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My name is Sam and I am looking for some help if you guys would be willing. I am in the Marines and am going back to Lewiston for leave. I am wanting to get some time on the water while I am there. My wife has never been steelhead fishing and I am wanting to take her. I really don't have the money to spend on a guided trip and my wife gets sick just looking at a boat so that puts me on the shore. I am just wanting to get as much information as I can get. Thank you for your time.
Sam Church
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Hi Sam. Thank you for your service first and foremost. Your sacrifices make it possible for us to enjoy the things that we love. Thank You. I have not been to the Clearwater for a while, and I might not be the best for advice.
A lot of bank fisherman will fish the Northfork near Dwarshak Dam. Beads, roe, and shrimp seem to do the job. Depending on flow, you might have your best luck under a float.
I am sure there are a lot of bank spots to fish that I do not know about on the main Clearwater, Middle Fork, or mouth of the South Fork. Hopefully someone with more experience can help you out a little better than me. Now if you were talking the Upper Salmon River, I can help you out a lot better. Good Luck if you get out. I have found that sometimes trial and error has led me to my best finds on the river.
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Sam I live quite a ways away but can give you information on where and how to fish. There is a weather event this weekend where they are predicting a high of 5 Saturday in Lewiston so the best fishing would be in the Northfork where the water is 44 degrees and a hole just below called log-deck where the water is warm. There could be some outstanding fishing if things develop the way I think they might. I might even venture up and could help you out. Normally a lot of area's below are good but with that cold of air and water temp bobber fishing just does not work in water deeper than six or seven feet. There is a fair amount of snow so the footing is tough. Later on next week things will change and some good fishing will be had below Orifino if the weather is barely above freezing. I think you can click on my name and give me a personel message and I can give you the real story behind what is happening.
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Hey Sam. Fished North Fork about 3 weeks ago. Our group brought home 16 fish. Never seen so many steelhead cruising in that part of the river before in my life. Had schools of fish 300 to 500 swim by at my feet. Guys were using castmaster silver and blue lures. Looking for rocks that would jut out along the side where those fish would cruise by. They would stick those lures right in there faces and they would snap at them. I had never seen this technique used but they were very effective. We caught most of our fish on a lime green head with black body jig below a float tipped with shrimp.
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Has anyone been hitting the Clearwater lately? Sounds like the lower stretches have been doing pretty good. How is the river looking upstream of the Northfork?
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The water out of Dworchak went to 8000 jan 27th up from 4000 a couple weeks earlier. Fishing has been good despite the horrible number of guides taking over the river. Everything above the confluence has been totally shut down since the 15th of Dec with the river being totally iced up. As of Tomorrow all fishing below Orifino will be effectively eliminated as the water is projected to go to 17000 on the main with huge lowland snopack on the Southfork and main coming into play. The ice will go out with this blow and the upper river fish will be essentially gone below the confluence in a matter of days. By the middle of the week excellent fishing will be had above Orifino if the water color allows it. North Fork will still be fishable but fish are in poor condition there with the warm water as usual.
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Thank you for the update. I'm debating taking a trip the end of February for a day or two. I don't have very much knowledge of that river. I'm thinking around Kamiah or even the South Fork. Any suggestions? I'm trying to get a trip in because who knows when deadwater is going to break on the Salmon..
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Hey Sam you still around Let me know if you are I am Headed that way next week and I have a new 22 foot Willie Boat and no one to fish with I would love to take you.[fishon]
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Heard they are closing the road below north fork until the 1st of March can't verify however. Expect pretty good fishing on upper river above Orifino by Thurday or Friday not sure how long it will take fish to get make the trip to South Fork but suppose they will be there as well. The question mark is where the water is going to end up and if the South Fork will have any clarity at 800 cfs. The fishing will likely be outstanding on the main from Kooskia to Kamiah this coming weekend. Lots of good areas to fish in that area from the bank beads corkies and jigs as well as eggs. Fish are always in incredible shape in that area just below the South Fork.
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I too have seen the declaration to close the road below North Fork. Hopefully it will give the county a chance to clean it up without the traffic. Maybe deadwater will hold up until it's clean. Thanks for the advice on the Clearwater. I agree clarity will be an issue. I just hope it stays dry and cool enough, long enough to get a good crack on them. I like the ice fishing thing, but I'm ready to hang it up and get after it!
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