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.