It is for sure looking a little bit more positive. I believe they are 10 days later than last year or even a hair later than that.
We still haven’t seen the big numbers yet over LGD, but I imagine that should be coming here pretty quickly. I’m hoping these numbers stay up for a little bit now.
I have memorial week off. Will be fishing in orofino. Now if they will just not close the.season to quickly. Every year we go we sweat it out wondering if my area will still be open or not. So what do you guys find effective for bait?
I think you are going to be safe on that weekend. Flows are higher than average for this time of year and that should keep the fish from blowing up there too quick and get over harvested early. That is just my opinion.
As far as good bait/gear…it just depends on how you plan on fishing them. I think you’d be wise to have some good, fresh, cured roe with you if you are banking it from shore. I always have had success curing this year’s steelhead eggs with a pink pro-cure and bagging them in the netting so that you get a few more casts out of them. I like to couple that with some green, pink, or orange yarn if you want to add color, or if the water is a little chocolaty. I have seen tuna balls, shrimp, and all kinds of bait used for Salmon. Pulling plugs or flatfish from a boat with some good scent works well too. To each their own, but it helps if you are fishing when the fish are in the area!
On a side note, I made the mistake a few years ago of buying semi-decent hooks. I bent out a good amount on some of the fish in the hole I was hooking them in. I will never skimp on good hooks again. Gamakatsu 1/0 in red is a go to for me.
I’m sure there will be other opinions on the go-to gear, but that has worked for me.
Several days of 4000 at Bonneville after the two big 10K+ days, but the Lower granite numbers have been good a few days later, I guess that makes sense. are you feeling these numbers are going to be as good as you felt a few weeks ago?
The water came up quite a bit. I am still hoping to see a second little peak over Bonneville in the next few days. The numbers almost caught up to the 5 year average in that is not a bad thing. Still a far cry from last year, but that is to be expected. The next 2 weeks will say a lot I believe.
After reading Joe’s newsletter, we will have seasons, but they may be a little tougher. 4,000 for a harvest share on the Rapid River run is about 1/3 of last years run. 4000 in the Clearwater is about par for the course.
There will still be fish to be had, but we won’t see the red hot fishing from years past. There is still some time to have fish come over, so it could change anytime, but it is starting to come into focus a little bit. I still will be after it if I get a chance =)
Looking kinda rough at the moment. Joe emails yesterday with a quota half of what we are used to, and then follow it up with a dismal day at Bonneville yesterday. Looking at a 5-6 day fishery. Sure hope it lands on a weekend.
I think I might take the rest of the day off sick, and install a padlock on my deep freeze.
Flows below bonneville peaked again yesterday, do you think that has had an impact on the movement of fish again? That’s my hope at this point. Would like to see the flows drop and see 10000+ a day for a few days. Time will tell.
It took 350,000 cfs to slow passage at Bonneville back at the start of the run. Running around 300 now, so not really too major yet. Never been a 10,000+ count at Bonneville after May 9.
Oh I think it will last a couple weeks, because harvest will be lighter than years past. With water over 50,000 CFS on the main Salmon I don’t think there will be any really good fishing before June on the Salmon and LSR. The next few days will tell over each dam. If we could get a couple more good days over Bonneville and especially LGD we might have a chance of increased harvest share. Everything just feels later at the moment. 2 years ago the harvest share was around 6500 on the Rapid River run and the fishing didn’t really get good until June. I think we will get our chances, but we will have to work a little harder between fish.
It was right at/ just below 350,000 yesterday and the day before… (I’m being optimistic that something slowed them up) I guess We will have to wait and see.
I agree with you, and I think the catching won’t be great until June as well. Two years ago we were catching them in the little June 13. About a month to six weeks later than last years early run. I would expect that to be similar this year, and I’m going to be optimistic and say the harvest share will bump up a bit. Cross your fingers.
Maybe we crossed paths in 2014. I was there June 12-14 and it was a blast! I guess we can just stay optimistic. It never hurt anyone by being optimistic I guess. As long as we get a crack I’ll be happy.
It looks like you guys have it pegged pretty close. On a 60000 run in 2013 and timing of run similar to this year about 2000 fish over lower granite on my 5th the season closed on the main June 2nd. Right now it looks like this run likely has less fish than 2013 if the little higher water at Bonneville right now is not the cause of the dropoff we are in big trouble. Agree these fish which hit the magical 600+ over granite May 7th are going to be impeded on the current flows and the similar flows a week from now from the warm spell predicted for Friday and Sat. Pretty scary, might have to fish the Clearwater a couple more days this year Chad.
Yeah I might have to =) I honestly have never fished the Clearwater for salmon, or even steelhead for that matter. I would be going in pretty blind! All I know is I better find somewhere to fish. One can only tie enough gear…If I head back to Sportsman’s the wife may get after me a bit! Any word on the Upper Salmon fish? I imagine it is too early to tell, but the forcasted amount that were headed to the Sawtooth was very promising.
Any word on salmon around orofino? Thinking about taking the boat to Lewiston this weekend but would much rather be on the bank since I’ve never fished off a boat there.
I’m losing my optimism a little bit…
Yep, same here. Especially after the Clearwater region update… Only hope is that a few more fish destined for the upper salmon push through so that there might be a season. I guess that’s Mother Nature though, (and dams…) you never know how many are gonna make there way to the ocean and back.
Yeah, I’ll say. Between the dams, water conditions, seals and who knows whatever else, it becomes quite a gauntlet to run. I might still have to make a run, but it’s looking bleak.
Any word about fish being caught on the Salmon River yet? I’m thinking this rain is going to hold them back a bit. But who knows.