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Salmon and Steelhead by Alan Liere Spokesman Review, January 19, 2007

Surveys showed fantastic fishing this week on the Clearwater River from the mouth upstream to the Orofino Bridge, with anglers averaging five hours a fish. And the fishing on the North Fork Clearwater was also good, with anglers averaging 12 hours per fish.

The Idaho spring steelhead season runs through April 30, with some exceptions. On the Little Salmon River the season runs through May 15. On the Salmon River, from Lake Creek Bridge to Long Tom Creek, about a quarter mile upstream from the Middle Fork Salmon River, the season runs through March 31. On the Snake River, from Hells Canyon Dam upstream to Oxbow Dam, on the Payette River from its mouth upstream to Black Canyon Dam, and on the Boise River from its mouth upstream to Barber Dam, the season runs through May 31.

Steelheaders are doing fairly well long-lining off the lower sidewalk at Little Goose Dam, said Verna Foley at Darver Tackle in Starbuck. The Tucannon isn't seeing many anglers, but those who try are catching a few. The Touchet River has some ice, but there is still open water. The Grande Ronde River is frozen. Steelhead anglers may have a long wait before it is fishable.

Braggin' rights

Last week, I mentioned a guide boat that had a fish on every time it drifted by the hole I was fishing on the Clearwater. I got an e-mail from one of the anglers on that boat, John Petrofski of Spokane, who was fishing with Reeltime Fishing out of Clarkston with friends Mike Wiegel, Neil Jacot and Mark King. Petrofski said that even though they lost nine fish, the four of them brought 24 steelhead to the boat, including 12 wild ones - a fisherman's dream day.