FISHING – The fall steelhead harvest season opens in the Clearwater River drainage on Monday (Oct 15) with a few twists in the fishing rules from previous seasons.

The seasons opens on the main stem of the Clearwater River above the Memorial Bridge, the South Fork Clearwater River, the North Fork Clearwater River below Dworshak Dam and the Middle Fork Clearwater River below Clear Creek.

The steelhead harvest season on lower Clearwater and Snake rivers already is open.

The limits on the Clearwater are two a day and six in possession while the limits on the Snake and Salmon rivers are three a day and nine in possession.

Only steelhead with a hatchery-clipped adipose fin may be kept.

New rules that took effect last year allow anglers to transport anadromous salmon and steelhead without the head and tail attached. However:

• The fish must be recorded on the angler’s salmon or steelhead permit.
• The processed fish must have the skin attached, including the portion with a healed, clipped adipose fin scar.
• Fish must be packaged in a way that the number of harvested fish can be determined.
• The fish must be processed ashore when the angler is done fishing for the day.
• No processed salmon or steelhead may be transported by boat.
• No jack salmon may be processed in the field.
• Processed salmon or steelhead count toward an angler’s possession limit while in the field or in transit.

See Idaho Fish and Game’s “How to fish for steelhead” videos.