Salmon and Steelhead Fishing
Restoring the river to its natural, free-flowing state will greatly increase the number of fish available to catch because it will:
- Reduce hot water and polluted water which kills migrating fish
- Avoid smothering the riverbank with silt which decreases the supply of insects to eat
- Reconnect the “superhighway” of tributaries and rivers, facilitating migration
- Allow more salmon and steelhead to survive their migratory journey and return to spawn in the streams where they hatched
Photo credit: Neil Ever Osborne
The Return of Salman and Steelhead
Within a few years, we can expect hundreds of thousands of salmon and steelhead to return to the lower Snake River every year. No longer would fishing seasons be canceled or closed early due to low returns.
Popular spots for catching steelhead, such as the “Colfax Hole” above Lower Granite Dam, would be “back on the map” for fishing.
Steelhead drifting was popular on the lower Snake River before 1975. Steelhead drifters will be pleased to see the sport return to the Lewiston-Clarkston area with the return of the river to its natural state. One long-time Lewiston resident offers this memory of steelhead drifting during his teen years.
Photo credit: Scott Putman
Other Game Fish
Sport fishing for sturgeon, bass, walleye and channel catfish would continue to draw anglers, as well.
