Clearwater River at Spalding
USGS 13342500 · Oct 18, 2026, 7:00 PM
Every 60 min · daylight
Updated
← Back to mapIdaho Rivers › North-Central Idaho
A broad, road-accessible big river with blue-ribbon steelhead seasons, salmon opportunity, and mixed trout and bass fishing.
A broad, road-accessible big river with blue-ribbon steelhead seasons, salmon opportunity, and mixed trout and bass fishing. Explore seasonal hatches, access points, and current flow conditions below.
Best Season
Fall through winter for steelhead; spring into early summer for salmon context and mixed trout action; summer for smallmouth and opportunistic trout fishing.
River Type
Large mainstem river with varied current speeds, long runs, deep holes, and slower shoreline water in places.
Skill Level
Intermediate to advanced overall; approachable in developed access areas, but big water, changing flows, and species-specific rules reward preparation.
Best Techniques
Drift fishing, side-drifting, floats, and hardware for steelhead and salmon when seasons are open; nymphs, caddis and Baetis patterns in softer trout water; streamers and warmwater lures for smallmouth in summer.
Access
Excellent by Idaho standards, with road corridors, multiple boat ramps, and several developed facilities noted by IDFG.
Explore fish species associated with the Clearwater River. Each profile includes identification tips, habitat notes, and practical fishing guidance for Idaho anglers.
Review seasonal insect hatches on the Clearwater River, including timing windows and fly pattern suggestions for Idaho fly fishing.
Check current seasons, limits, and special rules for Clearwater River before you go. Regulations change, so always verify with IDFG.
The latest fishing conditions and hatch notes for Clearwater River. Older reports live in the Clearwater River report archive.
These YouTube videos have been hand-curated by our team because we feel they best represent the Clearwater River fishery. Watch for river character, access context, and techniques that translate to your next Idaho trip.
Map data © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap
The Clearwater River supports 4 fish species in our Idaho fishing catalog. Browse each profile for identification tips, seasonal patterns, and how these species are managed on this water.
Today's day score from live flow, weather, and water temperature where gauges allow. It is a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Steelhead and salmon counted at Lower Granite Dam, the last dam below Idaho, and how this year's run compares with the last ten.
The latest fishing conditions and hatch notes for Clearwater River. Older reports live in the Clearwater River report archive.
Low steelhead numbers mean low pressure on the Clearwater. Expect to fish sink-tips and weighted flies as cool autumn water arrives.
The Clearwater River has 7 documented insect hatches across spring, summer, fall, and winter. Review seasonal timing and recommended fly patterns to plan productive days on this Idaho water.
These 11 YouTube videos have been hand-curated by our team because we feel they best represent the Clearwater River fishery. Each pick highlights river character, access, and techniques worth knowing before you fish this Idaho water.
Jones Sport Fishing
Jan 28, 2026
Topography_AntlerHunter
Jan 17, 2026
Jones Sport Fishing
Oct 26, 2025
Fish P0rn
Dec 12, 2024
Jones Sport Fishing
Dec 19, 2022
Jones Sport Fishing
Oct 10, 2022
Pautzke Bait
Jan 27, 2021
Hickology
Mar 20, 2018
NorthwesternOutdoors
Nov 19, 2018
Jones Sport Fishing
Dec 12, 2016
USGS 13342500 · Oct 18, 2026, 7:00 PM
Every 60 min · daylight
USGS 13340000 · Oct 18, 2026, 5:00 AM
Every 60 min · 247
Steelhead and salmon counted at Lower Granite Dam, the last dam below Idaho, and how this year's run compares with the last ten.
· yesterday
Lower Granite is the last dam below Idaho. Fish counted there are headed for the Snake, Clearwater and Salmon systems. Fish bound for the Clearwater leave the Snake at Lewiston, just above the dam.
Steelhead · Lower Granite Dam
Well below typical250
303
0th
25,959
Passage over the last three days is well below typical for mid-October (0th percentile).
25,959 steelhead have passed Lower Granite since June 16. In a typical year about 77 percent of the run is through by October 17, and passage peaks around October 4.
