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Lochsa River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Wild and scenic whitewater: the Lochsa runs westslope cutthroat through the Bitterroot wilderness.

3/5

Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Flow

625 cfs

Air / High

65 / 69 F

Wind

WNW 3 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 13337000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view

Friday

4

September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lochsa River feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. The river is running 625 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 3 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 69. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 77 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Lochsa River near Lowell.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 13337000.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp65 F

High / Low69 / 46 F

WindWNW 3-4 mph

Pressure1013.2 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain100% cloud, 99%

Sunrise / Sunset06:07 / 19:15

MoonLast Quarter, 50%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 69/46 F, wind 7 mph, rain 99%

Slow. High rain chance; fish the front edge before it arrives.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lochsa River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Lochsa River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Rainbow trout

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Lochsa River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data

Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 64 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 67 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 9 mph.

Before you go

License

Idaho requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Idaho license. Catch-and-release rules for cutthroat with gear restrictions: check current IDFG regulations for the Lochsa.

Access

Highway 12 pullouts, campgrounds and trailheads along the entire river through the Clearwater National Forest.

About this water

A 70-mile wild and scenic river through the Bitterroot Mountains, Idaho County, Idaho.

Fishing Lochsa River: the full guide

A wilderness river

The Lochsa River runs about 70 miles through the Bitterroot Mountains of north-central Idaho, joining the Selway to form the Middle Fork Clearwater. Highway 12 follows it the whole way through the Clearwater National Forest, a rare combination of wilderness character and roadside access. Westslope cutthroat trout are the primary species, with rainbows and whitefish alongside.

Cutthroat on dry flies

The fishery is a dry-fly angler’s ideal: westslope cutthroat rise willingly to attractor patterns through the summer, holding in the pockets, seams and tailouts of a boulder-strewn river. Catch-and-release rules protect them. Fish average 10-14 inches with better ones in the deeper pools, and pressure is light given the wilderness setting.

Runoff and the season

The Lochsa is famous for whitewater and its runoff is enormous: the river runs high and unfishable from snowmelt into late June most years. As flows drop through July the fishing opens and stays good into September. Fall brings cooler water and fewer people, with the highway corridor quiet after Labor Day.

Highway 12 logistics

Access is exceptional: Highway 12 parallels the river with pullouts, campgrounds and trailheads throughout, part of the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway. Lowell sits at the confluence with the Selway, with limited services. Missoula is two hours east and Lewiston two hours west: this is genuinely remote country with a paved road through it.

Common questions

When does it become fishable?

After runoff drops, usually July: the river runs high and unfishable from snowmelt into late June most years.

What will I catch?

Westslope cutthroat, mostly on dry flies: willing fish in a wilderness setting with light pressure.

Is access difficult?

No: Highway 12 follows the river the entire way, giving rare road access to genuinely wild water.

Is fishing good at Lochsa River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Selway River6 mi South Fork Clearwater River22 mi Dworshak Reservoir42 mi Salmon River45 mi North Fork Clearwater River48 mi Clearwater River72 mi

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