When is steelhead season in Idaho?

Idaho keeps steelhead open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Idaho bag limit for steelhead?

The Idaho daily bag limit for steelhead is 3 / day + 9 in possession on hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead. The possession limit is 9 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size steelhead can you keep in Idaho?

The Idaho size rule for steelhead is No minimum on hatchery-marked steelhead; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only. Trophy rule: ID state-record steelhead 30 lb 1 oz Snake River 1973; Clearwater B-run steelhead ecotype (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years) found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon tributaries — the largest steelhead ecotype in the continental US; IDFG stocks ~6 million steelhead smolts annually via Dworshak NFH (USFWS — country's largest steelhead hatchery facility) + Hagerman NFH + Sawtooth + Clearwater + Kooskia + Powell hatcheries.

Do you need a license to fish for steelhead in Idaho?

Yes. Idaho requires a valid fishing license to fish for steelhead, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Idaho license — compare resident and non-resident Idaho fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for steelhead in Idaho?

Yes. In Idaho, steelhead fishing carries these gear rules: IDFG Steelhead Permit required to fish for or possess steelhead ($13.75 res / $13.75 NR — IDFG-distinctive same-fee Steelhead Permit); IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual); Hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead harvestable; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only; Barbless single hook required on listed reaches; Confirm current-year IDFG Steelhead Season Announcement for reach-by-reach window + bag rule.

Do specific Idaho waters have different steelhead rules?

Yes. 4 named Idaho waters carry rules that override the statewide steelhead regulation, including Clearwater River, Salmon River, Snake River main stem, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Idaho Steelhead 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Last updated May 27, 2026

Idaho steelhead fishery is the country's premier inland steelhead destination — steelhead returning from the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River + Snake River travel up to 900 miles inland to spawn in the Clearwater + Salmon + upper Snake tributaries, a migration through 8 Columbia + Snake River dams before reaching Idaho spawning grounds. Idaho steelhead split into two distinct ecotypes: A-run steelhead (6-9 lb fish, ocean residence 1-2 years, returning June – September, spawning in the upper Snake + Salmon River drainage), and B-run steelhead (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years, returning October – April, spawning in the Clearwater + lower Salmon River drainage — found only in the Clearwater + handful of Salmon tributaries, the largest steelhead ecotype in the continental US). The IDFG annual steelhead season runs September – April on the Snake + Salmon + Clearwater, with opening + closure announced by IDFG Director based on Lower Granite Dam passage counts + Bonneville Dam upstream passage data. Hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead are harvestable; native-strain wild steelhead are catch-and-release-only on most reaches (federally listed under ESA — Snake River steelhead are Threatened). IDFG stocks ~6 million steelhead smolts annually via the Hagerman National Fish Hatchery + Niagara Springs + Crystal Springs + Sawtooth + Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (USFWS — country's largest steelhead hatchery facility by output, ~3 million smolts annually) + Clearwater Hatchery + Kooskia NFH + Powell Tribal Hatcheries. ID state-record steelhead 30 lb 1 oz Snake River 1973. The Clearwater B-run steelhead fishery (Lewiston ID through Orofino to the Lochsa + Selway forks at Lowell ID) is the country's premier trophy inland steelhead fishery — IDFG-managed quality-management protections + barbless single-hook + hatchery-only harvest rules.

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Season

Open year-round IDFG annual season September – April on Snake + Salmon + Clearwater; opening + closure announced by IDFG Director based on Lower Granite Dam upstream passage counts; A-run 6-9 lb upper Snake + Salmon (June – September return); B-run 12-20+ lb Clearwater + lower Salmon (October – April return).

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 3 / day + 9 in possession on hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead
Possession: 9 in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No minimum on hatchery-marked steelhead; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only
Trophy rule: ID state-record steelhead 30 lb 1 oz Snake River 1973; Clearwater B-run steelhead ecotype (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years) found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon tributaries — the largest steelhead ecotype in the continental US; IDFG stocks ~6 million steelhead smolts annually via Dworshak NFH (USFWS — country's largest steelhead hatchery facility) + Hagerman NFH + Sawtooth + Clearwater + Kooskia + Powell hatcheries

Gear restrictions

IDFG Steelhead Permit required to fish for or possess steelhead ($13.75 res / $13.75 NR — IDFG-distinctive same-fee Steelhead Permit)
IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual)
Hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead harvestable; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only
Barbless single hook required on listed reaches
Confirm current-year IDFG Steelhead Season Announcement for reach-by-reach window + bag rule

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Idaho waters:

Clearwater River
3 / day + Steelhead Permit required + IDFG annual season September – April; B-run 12-20+ lb steelhead ecotype found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon tributaries
Salmon River
3 / day + Steelhead Permit required + IDFG annual season September – April; A-run + B-run mixed fishery
Snake River main stem
3 / day + Steelhead Permit + IDFG annual season; Lower Granite Dam tailwater densest steelhead fishing in Idaho
Dworshak Reservoir
3 / day + Steelhead Permit; Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (USFWS — country's largest steelhead hatchery facility by output, ~3 million smolts annually)

Official source

Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) publishes the authoritative 2026 Idahofishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Idaho fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Steelhead closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Idaho Department of Fish and Game's emergency-order feed — check it before any Idaho trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is steelhead season in Idaho?: Idaho keeps steelhead open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Idaho bag limit for steelhead?: The Idaho daily bag limit for steelhead is 3 / day + 9 in possession on hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead. The possession limit is 9 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size steelhead can you keep in Idaho?: The Idaho size rule for steelhead is No minimum on hatchery-marked steelhead; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only. Trophy rule: ID state-record steelhead 30 lb 1 oz Snake River 1973; Clearwater B-run steelhead ecotype (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years) found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon tributaries — the largest steelhead ecotype in the continental US; IDFG stocks ~6 million steelhead smolts annually via Dworshak NFH (USFWS — country's largest steelhead hatchery facility) + Hagerman NFH + Sawtooth + Clearwater + Kooskia + Powell hatcheries.
Do you need a license to fish for steelhead in Idaho?: Yes. Idaho requires a valid fishing license to fish for steelhead, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Idaho license — compare resident and non-resident Idaho fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for steelhead in Idaho?: Yes. In Idaho, steelhead fishing carries these gear rules: IDFG Steelhead Permit required to fish for or possess steelhead ($13.75 res / $13.75 NR — IDFG-distinctive same-fee Steelhead Permit); IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual); Hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead harvestable; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only; Barbless single hook required on listed reaches; Confirm current-year IDFG Steelhead Season Announcement for reach-by-reach window + bag rule.
Do specific Idaho waters have different steelhead rules?: Yes. 4 named Idaho waters carry rules that override the statewide steelhead regulation, including Clearwater River, Salmon River, Snake River main stem, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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