On pace for roughly 32,000 to 36,000 fish, against a typical 71,000.
Wild fish: 5,568 so far, about 74 percent of a typical wild run.
Bars are the day's count at Lower Granite through Oct 17. The dashed line is what the date usually brings, the ten-year median.
Coho · Lower Granite Dam
Below typical79
76
16th
3,414
Passage over the last three days is below typical for mid-October (16th percentile).
3,414 coho have passed Lower Granite this year. In a typical year about 64 percent of the run is through by October 17, and passage peaks around October 12.
On pace for roughly 4,200 to 9,100 fish, against a typical 8,600.
Bars are the day's count at Lower Granite through Oct 17. The dashed line is what the date usually brings, the ten-year median.
Spring chinook: over for the year, 28,119 passed Lower Granite against a typical 37,000.Season overFall chinook: over for the year, 23,408 passed Lower Granite against a typical 29,000.Well below typicalWhen they reach this water
Antennas in the water read tagged fish as they swim past. A best guess is our estimate of the peak; fish seen are dates real fish were actually recorded. Each spot below says whether it sits on this river or on a tributary.
Clearwater River tributary
Clearwater River tributary
Counts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Columbia River DART.
Half the chinook run was past Lower Granite by June 23, and they take about 46 days to reach the North Fork Clearwater at Dworshak. Measured over 8 seasons that vary a fair bit.
Clearwater River tributary
Half the chinook run was past Lower Granite by June 23, and they take about 1 day to reach Clear Creek. Measured over 3 seasons that vary a fair bit.
Clearwater River tributary
Half the steelhead run is usually past Lower Granite around October 5, and they take about 149 days to reach Lapwai Creek. Measured over 6 seasons that vary a fair bit.
Clearwater River tributary
Clearwater River tributary
Arrival timing from PIT-tag detections via PTAGIS and Columbia River DART; tagged fish are a sample of the run, never a count.
Fishing guides, outfitters, shuttles, and shops that operate on the Clearwater River.
Today's day score from live flow, weather, and water temperature where gauges allow. It is a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Track record builds after 30 graded days.
Bite forecast · Clearwater River
2026-10-18 · Reduced confidence · no live water temp
How was it?
Were you on the water today? Rate the fishing in two taps. Your feedback grades this day score over time.
No strong prime window today
Peak at 19:00 (score 4.2). Helping: wtemp, light, cloud. Hurting: flow, trend.
Flow trend
up 4% over 7 days
Hatch forecast
From this water's hatch chart, shifted by this year's water temperature. Water running 4 days ahead of recent years.
Rigs & patterns
From recent technique and hatch reports, not a prescription.
Hobo Spey · Killowatt · String leech
techniqueHobo Speys, Killowatts, String leeches in black, blue, purple are great choices for steelhead
House of Fly · 2026-10-15
black · purple · orange
techniqueSmaller black, purple and orange patterns are still solid choices in clear water conditions
House of Fly · 2026-10-09
Flow
0cfs
up 4% over 7 days
Water temp
Not measured
Thermal class: cold_verified
Weather
45 → 71 °F
Low 8 AM · high 4 PM
Partly cloudy · PoP 0%
Wind 1–6 mph
↓ Falling · 985.2 hPa
Field intel
Extracted facts from recent shop/guide reports, not rewritten prose.
Very doable in drift boat, but jet boaters need to be very cautious at low flows. Need to know river well to avoid shallow rocks and gravel bars
Hobo Speys, Killowatts, String leeches in black, blue, purple are great choices for steelhead
3,270 CFS @ Spalding
A floating or intermediate setup is a good place to start when hitting the shallower runs and tailouts
Scandi heads are especially nice right now when you want a clean presentation without getting too deep
If you move into heavier water, switch over to a Skagit setup and add some sink tip
Smaller black, purple and orange patterns are still solid choices in clear water conditions
Clearwater has eased down to 3,000 cfs while holding at 55°F
Other sources
Live gauges and weather inputs behind this forecast.
