Dead-water/Shoup.

[Trout_Man]

Anyone think Deadwater will break in the next several days? Heard it was 48 there yesterday and forecast is calling for 40s all week with lows in low 30s. Heard people are catching fish down from Rams head. Also heard of a lot of rock slides. Itching to go maybe next week. Any info would be great! Thanks
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[SteelFan]

jam was still past the boat ramp at north fork yesterday. Going to be 8-10 days at least. My guess is for the 25th at 1pm. Canyon is getting hit with avalanches and a lot of rocks. Going to be an interesting spring down there I'm sure with all of this snow.
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[Trout_Man]

Thanks for the info. I might head up Wednesday then before the jam breaks. Have you heard of anyone doing well? Are more people fishing around Clam and Ebenezer, or around Shoup?
Thanks
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[blacktop]

The road is totally ice covered and there is still a foot of snow at Bear Creek. Deadwater does not go out until the road is 95% clear. The refigerater effect is in full force. Total ice jams downriver for miles according to a friend down there last week. That was his report then should get a new one tomorrow.
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[Trout_Man]

Thanks for the feedback, please let me know if you hear what your friend has to say today! 😜
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[Steelie30]

I am hearing that is is getting really muddy below the ice jam. Usually that is a good sign as that ice is breaking and rolling underneath the jam. With the water temperatures on the climb upstream of NF and this rain and wind that they have been experiencing, it is going to be a little earlier than the 25th I believe. I honestly think it may go this week.

On a separate note, it sounds like the road below Pine Creek is closed due to numerous slides. It may take a little bit for these slides to get cleaned out. Hopefully they have a chance to get down there to get the Corn Creek boys down river.

I was there about 2 weeks ago and it was pretty iced up down in the canyon and below. We manage a few fish but it was tough sledding. We really need the water temperatures to climb a bit.

If anyone hears anything different keep us posted. I am sure we are all getting the itch pretty bad.
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[Trout_Man]

Thanks for the update. I'm heading up tomorrow morning. Going to try around Ebrnezer. I've been hearing a lot about the slides as well but it's that time of year I guess. Buddy of mine made it up there and got stuck at North Fork until they could clear the roads. He said the water was a little off color but not bad yet. Wish me luck I guess. Going to have to make a couple trips back up after it breaks too.
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[Steelie30]

Good deal. Let us know what you see down there. Who knows?, if the weather has been a little warmer, those fish might wake up and let you play a little bit. Good luck.
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[blacktop]

My buddy went down to Salmon from the lower river Sunday and could not make back down river because of a bad slide somewhere below the pine creek bridge. He said water was muddy. 80% chance of rain Thur. Highs in low 40's could see it go in less than a week.
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[Steelie30]

I agree. I think it goes out before the weekend. Especially with temps in the 40's in the communities above Salmon. We need it to break and then cool down so we don't get blown out...again.
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[blacktop]

A friend was down yesterday he barely made it down, had to move rocks. The avalanches are real and massive. Down river if you incounter a car it may take you a half a mile to get out of the ruts. Snow is deep on the road. Only a handful of holes safe to fish and many like Ebenezer unfishable. Was the only guy downriver the most experienced fisherman and outdoorsman I know and he said he was not comfortable down there at any time and only stayed 2 hours. Still is a 3 and a half hour drive to the middle fork.
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[Steelie30]

3 1/2 hours from Salmon? Or from where? I don't know if the county is planning to or not, but it might be wise to blade that road down to Corn Creek to eliminate the ruts and keep the road from washing out badly. I'm hoping things stable up a little bit, I'm itching to get down there again. I'moptimistic that dead water goes by the weekend.
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[blacktop]

3 and a half hour drive from middle fork to north fork. Mostly one lane in ruts. In his 4 wheel drive my buddy said he dragged bottom much of the way. Folks that means you are in ruts. Have heard other stories of hours spent trying to turn around and getting stuck. County won't mess with grader bigger fish to fry. They usually grade the road around the 20th of March the first time. Just need the snow to melt. Wait tell the snow melts. Having fished two days back from deadwater out most years the last twenty five I have never once seen any snow on the ground floor below Panther Creek.
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[Steelie30]

That is wild. I don't ever remember it being this way before. Hopefully this warmer weather does the trick, but it is such a double edged sword. We need it to warm up to make things fishable, but not too warm or we are going to get blown out again. There is a LOT of snow upstream in the Stanley Basin as well.
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[curt69]

The North Fork lodge facebook page says the road has been cleared . There are pictures on there page .
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[blacktop]

The accuweather lows forcast for Salmon the next four nights are 20 12 8 and 14. Things will warm up after that but ice will be building with highs in the 30's the next two days.
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[chillout]

SteelFan hit it. Deadwater was out today. Only about 30 yards of surface ice below the boat ramp with the river flowing unimpeded under it. Water color a good steelhead green with at least 4' visibility.[fishin]
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[Steelie30]

Good deal! Did you find a few?
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[chillout]

Had problems with my computer last night. Here's the rest of the report. I started at the Lemhi Hole. Fished next to a couple of guys from Butte, Mt. I was using beads, caught a dozen suckers nothing else. The guys fishing next to me were using corkie, yarn, shrimp, with one steelhead that got off at the bank, and several suckers. Checked by CO for license and tag. He said the water was flowing clear through Deadwater so I went to check it out. Road conditions, North Fork to Spring Creek, rock fall on road, nothing too serious. Spring Creek to Ebeneezer pretty much dry with very few wet spots. There were a lot of avalanches between Pine Creek bridge and Panther Creek bridge that have been cleared with a small amount of ice on the road at a couple of those sites. I took my truck but could have taken the car. Checked Deadwater and was as reported last night. Fished Ebeneezer and the Clam hole. Caught 2 big suckers at Ebeneezer, nothing at the Clam Hole. Fished with a couple from Salmon at Ebeneezer and he landed 2 steelhead, 1 keeper and 1 wild, and a Bull Trout, using corkie, yarn, shrimp. Obviously I should have had some bait with me. Great day to be out. Barring any fast warm up should be good conditions and fishing. As you can see it was a sucker fest for me yesterday. For those wanting to camp, Spring Creek and Transfer still have quite a bit of snow. Cove Creek and below are pretty much snow free. It's game on and time to have some fun.
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[chillout]

One more note. There is still quite a bit of snow in the canyon stretch. Take a rope and be safe if you are fishing that area.
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