Idaho Fishing Reports ยท Southwest Region
Below Cascade Dam, the North Fork Payette has rainbows and browns in a slow stretch before it drops into big whitewater toward Banks.
Looking for the latest North Fork Payette River report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the North Fork Payette River (below Cascade Dam).
Current flows
Wind forecast
North Fork Payette River fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Fall releases are low and clear.
Nymphs and streamers below the dam.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Below Cascade Dam, bring: Woolly Bugger #6-8, Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-18, Zebra Midge #18-22, Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
North Fork Payette River details
| Access | Access below Cascade Dam and along State Highway 55. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 4,800 ft below the dam |
| Nearest town | Cascade, Idaho |
| Best season | Year-round below the dam |
| Fish | Rainbow and brown trout, whitefish |
| Regulations | Check the Idaho Department of Fish and Game seasons and rules before you go. An Idaho fishing license is required for anglers 14 and older, plus a steelhead or salmon permit where those fish are targeted. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 4X to 5X |
| Camping | Lake Cascade State Park |
| Kids | Partly. |
| Good to know | Below Smiths Ferry the river is class V whitewater. Fish only the calm water. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Midges.
Spring
BWOs.
Summer
Caddis.
Fall
BWOs and browns.
How to get there
From Boise, take State Highway 55 north to Cascade.