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