Idaho Fishing Reports ยท Salmon Region
From the town of Salmon down to North Fork, the Salmon River is a big, easy-to-reach river with trout, whitefish and a fall and spring steelhead run.
Looking for the latest Salmon 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 Salmon River (Salmon to North Fork).
Current flows
Wind forecast
Salmon River fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Steelhead are moving into the upper river. Check that the steelhead season is open on this reach.
Swing flies through the runs or nymph with egg and stonefly patterns. Trout still take BWOs on cloudy days.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Salmon to North Fork, bring: Egg #8-12, Pat', s Rubber Legs #6-10, Woolly Bugger #4-6, Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-16, Parachute Adams #16-18, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Squirmy Wormie #12-14.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Salmon River details
| Access | US-93 follows the river from Salmon to North Fork, with many pullouts and boat ramps. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 3,900 ft |
| Nearest town | Salmon, Idaho |
| Best season | Year-round, steelhead fall and spring |
| Fish | Steelhead, westslope cutthroat, rainbow and bull trout, whitefish |
| Regulations | Steelhead and salmon seasons open and close by river reach, and a steelhead permit is required. 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 | Sink tips for steelhead, 9 ft leaders 4X for trout |
| Camping | BLM and Forest Service campgrounds along US-93 and the Salmon River Road |
| Kids | Partly. |
| Good to know | Shore ice and slick rocks in winter. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Steelhead on mild days.
Spring
Spring steelhead before runoff.
Summer
Trout on caddis and stoneflies.
Fall
Steelhead arrive and BWOs.
How to get there
From Idaho Falls, take State Highway 28 to Salmon, or from Missoula take US-93 south.