Snake River fishing begins in earnest as the water temperature rises with the first spring runoff.
Smallmouth bass and catfish will leave the deep wintering areas and begin prowling the shallows. This fishery begins as early as late February and will continue throughout the spring and summer months and into fall.
For Snake River fishing charters we use either our covered boat or one of the sleds depending on angler preferences and weather.
Smallmouth Bass- The late winter and early spring period (late February through mid May) is a good time to target the larger fish. Many of our best fish (4 to 5 lb.+) will be taken during these months.
May and June are normally high water months and the fishing can become difficult due to water conditions. These months are also a high activity period for the smallies as they gorge on the abundant forage provided by the runoff.
The summer months offer a fantastic fishery with continuous action throughout the day. Best fishing for the larger specimens is at first and last light with the average sized fish active all day. A combo bass/sturgeon outing is an excellent choice at this time - Bass in the early and late hours and sturgeon mid day.
The early fall months can be one of the hottest periods of the season for smallies of all sizes. As the water temperature starts to cool the fish will go on a feeding binge to prepare for the lean winter months and will be active throughout the day.
Catfish-The Snake River is home to both Blue Cats and Channel cats, with an occasional Flathead showing up in the bag. Average size runs between 3 and 12 lbs, with fair numbers of fish in the 12 to 20+ lb. range. The lower reservoir regions provide the most productive fishery for all species, an average day will produce 15 to 20 fish and catches of 50+ fish are not uncommon.
This fishery begins in early spring and peaks from late April through late June and into mid July. This area is also open for sturgeon fishing, with a slot limit of 48 to 60 inches.
Steelhead- The Snake and Clearwater Rivers both offer some fantastic steelhead fishing in the fall and winter.
Trout- The Snake and Clearwater have an excellent population of resident Rainbow Trout and in the late summer months they will normally hold good numbers of hold-over steelhead smolt (smolt that have not migrated to the ocean). The resident fish will run from 10 to 16 inches and provide a nice summer fishery for the fly fisher or light tackle spin fishers.
By mid summer the hold-over smolt will have grown to the 12 to 14 inch size range and will hit anything presented to them. This is a great time to get the youngsters on the water for a day of non-stop action.
Sturgeon- The Snake River offers Sturgeon fishing throughout much of the year..experience the excitement of fighting one of these trophy fish!
Guided fishing on the Snake River for Smallmouth Bass and Catfish.
for additional information or reservations
Contact Us At:
Bus. 1(509)751-0410
or email us at pat@snakeriverguides.com
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Smallmouth Bass of this size are common on the Snake River
