This article describes the basics of freshwater Steelhead and salmon fishing for the beginning angler. River drift fishing is probably the most common method used for steelhead and salmon. As and drift fishing salmon are very similar you can apply them when steelhead drifting and salmon drift fishing. It is intended only as a beginning, and is not meant to cover every aspect of salmon drift fishing, or steelhead drift fishing. After you get your feet wet, you can and should constantly search for additional information to improve your abilities and skills.

Freshwater salmon fishing and steelhead fishing can be done from the shore or a boat, and the drift fishing method described can be used either way. Boat fishing affords anglers some opportunities not available to the shore anglers.

Steelhead Drift Fishing And Salmon Drift Fishing:

These techniques will work well when either drift fishing for steelhead or drift fishing for salmon. Drift fishing is a common method used to catch both steelhead and salmon. The angler casts their line upstream, you then let the line drift down through the run or pool. Once your line reaches the end of the drift you then reel in the line to start the drifting process over again. Drift fishing is normally done from the shore or an anchored boat.

Generally, the idea is to have enough weight for your setup to bounce along the bottom, touching every foot or two. Ideally, it will drift at approximately the same speed the current is moving. More weight will slow down the speed at which your bait drifts downstream, and less weight will speed up the drift.

The best strategy is to work the entire run from close to the shore and working your way out with each following cast. Once you have covered all the water, you can reach from where you are standing move down a couple of steps and repeat the process. If you get a hit or catch a steelhead or salmon try to make a mental note of where you caste and where the fish hit. Steelhead and salmon use what are called runs so if you catch one it is likely that you will be able to catch more at the same location.

Figure 1. Diagram showing standard strategy for drift fishing a run or drift on a river.

When fishing in crowded conditions, you may simply have to work your way into a line of anglers and fish right where you are, without moving. Cast upstream at a 30-45 degree angle and let your bait bounce along until you reach a 45-30 degree angle downstream. Reel in and do it again. Your goal is to bounce your offering along the bottom until a fish picks it up with its mouth.

Beginning anglers often have trouble telling when a fish picks up the hook or when their gear has caught on a rock. Over time, you will develop a feel for the difference and learn when to set the hook and when to gently coax the gear off of the rocks. You should always remember that when in doubt, set the hook.

Typical drift fishing gear:

• For a good steelhead drift rod or salmon drift rod you will need a 8 ½ or 9 foot rod rated for 10-30 pound line.
• As for a drift fishing reel either a bait casting reel or a spinning reel will work I prefer a bait casting reel on large rivers and a spinning reel on smaller rivers and streams.
• For larger fish, like chinook salmon, use 20-25 pound line. Depending on where you are fishing you may need even heavier line.
• For steelhead drift fishing, you will be using 10-15 pound line most of the time.

You will find there is an endless variety of weights, lures, floats, and/or baits that anglers can use while drift fishing for salmon, and an even larger variety when drift fishing for steelhead.

A standard setup for drift fishing:

One example of a steelhead drift fishing rig using standard salmon drift fishing gear:

Before you head out drifting for steelhead please visit our shop at Steelhead Gear.Com where you will find all the steelhead gear and salmon gear you need. We have a number of way in which you can pay for your fishing tackle paypal, check or credit cards are accepted by most of our vendors with paypal being preferred by many.

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Chinook salmon fishing will remain open at least through the weekend on the South Fork Salmon River.

Idaho Fish and Game fish managers say there are enough of the state’s share of hatchery-origin Chinook salmon coming up the South Fork to keep the fishery open through Monday, July 14. They will reevaluate the run size and harvest numbers Monday morning and expect to manage the fishery on a day-to-day basis after that, with closure notice as short as 24 hours.

South Fork Salmon River is open from the bridge on Forest Service Road 48 - Lick Creek/East Fork South Fork Road - where it crosses the South Fork Salmon River mainstem, just upstream from the confluence with the East Fork South Fork Salmon River, upstream about 33 river miles to a posted boundary about 100 yards downstream from the Idaho Fish and Game South Fork Salmon River weir and trap, open until further notice.

Limits for adult Chinook salmon on the South Fork Salmon River are two per day and six in possession. The statewide salmon limit is 40 per season. Anglers may keep two jacks per day and have six in possession, but they are not required to record the jacks on a salmon permit.

