Steelhead fishing tips for the Clearwater River and Snake River. Find information on fishing baits and tackle cleaning and maintenance. These are tips and tricks used by professional guides that can help the average angler improve their overall fishing experience.
- FRESH BAIT
When fishing for steelhead fresh bait is essential.
Most bait shrimp is frozen and should be kept that way until it is used.
Always keep your thawed shrimp on ice as these items spoil rapidly and
at the end of the day you should discard any leftover bait rather than refreeze.
Poor quality or spoiling bait shrimp can greatly reduce your fishing success.
When purchasing bait shrimp look for freezer burn or frost in the container this may indicate the bait quality is old or poor.
- WASH YOUR TACKLE REGULARLY.
Rods and Reels can become dirty with shrimp juices or roe proteins. This transfer can and often spoils rapidly. In the process of handling your equipment then baiting your hook you can contaminate the hook, line and new bait with bacteria and the spoilage from the rod and reel.
To prevent contamination you should wash your tackle regularly with soap and water. Scrub rod handles with a soft brush, using an unscented dishwashing detergent or Lemon Joy. Rinse well and dry before storage.
If using bait or oil with plugs or divers wash after each outing.
Clearwater and Snake River | Steelhead fishing tips
- HAND WASHING
Fish do not like human taste/smell as well as some of the other chemicals we get on our hands. Shaving cream, lotions, food oils, tobacco and most everything else those hands come in contact are foreign to fish and simply do not belong on the items they find presented to them.
Hand washing with a non scented soap or Lemon Joy followed by thorough rinsing will help. The real trick is to wash several times during the day.
- BAIT OIL
Bait oil has a shelf life just like any other type of oil product. It should be refrigerated when not in use and any unused oil should be discarded on a yearly basis or more often if exposed to higher temperatures for an extended time.
Mark your scent bottle with a date to make it easy to remember when it was purchased.
Steelhead and Salmon can be affected by a number of conditions we have no control over but the tips provided here are simple to do and can really benefit any angler who wants to have a better day of fishing
These tips can help anglers fishing the Clearwater River in Idaho, Grande Ronde and Snake River.
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Clearwater Steelhead are especially sensitive to noise and boat disturbence.
If at all possible do NOT motor over fish holding water that you plan on fishing. This activity has been noted to move fish out of the holding area and cause them to quit biting for an hour or longer. This is a common activity of anglers who are new on the river or simply unaware of this possibility. Activities in the boat should also be as quiet as possible as this too can disturb fish.
Snake River fish do not seem to be affected in the same way - Perhaps this is due to deeper water, less clarity and generally more boat traffic or simply a difference in the fish.
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Flyfishing the Clearwater River ....Safely tips and common sense behavior.
The Clearwater is a small river that many flyfishers utilize, it is also a navigatable river with jet boat traffic even in very low flows. It is highly recommended that all fishers be defensive and wear some safety color either in a vest or cap. Under certain light conditions it is extremely difficult to see an angler who is chest deep in the river wearing drab clothing.
Flyfishermen do not block navigation channels and boaters take care not to produce a hazardous wake when moving around any angler in the water.
To prevent issues and conflicts all persons, boaters and fishermen, using this area need to think safe and responsible.
