CLEARWATER & SNAKE RIVER FISHING REPORT
August 21st, 2026
Lewiston, ID
Fisheries This Week
Summer fishing continues to provide plenty of opportunities across the region, with trout fishing remaining strong, smallmouth bass providing exciting warmwater action, and steelhead numbers beginning to build throughout the Snake River system.
Today, 1,273 steelhead were counted over Bonneville Dam, bringing the year-to-date total to 43,849. Lower Granite counted 43 steelhead today, with 2,696 counted year to date. With fish continuing to move through the system, now is a great time to start getting your steelhead gear organized and knocking the rust off your Spey or single-hand casting.
For trout anglers, summer conditions are well established. Dry-dropper rigs continue to be one of the best ways to cover water, with Chubby Chernobyls, Yellow Sallies, caddis, and terrestrials all worth having in the box. Focus on pocket water, riffles, current seams, shaded banks, and other areas where trout can find cooler, oxygenated water.
Smallmouth bass are also providing excellent opportunities on the Snake and Grande Ronde. Early mornings and evenings are ideal for poppers and other surface patterns, while smaller streamers become increasingly effective once the sun gets higher.
Lochsa River
490 cfs at Lowell
The Lochsa has dropped into classic late-summer conditions, with trout concentrating in pocket water, riffles, and softer current seams.
A #10 or #12 Chubby Chernobyl paired with a small jig nymph remains an excellent prospecting setup. Yellow Sallies, caddis, and terrestrials are also worth having available. As surface activity increases in the morning and evening, don't hesitate to pull off the dropper and fish dries.
Selway River
676 cfs at Lowell
The Selway continues to drop into prime summer conditions. Fish are becoming easier to locate in classic holding water, particularly broken riffles, pocket water, and shaded structure.
A dry-dropper remains a great way to cover water. Yellow Sallies, caddis, and terrestrials are all worth having in the box, and on the right stretch of river you may find enough surface activity to make a dedicated dry-fly approach worthwhile.
North Fork Clearwater River
783 cfs at Canyon Ranger Station
The North Fork continues to offer dependable summer trout fishing as flows recede. Fish are concentrating around riffle transitions, current seams, pocket water, and shaded structure.
A #12 or #14 Chubby Chernobyl with a lightly weighted nymph underneath is a great all-around setup. Accurate casts, longer leaders, and a willingness to cover plenty of water will continue to pay off as fish become increasingly concentrated.
St. Joe River
390 cfs at St. Maries
The St. Joe remains a great option for summer dry-fly fishing. Falling water is concentrating trout into predictable feeding lanes and making it easier to identify productive water.
Yellow Sallies and caddis remain important, while terrestrial activity continues to build. Large Chubby Chernobyls with a dropper underneath are an excellent way to search for aggressive fish, especially around banks, structure, and broken water.
Clearwater River
12,100 cfs
The Clearwater is currently running around 12,100 cfs with water temperatures in the low 50s. With cooler water moving in, steelhead should continue to spread throughout the system.
Scandi and mid-belly setups are still good choices, while having an intermediate polyleader or light sink tip available will help you adjust as conditions change.
Trout can still be found in softer edges, seams, and slower water, making a dry-dropper a good option for anglers looking to target trout while covering water.
Snake River
16,400 cfs
The Snake is currently running around 16,400 cfs. Water temperatures are not currently available.
Steelhead anglers should be prepared to fish a variety of depths throughout the day. Scandi and mid-belly lines are still worth having ready, with Skagit and sink-tip setups becoming increasingly useful when you need to get down into deeper runs.
Smallmouth bass are also providing good opportunities. Look for fish around rocky banks, current seams, shallow structure, and deeper holding water. Poppers can produce exciting surface action early and late in the day, while smaller baitfish patterns on an intermediate line or light sink tip can be effective once the sun gets higher.
Grande Ronde River
449 cfs
The Grande Ronde is currently sitting around 449 cfs, with water temperatures not currently available.
Steelhead have not moved into the Grande Ronde in meaningful numbers yet, so for now the river is better targeted for summer smallmouth bass and trout. Smallmouth are holding around rocky structure, current breaks, deeper runs, and softer water.
Early mornings and evenings remain the best times for topwater action. Poppers and other surface patterns can produce explosive eats, while smaller streamers, craw patterns, and baitfish imitations become increasingly effective once the sun gets higher.
As we move farther into the season and water temperatures begin to cool, steelhead will become more of a focus on the Grande Ronde. For now, anglers should enjoy the summer bass fishing and keep the steelhead gear ready for when the fish begin to arrive.
Question of The Day
"What flies do carp eat?"
Carp feed on a variety of forage. So having everything from small craw patterns, clam patterns, nymphs, mulberry patters and even in some cases cottonwood seed flies. So, it’s essential to carry a wide variety of flies in your box. It all depends on your fishery and where the fish are when they are actively feeding. My preference is to fish for carp on flats.