When the adult limit is reached, the angler must stop fishing for salmon, including catch and-release.

Fishing hours are from one half hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, local time. Anglers may use only barbless hooks no larger than five-eighths inch from the point to the shank. A single hook may have up to three points.

Anglers must have a valid fishing license and salmon permit in possession to fish for salmon. Please consult the 2008-2009 Fishing Seasons and Rules brochure, the Fish and Game Website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish or a Fish and Game office for additional rules, license costs and other information.

Chinook salmon fishing also remains open on the Upper Salmon River from the Highway 75 Bridge over the mainstem of the Salmon River at milepost 213.5 (about nine miles west of Clayton) upstream to the posted boundary about 100 yards downstream of the weir at Sawtooth Hatchery south of Stanley, until further notice or August 2, whichever comes first.

Chinook limits and rules are the same as on the South Fork.

This information comes from Idaho Fish and Games web Site

Steelhead Gear.Com

I offer my apology to those of you who have been following my blog post.  Do to a recent illness I was not able to keep up with my postings and while salmon season is closed on most waters here in Idaho I hope I can keep you up to date on what is still opened and the fishing conditions on them; now that I am on the feet again.

 

*Salmon seasons open on the Fourth of July weekend

Though salmon fishing closes Tuesday on several river segments, two rivers will remain open over the Fourth of July weekend, providing a combined 63 miles of river open to salmon fishing.

Almost 30 miles of the Upper Salmon River is open for salmon fishing, a stretch that has not been open to recreational salmon fishing in 30 years.

This year 25 miles of the South Fork Salmon River that have not been open to recreational salmon fishing for 43 years are open for salmon fishing. In addition, the eight miles that have been open for recreational salmon fishing during open seasons since 1997 are again open this year.

Salmon fishing remains open over the Fourth of July weekend on the:

• Upper Salmon River from the Highway 75 Bridge over the Salmon River at milepost 213.5 (about nine miles west of Clayton) upstream to the posted boundary about 100 yards downstream of the weir at Sawtooth Hatchery south of Stanley, until further notice or August 2, whichever comes first.
• South Fork Salmon River from the bridge on Forest Service Road 48 - Lick Creek/East Fork South Fork Road/ - where it crosses the South Fork Salmon River, just upstream from the confluence with the East Fork South Fork Salmon River, upstream about 33 river miles to a posted boundary about 100 yards downstream from the Idaho Fish and Game South Fork Salmon River weir and trap, open until further notice.

Any waters not specifically open are closed to Chinook salmon fishing. Anglers may use only barbless hooks no larger than five-eighths inch from the point to the shank. A single hook may have up to three points.

Fishing hours are from one half hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, local time. Limits for adult Chinook salmon are two per day, six in possession and 40 for the season. Anglers may keep two jacks per day and have six in possession, but they do not count on the salmon limit.

South Fork Salmon River Daily Chinook Report For Last Five Days
Date	Adult Chinook Kept	Jack Chinook Kept	Total Kept	Angler Hours Fished	Hours Per Fish Kept	Unclipped Salmon Released	Comments
June 28	4	0	4	448	101	0
June 29	16	0	16	564	36	0
June 30	4	0	4	335	75	0
July 1	8	0	8	536	71	0
July 2	59	10	69	945	14	7
Season Total	94	10	104	3,703	36	7

 

Upper Salmon RiverDaily Chinook Report For Last Five Days
Date	Adult Chinook Kept	Jack Chinook Kept	Total Kept	Angler Hours Fished	Hours Per Fish Kept	Unclipped Salmon Released	Comments
June 28	0	0	0	124	–	0
June 29	0	0	0	339	–	0
June 30	0	0	0	37	–	0
July 1	0	1	1	45	45	0
July 2	1	0	1	90	90	0
Season Total	1	1	2	1,146	573	0

*( the above information was taken from the Idaho Fish and Game website at  http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/ )

 I would not recommend waiting to long before you get out and try your luck on these rivers as who knows when this magical quota number will be met and the Fish and Game will be forced to close down the salmon fishing on these rivers too.

RR Smith

Steelhead Gear.Com
http://www.steelhead-gear.com/