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!