Best Time to Fish for Steelhead in Riggins: A Month-by-Month Guide
One of the most common questions we get is harder to answer than you might think.
Depending on your goals as an angler, your fishing style, and how much river traffic you want to deal with - the answer to this question can change quick. The Lower Salmon River Steelhead season is long, dynamic, and sometimes subject to Mother Nature - but there are opportunities for everyone starting as early as mid September all the way through early May!
If you’re planning a trip to the Salmon River, this month-by-month guide helps you match timing + conditions + tactics so you show up prepared instead of guessing. If you don’t want to read the whole blog - we’ve summarized it at the bottom of this page!
The early season: September & October
SEPTEMBER
Early (very early) fall. September is a great month to be on the river and get ahead of peak-season pressure. Most of September feels like a “warm-up” for us. Tune the plugs, feel how the runs have changed since last year, and enjoy the last bit of summer weather. Mid-September will start warm and quickly switch to feeling like “fall” towards the end of the month. No fish bites a plug harder, fights harder, and is brighter than a September Salmon River Steelhead!
Best for: Being early, learning, and a chance of getting a lucky couple of fish before the river fills up with traffic. (All while in a t-shirt no less!)
OCTOBER
October is a funny one - some years catch rates are great and consistent all month, other years it’s two or three slow days to each good day. As the month progresses, the river often hits that sweet spot where fish seem to be settled, water temps have evened out, and the bite gets more consistent.
The middle of October is also the time to come on a Multi-Day Steelhead Fishing trip! Cool enough to level out the fish, but not so cold that camping is uncomfortable.
Best for: Comfortable conditions, a great opportunity for multi-species days (Fall Chinook & Steelhead are both likely to bite), and great river conditions for fly fishing.
In the thick of it: Late October through Thanksgiving
LATE OCTOBER THROUGH LATE NOVEMBER:
If you’re talking about the “money time,” this is it. Late October through Thanksgiving is the hot time for it all. Plug Fishing, Side-Drifting, Float Fishing, Swinging Flies… If you’re fishing on the Salmon River during this time, you’re in it.
Cooling water and shorter days can make steelhead feel more predictable. Grind through the crisp mornings and be rewarded after it starts to get comfortable!
We see river traffic at its peak during this time, especially on weekends. Don’t let that turn you off, though - there’s plenty of river for everyone!
Best for: The most consistent bite, and anglers who want the best shot at the best days the Salmon River has to offer, anglers who prefer to fish with multiple tactics.
THANKSGIVING WEEK:
This is the end of the “hot” window we circle on the calendar every year. If you can swing it, it’s a killer time to fish - especially because you can avoid the busiest days. The river seems to clear out this week as folks prepare for the holidays. This sudden drop in pressure can make it a very rewarding time to be on the river.
Best for: Pre-Holiday fun, dialed guides, and high-productivity trips. Just be sure to dress warm! Don’t worry - we have heaters in our boats!
Winter begins: December
DECEMBER
Short days, cold mornings, and a more “technical” feel on the approach. The bite can be excellent, but details matter more: Some years we need to dodge the ice, some years the river is wide open - call ahead and check the conditions. We don’t book the later half of December out far in advanced because of this. It’s a bummer to plan your trip months ahead and get a call saying that we need to rethink our dates.
Some of our best days fishing have been in December. If conditions are right and we’re on the water, you’ll find a quiet low-pressure river and a great time to learn how to side-drift and bobber fish. Steelhead tend to have a more “subtle” bite as they hunker down for winter.
Best for: Anglers who like winter conditions, don’t mind bundling up, and are willing to put in the work for the reward.
It’s all about timing: January - March
JANUARY – MARCH:
Winter steelhead mode. Most summer Steelhead have gone far upstream and are waiting for the ice to clear so they can make their final push to the upper reaches of the Salmon. Now we’re chasing the fresher winter Steelhead that trickle in during this time. As the fish become settled in the cold water, they seem to be more apt to bite a plug than when the cold snap initially hit as winter started. We also tend to find more big “B-Run” fish during this time, too.
The “winter program” can change day-by-day. Some days we’re running plugs and bait divers, other days we’re side-drifting all day. You can bet that we’ll be using both tactics pretty evenly during this time.
As we roll into March the river can change on a dime. More common than not, we have an early spring that melts the high mountain snow, brings the flows up, and turns the river brown. Try to keep your timing from late January to late February - with February being the most consistent time. Oh, and keep your fingers crossed that Punxsutawney Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter so we get to continue fishing throughout the end of March!
Best for: Anglers who don’t mind winter weather, want a shot at a big fish, love technical fishing, and are okay with moving their dates around a bit if conditions don’t quite line up.
And just like that, it’s over. 6 months go by quickly when you’re having fun!
APRIL
Damnit, we’re done. It’s time for us to varnish the oars, put up the rods, clean the plugs, and turn the boats over for Salmon Season & Smallmouth Bass Fishing in the Spring & Summer!
We’ve learned a lot throughout this guide, but more importantly: What matters more than the calendar?
A “prime month” helps, but conditions can make or break your day:
Clarity
Flows
Pressure
Want to learn the river fast and skip the guesswork? We’d love to take you. We love teaching & sharing our backyard!
If you’re booking last-minute trips, reach out before you book and we’ll tell you honestly what the river is doing, and what window is fishing best for your goals. It’s important to us that you have a good time, and we’re not going to take your money if we don’t genuinely think we’re setting you up for success.
The TL;DR - a quick cheat sheet - the best windows to get on the water:
Late October through Thanksgiving: The “hot time” for any tactic
Mid-October through November: For the classic “steelhead setting” and great overall fishing.
January–March: Run the winter program and have a shot at bigger “B-Run” fish! Check river conditions before coming in January!
Weekdays in November and early spring: Fewer boats and quiet water.
Prime spey fishing? Late October: Water temps aren’t too cold yet, and enough fish have populated to give you a good shot at hooking up.
A little tip for those Little Salmon River Anglers:
MARCH & APRIL:
If you’re a “Do-it-yourself” kind of angler, this is your time to hit the Little Salmon River. Get out the beads and head to the Little Salmon. It’s often difficult to find a quiet spot on the Little Salmon once it starts to feel like spring - but it’s a great time to finally get to fish in a t-shirt for the first time since September! For us on the “Big River” our season is over and we’re playing cleanup!
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