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South Fork Clearwater River Fishing Report

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

Idaho's canyon B-run: the South Fork Clearwater squeezes giant steelhead into pocket water where every hookup becomes a rodeo.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
272 cfs
Air / High
63 / 68 F
Wind
NE 4 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 13338500, 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

South Fork Clearwater River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 272 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind NE around 4 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 68. Water sits around 66 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

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown troutExcellent

Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

SteelheadFair

First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 75 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 SF Clearwater at Stites.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 13338500.

135189243272 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp63 F
High / Low68 / 46 F
WindNE 4-6 mph
Pressure1013.4 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 100%
Sunrise / Sunset06:09 / 19:16
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 68/46 F, wind 7 mph, rain 100%

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

Species guide

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

Steelhead illustration

Steelhead

Best: Oct-Apr

Lake-run rainbows that turn tributaries into winter fisheries. First fall runs after rain: fresh chrome in the lower pools on spawn bags and beads.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Terrestrials tight to the bank; streamers through the deeper runs on cloudy days.

When to come: the South Fork Clearwater 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
Steelhead
Smallmouth bass
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

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 South Fork Clearwater 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. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 61 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 73 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 84 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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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 + steelhead permit. Wild fish: mandatory release: seasons by run count: check IDFG updates.

Access

Highway 14 pull-offs Kooskia-to-Elk City; Harpster and Stites accesses.

About this water

The canyon fork of the Clearwater, Idaho County, ID. B-run giants in pocket water.

Fishing South Fork Clearwater River: the full guide

B-runs in a small river

The South Fork carries the Clearwater's legendary B-run steelhead (ocean-fed giants averaging 12-16 pounds) into water barely bigger than a trout stream: canyon pockets where hooking a 15-pound fish means chasing it through boulders. Idaho offers no wilder steelhead math.

The season

Fish enter fall (October's freshest chrome) and hold through winter: the March-April stack before spawning peaks the canyon: with bobber-and-jig or beads in the slots, swung flies where the pockets open. Low clear winters demand stealth: the fish see everything in the shrunk canyon.

Reading the canyon

Highway 14 shadows every mile (Kooskia to Elk City: pull-off fishing at its purest): our Stites gauge frames conditions (600-2,000 CFS fishes: spring melt blows it out): and the wild-versus-hatchery rules matter absolutely: adipose-intact fish release untouched: the wild B-runs are Idaho's treasure.

Clearwater-country practicalities

Kooskia and Grangeville bracket services: seasons shift with run counts (check IDFG's updates religiously: closures protect thin years): and the canyon's remoteness rewards preparation. Pair with the main Clearwater's big water below: the B-run system fishes as one pilgrimage.

Common questions

What is a B-run steelhead?

The Clearwater's two-ocean-year giants: 12-16-pound averages, 20s real. The South Fork puts them in pocket water: the sport's most unfair fair fight.

When is the South Fork Clearwater open?

Seasons track run strength: typically fall through spring with closures possible: check IDFG's current rules before the long drive. March-April is the classic stack.

Is fishing good at South Fork Clearwater River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lochsa River22 miSalmon River23 miSelway River23 miDworshak Reservoir45 miClearwater River60 miNorth Fork Clearwater River62 mi
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