It’s home to native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, which are noted as very willing to take a dry fly. The river also houses rainbow trout and brown trout.
Table of Contents
Where is the best fishing on the Snake River?
Snake River (from Hells Canyon Dam to the state line) From the Oregon side, the best access is either at Hells Canyon Dam or at Dug Bar downstream. Smallmouth bass are plentiful, with the best bite from late spring to early fall.
How do you fish for trout in the Snake River?

Where do you catch the bass on the Snake River?
“Brownlee Reservoir is one of the better smallmouth bass fisheries in the West,” Kozfkay said. By comparison, less is known about the bass upstream of the reservoir and in the Snake River tributaries, such as the Boise, Payette and Weiser rivers.
What bait fish are in the Snake River?
There are many options for bait, and you might start with a common nightcrawler. But experiment with different bait, such as shrimp, cutbait from any oily fish such as carp, sucker or pikeminnow. Crickets are also a popular catfish bait, especially Mormon crickets when they’re available.
Can you use bait on the Snake River?
Baitfish permissible for use as dead bait in the Snake River drainage are redside shiner, speckled dace, longnose dace, Paiute sculpin, mottled sculpin, Utah chub, Utah sucker and commercially preserved dead baitfish.
How do you fish in the Snake River?
Try your hand at catching a cutthroat on the South Fork of the Snake River. Photo Credit: Mike McKenna. Fly fishing is what eastern Idaho is most famous for. Casting dry flies from drift boats or while wading is the most popular way to fish the moving water of this region.
Is there good fishing in the Snake River?
Best best for weekend fishing Bass fishing has been good in the Snake River downstream of Hells Canyon dam with jigs, lures, or flies. Catfish are being caught throughout Hells Canyon and Oxbow Reservoirs. Sturgeon fishing has been good in the Snake River and in Hells Canyon Reservoir below Oxbow Dam.
How do you fish salmon from the Snake River?

What is the most common fish in the Snake River?
3.1 Snake River main stem Mountain whitefish were the most abundant species captured, representing more than half of all fish collected (Table 3.1).
Are there bass in the Snake River?
The Snake River’s smallmouth bass population attracts a lot of anglers, and spring is often when they find the largest fish. Many anglers know the large fish are often females that are in the shallows during spawning season, and some of those bass move into the Snake River’s tributaries to spawn.
Where is the best bass fishing in Idaho?
Dworshak Reservoir, Brownlee Reservoir, Lake Coeur d’Alene, C.J. Strike Reservoir and the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam were all recognized in the publication for outstanding bass fishing and size of fish.
Are there blue catfish in the Snake River?
We’ve documented several blue catfish in the Snake River below facilities raising channel catfish in recent years. Your chances of catching a blue catfish in Idaho are slim. If you do, consider yourself as one of the lucky few.
Are there flathead catfish in the Snake River?
While these species are commonly found across Idaho, flathead catfish are found only in the Snake River, mostly in Brownlee Reservoir and upstream of it.
Is steelhead open on the Snake River?
Washington State Line to Hells Canyon Dam. Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 – Apr 30 and Sep 1 – Dec 31.
What weight fly rod for the Snake River?
A 9-foot 5-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on the Snake River.
Where is the best crappie fishing in Oregon?
Four of the best places in Oregon to go crappie fishing are: Brownlee Reservoir, Prineville Reservoir, Henry Hagg Lake and the Freeway Ponds.
When can you fish the Snake River?
Spring (April-June 15th) Spring fly fishing on the South Fork of the Snake River is all about keeping your eyes on the weather and the water flows. There is a magic window in the Spring where the weather warms up, but the snow melt has not caused the river to rise or get muddy.
Can I use two poles in the Snake River?
Snake River impoundments above Hells Canyon Dam will open to fishing with two poles. Juvenile anglers age 13 and younger can fish two poles without an endorsement. There has been a lot of angler interest in a two-pole rule,” said Rhine Messmer, ODFW Recreational Fisheries Program manager.
Can you fish the Snake River year round?
Catch and release Snake River fishing is allowed year-round, though the summer and fall are the most popular seasons. The Snake River is particularly known for the fine-spotted cutthroat trout, or “cutty,” which gets its name from the coating of tiny spots that resemble grains of pepper all over its skin.
How many fish are in the Snake River?
In 2021, the combined abundance of Yellowstone cutthroat and brown trout in the Lorenzo reach is estimated at 2,359 trout/mile. Not significantly different from 2020’s estimate of 2,650 trout/mile, but above the 10-yr. average of 2,011 trout/mile.
What flies to use on the South Fork of the Snake River?
- Cheater Belly Stonefly Nymph, sizes 2-8.
- Orange Water Walker, sizes 4-8.
- J-Slam Golden Stone, sizes 4-10.
- Schroder’s Parachute Hopper, sizes 8 and 10.
- Orvis Lightning Bug, sizes 12-18.
- Psycho May Nymph, sizes 14-18.
- Pink Sparkle Dun, sizes 16-20.
Is there salmon in the Snake River?
The ColumbiaโSnake River Basin was once the most prolific salmon habitat in the world, but today its salmon and steelhead numbers have plummeted. In the 1950s, almost 130,000 adult salmon and steelhead returned to the Snake River in the spring and summer to spawn, but by 2017 that number had dropped below 10,000.
What fish in Snake River near Twin Falls?
- Brook Trout.
- Bull Trout.
- Kokanee.
- Sturgeon.
- Tiger Muskie.
- Trout includes Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Golden Trout, Arctic Grayling, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, land-locked Chinook and Coho Salmon, trout hydrids (.e.g. Tiger Trout)
- Walleye.
- Whitefish.
How do you fish for CJ Strike?
