Fishing Season: Various species and special restrictions. (See Regs)

Little Salmon River - ID

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

59

The Last Resort's Tip of the Week

Fishable daylight hours - 7:30AM-4:30PM MST Trout - medium rainbows are in the system, very deep. Watch out for Redd's. Please Do Not fish around or Tread on Redd's They are your only hope for the fish of tomorrow.

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Map of Little Salmon River

Water Flow Data

5-Day Outlook as of 12/13/24

Very skinny this time of year until the rains start. Once we get that in combo with steelhead in October, fish should move in from the Salmon River. Trout - finding deeper wholes as water gets into the colder part of their active range. Steelhead - stay tuned for October. Watch out for Redd's. Please Do Not fish around or Tread on Redd's They are your only hope for the fish of tomorrow.

Techniques & Tips as of 12/13/24

See F&G Rules and Regulations for updated seasons and restrictions. Steelhead (January 1st - May 15th; August 1-31st Catch & Release; September 1st - December 31st): Swinging egg sucking leeches and green butt skunks in tail outs and smaller runs is working well. Nymphing wolly buggers and eggs in slow deep pools and buckets under a indicator can be effective. Trout: We're going deep with purple, copper, and gold nymphs, and terrestrials like native hoppers are always pretty productive. Chinook Salmon - Egg patterns, as well as anything shrimp like. Work the eddy seams below ripples, get low in the fast water, and work down the eddy. Behind rock/gravel bars in the lower river is money.

Local Species Available Various species and special restrictions. (See Regs)

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    Steelhead

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    Chinook Salmon

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    rainbow

The Last Resort's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Meg A Egg Sucking Leech black 8
Chain-Reaction Leech purple 8
Steelhead Stone black 8
Meg A Egg pink 6
Green butt skunk black/grn 8
Tomczyk's Buttface skunk Black 8
Flashback Baetis Nymph olive 18
Bead Head Brassie™ black 20
Prom Dress purple
TLR's Bangers and Mash purple

Meg A Egg Sucking Leech

An effective imitation of a leech and egg, perfect for salmon and steelhead fly fishing.

2.99

Item #059T

Buy Now

The Last Resort's Recommended Gear

Description: About Little Salmon River

Unique watershed with the major fisheries from the waterfalls downstream to the confluence with the Main Salmon River. This shares a dual role as a anadromous as well as a residential fishery. Premier steelhead and Chinook Salmon cascading stream. Water quality also improves from waterfalls downstream to the confluence. Resident species are Bull Trout, Westslope Cutthroat, and Rainbows. Rapid River, a designated 'Scenic and Wild River' classification enters 3 miles above the mouth of the Little Salmon. There is a Chinook Salmon hatchery 2 miles above the mouth of Rapid River.

Nearest Airport:

Boise

Hatches:

Trout Midges BWO Steelhead eggs, rubber leggs, swung flies

Best Time to Fish:

Pre dawn, dusk

Best Stretch:

First few miles close to the confluence of the Salmon River

Best Access:

Good access throughout the stretch.