Early Steelhead Runs Improve, But Still May Be Only Mediocre

Idaho’s overall steelhead runs are expected to be mediocre this year, but the early returns of A-run fish from the Pacific Ocean are the best since 1985, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game reports.

Biologists predict a return of about 79,500 fish this year. That’s the same as last year - but much higher than the 47,300 that returned to Idaho waters in 1994-1995.

The difference this year is that fish are going home early. More than 12,800 already have passed Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River in Eastern Washington on their upstream migration. That’s the largest count this early in the season since almost 20,000 passed the dam in 1985.

Anglers on the Snake and Salmon rivers have been catching A-run fish consistently since the fall season opened Sept. 1.

A-run fish generally spend just one year at sea before returning to freshwater to spawn.

The larger B-run fish spend at least two years at sea and begin their fall migration later. However, biologists already have seen B-run fish starting their migration up the Columbia River this year.