2026 regulation year
Clearwater River 2026 — Idaho Fishing Regulations
Idaho statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Clearwater River carries 4 special-regulation overlays on top of Idaho's 2026 fishing rules — covering Cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, Steelhead. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Steelhead 3 / day + Steelhead Permit required + IDFG annual season September – April; B-run steelhead ecotype (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years) found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon River tributaries; chinook salmon 2 / day + Salmon Permit; cutthroat trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only on listed wild-trout reaches; bull trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only
Source: Idaho special-water list
Per-species rules on Clearwater River
0 / day CATCH-AND-RELEASE-ONLY on listed wild-trout reaches
2 / day + Salmon Permit required + IDFG annual season May – August
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
Official source
Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) publishes the authoritative 2026 Idaho fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Idaho fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.
Other special-regulation waters in Idaho
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Clearwater River?
- Clearwater River carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Idaho's statewide 2026 rules, covering Cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, and Steelhead. One of them reads: "Steelhead 3 / day + Steelhead Permit required + IDFG annual season September – April; B-run steelhead ecotype (12-20+ lb fish, ocean residence 2-3 years) found only in Clearwater + handful of Salmon River tributaries; chinook salmon 2 / day + Salmon Permit; cutthroat trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only on listed wild-trout reaches; bull trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Clearwater River?
- Yes. Clearwater River is in Idaho, so a valid Idaho fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Clearwater River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Idaho rules.
- Do Clearwater River's special rules replace Idaho's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Idaho's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Clearwater River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Clearwater River?
- Cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, and Steelhead have a water-body-specific rule on Clearwater River, each linking to its full Idaho regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Idaho limits.