 11-17 with some really nice fish.   Just as we reported last week side drifting eggs was the best overall producer for the week.  Our strategy has been to cover lots of water looking for big pods of active fish, and side drifting is by far the most productive method for this type of fishing. 

As far as the upper river is concerned:  Currently it is ice free and should start to fish well any day.  Water temps have been in the lower 30’s, but seem to be climbing daily.  Because of the colder water we have been focusing most of our fishing on the lower river below Orofino, but that will change as soon as the upper river starts to fish well.

For next week look for fishing to stay good.  We are predicted to get some rain for the next few days then clearing toward the weekend.   Rain should give the river a boost in flows and the warmer daytime temps should get river temps near the 40 degree mark.  I think we are currently seeing some of the best fishing for the year.  

Fly anglers should take note of increasing water temps, as the river nears the 40 degree mark more fish will be willing to move to a swung fly.  Fishing on the swing is never easy this time of year, but it is possible and we have caught some fish in the last few weeks to prove it.  This time of year is a great opportunity for you to become a better spey caster, and the more work you put in now the better angler you will be next fall.  For fly guys that are into nymphing for steelhead this is our most productive time of year.  The Month of February can often times put out some big number days for anglers fishing with indicators and egg flies.  If you are interested in one of our spring fly fishing trips get in touch with us!  We have the guides and gear to make your day on the water as special as possible.

Clearwater River Steelhead Report

Report Date 1.23.12

Last week a major winter storm finally made its way into the Clearwater region.  We received very heavy snow fall in some areas and the aftermath is still on the hillsides, but as the roads cleared and we got back to the river plenty of big steelhead were waiting.  Because of the storm river levels bumped up to more normal levels and we got a little bit of color to the water.  Fishing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was great.  Sunday was our best day of the week as one of our guides managed to bring 10 big Clearwater b runs to the boat.

Fishing over the next few weeks should be very good as continued precipitation in the region should keep river levels up and steelhead on the move.  Currently most of our attention has been on the lower river, but the upper river flows finally came up and it won’t be long until warmer water temps make fishing the upper river our number one game plan.  Now is the time to make your plans to fish the Clearwater!

Our most productive fishing method for gear anglers over the past week was side drifting eggs.  This is our preferred way to fish when we get some color to the water and the fish are moving.  Backtrollers will also continue to do very well, and like most always we suggest that anglers pick their favorite way of fishing and fish hard. 

For fly angers, if you are not scared of colder weather and water temps then there are still fish to be caught swinging flies.  Most success will come to anglers that know the river well and fish sink tips and winter steelhead type patters, but success can be had.  To prove this point one of our guides was fishing on a day off and went 1-2 swinging flies one afternoon.  Also for guys that like to nymph the spring is the best time of year for this tactic and we often have big number days nymphing egg flies from the drift boat.

We often have some of our best fishing of the year during the last two weeks of January into the first two weeks of February, so if you are interested in a trip we suggest you book asap as our best dates are going quickly!

Can't Get em if you dont try

Water temp 37 degrees

Snow on the ground

1-2 swinging steelhead in January!

Clearwater River Steelhead Report

Report Date 1.17.2012

Last week on the Clearwater was a case of the low water blues.  The river fished well all week up until Saturday morning when the combination of a winter storm system and a ton of boat traffic on the lower river combined to make fishing very tough over the weekend.  We still managed to get a few fish over the weekend but we found ourselves really working hard for bites.   As has been the case over the past few weeks back trolling diver and shrimp and side drifting eggs have been the most productive methods for hooking into Clearwater steelhead.  During periods of low clear water it is important for anglers to realize that fish will not move far to take even the most well presented baits, because of this we fish runs very slow and cover the most likely holding water multiple times with the thought that maybe the fish need to see a bait a few times before they will move to take it. 

For the remainder of this week and next week we are going to see a major change in fishing conditions on the Clearwater.  Heavy snowfall is predicted throughout the region through Wednesday, but after mid week the forecast is calling for rain for the foreseeable future.  This hopefully will mean great things for fishing on the Clearwater.  Hopefully the rain/ snow will bring river levels up causing our steelhead to start their spring migration.  If the river comes up, but does not blow out expect really good fishing, throughout the entire river.   If the river does “blow out” it usually is very short lived and the fishing once levels start to drop, can be fantastic.  We seem to get this water flush every year about the middle of January and it often leads to some of our best fishing of the year.  If you are looking to get into some big Clearwater steelhead your best opportunity for the spring season may be during the next few weeks!

If you would like to book a guided fishing trip please take a look at our website http://www.clearwaterrivercompany.com/ or give me a call at 208-861-0654

Report Date 1/6/12

The Clearwater fished decent over the past week.   The Clearwater region received a large amount of moisture around Christmas which caused the river to rise very rapidly and blow out, but by the first of the year the river was on the drop and fishing well.   Sunday through Tuesday produced the best results and fishing started to taper off toward the later part of the week.   Due to good fishing during the early part of the week the lower Clearwater was a busy place by Friday.  The increase in fishing pressure combined with rapidly dropping water conditions have combined to make fishing spotty.   It seems that the low flows we were dealing with in December have returned.  With the increased in fishing pressure one of the keys to success will be finding fish that have not had any boats blasting over the top of them. 

The two techniques that produced the best last week were side drifting and back trolling plugs/diver and bait combinations.   Normally with the lower water we a looking at for the foreseeable future back trolling would be the go to method for catching steelhead, but at this time the river still has a slight amount of color to it which will allow angers to continue to have success side drifting.  During conditions like these we suggest that anglers pick which ever method they have the most confidence in and fish it hard.   In the world of steelhead fishing we like to say that, “time is not spent its invested,” so put your time in and good things will happen.