It’s that time of year when your in your drift boat and the sun is shining, you take off your coat because your to hot, you look up river or to the west and a big dark cloud is starting to drop down on you and its blowing and snowing all of the sudden. It’s Steelhead time again, and they are on the bite. It’s not fast fishing, but your just as likely to hook a fish as not. As of today-right now-this moment, the river is clear around Challis. In Salmon, there is about a foot of visibility.If you are fishing flies, something big and dark will work best like a Senyo A1 Intruder Swinging a fly will work, but you would probably be more successful nymphing.

Drift fishing has been fairly good. With the majority of fishing around Ellis.

Boat Ramps at Deer Gulch, Cottonwood and lower down river are open. Might be some slushy snow to get through but you can get in the river. Penal Gulch is accessible but snowy. The ramp at the Challis Bridge is no accessible and up river there is  still ice.in the river in places.