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

  1. Idaho
  2. Rivers & Lakes
  3. South Fork Clearwater River

Updated September 19, 2026

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Idaho Rivers › Clearwater Region

South Fork Clearwater River

A long, road-accessible Clearwater tributary with hatchery steelhead, seasonal salmon opportunity, and resident trout spread through a canyon river setting.

Recommended water63 mi · 101 kmFreestone tributary riverSteelhead fishery
View on MapGet Directions
Steelhead where openChinook salmon where openCutthroat troutRainbow/redband troutMountain whitefish

Seasonal steelhead and salmon potential with resident trout and whitefish in the Clearwater backcountry corridor

Steelhead/salmon rules drive the UX.

Sources: idfg.idaho.gov
South Fork Clearwater River on the water

Best Season

Spring and fall for steelhead and trout, with Chinook opportunity when seasons are open; summer offers resident trout fishing in accessible reaches.

River Type

Medium-to-large tributary river with a long roaded corridor, mixed pocket water, runs, and deeper holding water.

Skill Level

Intermediate

Best Techniques

Swinging or dead-drifting flies for steelhead when open; nymphs, dries, and small streamers for cutthroat, rainbow/redband trout, and whitefish.

Access

Good roadside access along much of the river corridor, with campgrounds and some ADA access noted by IDFG.

Gauge stations along the South Fork Clearwater River

Access

Fish in South Fork Clearwater River

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

Hatches on South Fork Clearwater River

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

Regulations

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

View IDFG Regulations

Guides & Outfitters

Recent conditions on South Fork Clearwater River

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

Videos on South Fork Clearwater River

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

Photos

Helpful Links

IDFG Fishing Planner: South Fork Clearwater RiverIDFG Fishing Seasons and RulesIDFG Steelhead Seasons and RulesIDFG Chinook Seasons and Rules

Nearby Communities

  • Clearwater7.4 mi
  • Newsome7.5 mi
  • Big Cedar8.2 mi
  • Tahoe9.1 mi
  • Harpster9.9 mi
  • Mud Springs11 mi

On this page

OverviewMigration
Flows
Live camerasAccessFishHatchesRegulationsGuides & OutfittersVideosPhotosHelpful LinksNearby Communities

River Tools

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Map data © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap

Fish in South Fork Clearwater River

The South Fork Clearwater River supports 5 fish species in our Idaho fishing catalog. Browse each profile for identification tips, seasonal patterns, and how these species are managed on this water.

  • Chinook Salmon
    Chinook SalmonIdaho Chinook are big, hard-fighting ocean-run salmon that power upstream into Idaho rivers each year.
  • Cutthroat Trout
    Cutthroat TroutIdaho’s native trout, built for cold streams and lakes and famous for rising to a well-drifted fly.
  • Mountain Whitefish
    Mountain WhitefishA native coldwater scrapper that shines on nymphs when trout fishing slows down.
  • Rainbow Trout
    Rainbow TroutIdaho’s most widespread trout, quick to rise and willing to chase nymphs and small streamers.
  • Steelhead
    SteelheadOcean-run rainbow trout that power one of Idaho’s longest and most mobile river fisheries.

Migration · South Fork Clearwater 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.

Hatches on South Fork Clearwater River

The South Fork Clearwater River has 11 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
Baitfish
Midge
Sculpin
Blue-winged Olive
Caddis
Golden Stonefly
Pale Morning Dun
Salmonfly
Grasshopper
Yellow Sally
October Caddis
PeakActiveSelect a dot for timing and patterns, or a month to focus it.

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Videos on South Fork Clearwater River

These 1 YouTube videos have been hand-curated by our team because we feel they best represent the South Fork Clearwater River fishery. Each pick highlights river character, access, and techniques worth knowing before you fish this Idaho water.

Mickey Mouse Run (with Carnage) South Fork Clearwater River 2400 CFS

Zeb Breuckman

Jul 12, 2025

Guides & Outfitters

Fishing guides, outfitters, shuttles, and shops that operate on the South Fork Clearwater River.

Guides & Outfitters

View all

Henry's Fork Anglers LLC · Outfitter · Island Park, ID

Henry's Fork Anglers offers guided fly fishing trips in Idaho, specializing in trout fishing in beautiful waters.

Spring to FallVariesAll levels
South Fork Clearwater RiverTeton River

Access

Migration · South Fork Clearwater 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 South Fork Clearwater

    on this river

    Best guess
    June 22 to July 3, peak around June 26
    Fish seen
    May 26 to July 25, and nothing since, so the run there looks over

    Half the chinook run was past Lower Granite by June 23, and they take about 3 days to reach the South Fork Clearwater. Measured over 4 seasons that vary a fair bit.

  • The South Fork Clearwater

    on this river

    Best guess
    July 1 to July 9, peak around July 4

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

Fish seen
May 30 to August 19, and nothing since, so the run there looks over

Half the chinook run was past Lower Granite by June 23, and they take about 11 days to reach the South Fork Clearwater. Measured over 4 seasons that vary a fair bit.

  • Crooked River

    South Fork Clearwater River tributary

    Best guess
    No call yet: no season there has had enough tagged fish to time the run.
    Fish seen
    June 9 to August 6, and nothing since, so the run there looks over
  • Steelhead

    • The South Fork Clearwater

      on this river

      Best guess
      March 23 to April 16, peak around April 7
      Fish seen
      None tagged here yet this season.

      Half the steelhead run is usually past Lower Granite around October 5, and they take about 184 days to reach the South Fork Clearwater. Measured over 5 seasons that vary a fair bit.

    • The South Fork Clearwater

      on this river

      Best guess
      No call yet: no season there has had enough tagged fish to time the run.
      Fish seen
      None tagged here yet this season.
    • Crooked River

      South Fork Clearwater River tributary

      Best guess
      No call yet: no season there has had enough tagged fish to time the run.
      Fish seen
      None tagged here yet this season.

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