Lochsa, ID

150+ and 117-130

comments (0)

Outing Information

Date
Start/End Time
9:00am to 4:00pm
Best Fishing Time
-
Rating
Great
Classification
Public
Water Temp
-
Water Clarity
Clear - 5'+ visibility
Water Level
900cfs
User
Tony Broderick

Pictures

Fish Caught

Rainbow Trout

Caught Avg Size Pattern Optional Fields
10 10" #10 Stimulator
4 8" #10 Stimulator
14 9.43"

Cutthroat Trout

Caught Avg Size Pattern Optional Fields
1 16" #10 Stimulator
3 13" #12 Adams Parachute
6 10" #10 Hopper
10 11½"

Brook Trout

Caught Avg Size Pattern Optional Fields
25 8" #12 Elk Hair Caddis
25 8"
Total: 49 fish Top Patterns: Elk Hair Caddis (25) Stimulator (15) Hopper (6)

Weather

SkiesMorningAfternoonEvening
Mostly Sunny X
Precipitation
None X
Wind
None X
Air Temp High/Low
75.0°F / 97.0°F
Wind Direction
-
Weather Front
-
Barometer
-
Moon Phase
41% Full (Waxing crescent)

Other Patterns Tried

No other pattern information for this outing.

Hatches

No hatch information for this outing.

Insect Seining

No seining information for this outing.

Fishing Partners

Lisa (wife)

Waypoints

No waypoints were saved with this outing.

Notes

USGS 13337000 LOCHSA RIVER NR LOWELL ID
Spent three days on MF Clearwater at River Dance Lodge, about 6 miles west of confluence of Selway and Lochsa.
Fishing was good. Water was low and clear. Temps were high 90's with mid 70's when we hit the water in AM. Really hot during the day. No breeze at all. Had a few light showers in the evening the first night which really brought the bugs out.
On Lochsa, hit mile marker ~ 106 the first night after dinner, fished till dark, each got a mod cutthroat. Easy, beautiful, productive spot. Tons of turn-offs right on Hwy 12 but access overall was trying at times with the steep banks but doable.
Had always heard you needed to fish above 150 this time of year for fish so spent the next day up there with good success. Ran into Ranger, said that's bull, he recommended 117+.
Next day bounced around btwn 115 and 130 and caught as many on better water. Lisa hit a huge 15+ cutt that was gorgeous. On average, the cutts were 10-12 inches and a lot of brookies mixed in. The cutts liked the mod deep runs and channels. A lot of the river was wide and shallow and not very productive. Had most of our luck on the bends with a channel run or step-down drop. Tried some really deep pools and deep runs but becuz of the heat, it was hard to entice them up. Avoided the flat water.
Saw a few surface strikes and zeroed in with success. The bigger cutts were sippers but all were aggressive and a lot of air-strikes from the cutts. As long as they didn't feel the hook you could go back again and again till you finally took them.
Killed on the stimulators during the day and got a couple of nice ones on Adams at the close (5pm and on). Also did well on hoppers and big EHC. They seemed to like big and buggy. Really not choosy at all regarding flies or technique.
Love the Lochsa.