Barbless.coBarbless.co
  • Home
  • Map
  • Reports
  • Guides
  • Fish
  • Hatches
  • Podcast
Sign in
Barbless.co

The more you understand, the more there is to see.

  • IdahoLive
  • CaliforniaSoon

Explore

  • Map
  • Reports
  • Browse reports
  • By region

Waters

  • River search
  • Guides & outfitters

Learn

  • Fish species
  • Hatches & forage
  • Podcast

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial policy
  • Releases
  • Legal

© 2026 Barbless.co. Flow and gauge data from USGS; weather from Open-Meteo. · v2026.10.18.2

  1. Idaho
  2. Rivers & Lakes
  3. Selway River

Updated September 19, 2026

← Back to map

Idaho Rivers › Eastern Idaho

Selway River

Premier Idaho trout water with diverse seasonal hatches.

Blue Ribbon water83 mi · 133 kmFreestone RiverTrout fishery
View on MapGet Directions
Westslope cutthroat troutBull trout present/protectedMountain whitefish

A Legendary Idaho Fishery

Premier Idaho trout water with diverse seasonal hatches. Explore seasonal hatches, access points, and current flow conditions below.

Sources: idfg.idaho.gov
Selway River on the water

Best Season

May – October

River Type

Freestone

Skill Level

Intermediate

Best Techniques

Dry Flies, Nymphing

Access

Moderate

Gauge stations along the Selway River

Access

Fish in Selway River

Explore fish species associated with the Selway River. Each profile includes identification tips, habitat notes, and practical fishing guidance for Idaho anglers.

Hatches on Selway River

Review seasonal insect hatches on the Selway River, including timing windows and fly pattern suggestions for Idaho fly fishing.

Regulations

Check current seasons, limits, and special rules for Selway River before you go. Regulations change, so always verify with IDFG.

View IDFG Regulations

Guides & Outfitters

Recent conditions on Selway River

The latest fishing conditions and hatch notes for Selway River. Older reports live in the Selway River report archive.

Videos on Selway River

These YouTube videos have been hand-curated by our team because we feel they best represent the Selway River fishery. Watch for river character, access context, and techniques that translate to your next Idaho trip.

Photos

Nearby Communities

  • Red River Hot Springs9.3 mi
  • Gold Point14.8 mi
  • Elk City14.9 mi
  • York15.5 mi
  • Leprouse16.5 mi
  • Gibler16.8 mi

On this page

OverviewMigration
Flows
Live camerasAccessFishHatchesRegulationsGuides & OutfittersVideosPhotosNearby Communities

River Tools

  • View on Map
  • Get Directions

Map data © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Fish in Selway River

The Selway River supports 3 fish species in our Idaho fishing catalog. Browse each profile for identification tips, seasonal patterns, and how these species are managed on this water.

  • Bull Trout
    Bull TroutIdaho’s native char: a coldwater apex predator that is protected and must be released.
  • Mountain Whitefish
    Mountain WhitefishA native coldwater scrapper that shines on nymphs when trout fishing slows down.
  • Westslope Cutthroat Trout
    Westslope Cutthroat TroutIdaho’s native westslope cutthroat thrives in cold, clear mountain rivers and eager dry-fly water.

Migration · Selway River

Steelhead and salmon counted at Lower Granite Dam, the last dam below Idaho, and how this year's run compares with the last ten.

Recent conditions on Selway River

The latest fishing conditions and hatch notes for Selway River. Older reports live in the Selway River report archive.

Selway River

October 15, 2026

The Selway is running at a manageable 540 cfs with trout concentrated in deeper pockets and structured water. Focus on smaller patterns and subsurface presentations as fall conditions develop.

All Selway River fishing reports

Access

Guides & Outfitters

Fishing guides, outfitters, shuttles, and shops that operate on the Selway River.

Guides & Outfitters

View all

Three Rivers Rafting LLC · Outfitter · Kooskia, ID

Three Rivers Rafting offers guided rafting and fishing trips in Idaho's wild rivers, focusing on safety and conservation.

May & JuneN/AAll levels
Lochsa RiverSelway RiverSnake River, Lower Salmon…

Migration · Selway River

Steelhead and salmon counted at Lower Granite Dam, the last dam below Idaho, and how this year's run compares with the last ten.

Counts through Sat, Oct 17 · 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

Steelhead · Lower Granite Dam

Well below typical

The run is tapering off

Counted Oct 17

250

7-day average

303

Percentile for the date

0th

This run so far

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.

Passage over time
1,7250Sep 18: 857, typical 717Sep 19: 681, typical 758Sep 20: 721, typical 848Sep 21: 596, typical 874Sep 22: 614, typical 957Sep 23: 1,022, typical 1,001Sep 24: 692, typical 1,080Sep 25: 518, typical 1,226Sep 26: 1,291, typical 1,307Sep 27: 714, typical 1,426Sep 28: 773, typical 1,513Sep 29: 837, typical 1,575Sep 30: 1,515, typical 1,627Oct 1: 894, typical 1,693Oct 2: 784, typical 1,692Oct 3: 686, typical 1,716Oct 4: 544, typical 1,725Oct 5: 525, typical 1,650Oct 6: 482, typical 1,623Oct 7: 555, typical 1,553Oct 8: 514, typical 1,521Oct 9: 443, typical 1,533Oct 10: 713, typical 1,515Oct 11: 381, typical 1,510Oct 12: 207, typical 1,463Oct 13: 316, typical 1,377Oct 14: 399, typical 1,307Oct 15: 291, typical 1,234Oct 16: 276, typical 1,167Oct 17: 250, typical 1,050Sep 18Oct 3Oct 17

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 over

When 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.

Chinook

  • The lower Selway

    on this river

    Best guess
    June 19 to June 29, peak around June 25
    Fish seen
    May 21 to October 12

    Half the chinook run was past Lower Granite by June 23, and they take about 2 days to reach the lower Selway. Measured over 8 seasons that agree closely.

Steelhead

  • The lower Selway

    on this river

    Best guess
    March 10 to March 22, peak around March 21

Counts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Columbia River DART.

Fish seen
September 13 to October 5

Half the steelhead run is usually past Lower Granite around October 5, and they take about 167 days to reach the lower Selway. Measured over 8 seasons that agree closely.

Arrival timing from PIT-tag detections via PTAGIS and Columbia River DART; tagged fish are a sample of the run, never a count.

Videos on Selway River

These 4 YouTube videos have been hand-curated by our team because we feel they best represent the Selway River fishery. Each pick highlights river character, access, and techniques worth knowing before you fish this Idaho water.

Idaho's Backcountry Cutthroat | Scenic Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

Chance Stack

Aug 14, 2024

Video Trip Report: Selway River

Private Whitewater

Jul 12, 2023

Selway River Fishing Trip

The Varga Men

Jan 3, 2022

Selway River in Idaho! Dry fly fishing heaven!!!

Phil Borchelt

Oct 9, 2018

Hatches on Selway River

The Selway River has 12 documented insect hatches across spring, summer, fall, and winter. Review seasonal timing and recommended fly patterns to plan productive days on this Idaho water.

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Sculpin
Blue-winged Olive
Salmonfly
Caddis
Golden Stonefly
Green Drake
Pale Morning Dun
Yellow Sally
Ant
Beetle
Grasshopper
October Caddis
PeakActiveSelect a dot for timing and patterns, or a month to focus it.

Share with Your Followers

Create custom graphics of this hatch chart to share on your social profiles as posts or stories.

Optimized for Facebook, TikTok & Instagram