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All Idaho reports
South Fork Clearwater River
Generated artwork: BlueStreamFly · Regional illustration; not the exact location.
Should I go fishing?
Check the water temperature first.
Water temperature is unconfirmed. Use a stream thermometer; stop trout fishing at 70°F or warmer, or sooner if fish show stress.
Fishing rating92
Rating updatedRiver local time:
Why this recommendation?
USGS shows 170 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1965-2025, 61 readings) show a typical middle range of 137 cfs to 238 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
Available live dataHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Confidence in this recommendationMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Usually checks again about every 45 minutes
If you go
- Check first
- RiverReports is the working chart, backed by USGS 13338500 at Stites for official flow context.
- Try
- Check the Stites gauge first, then decide whether the day is a resident-fish session, a live-season steelhead or salmon check, or a full skip.
- Leave when
- Skip when the river is muddy, the species season is not clearly open for your target, or the area turns into pure runoff management instead of fishing water.
Flow and weather
Showing server-checked river conditions while current readings refresh.
- Flow
- 170 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air forecast
- 64°F
- Next 24h high
- 81.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 0%
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Mostly Cloudy
- Wind
- 1 mph
- Weather checked
More forecast and source details
Mostly Cloudy
National Weather Service
South Fork Clearwater River forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: South Fork Clearwater River at Stites
Flies for this time of year
Seasonal starting points, not a live hatch report. Match what you see on the water.
- Blue-Winged Olive PatternsParachute BWOView fly guide ↗
- Caddis Patterns by Stagecaddis emergerView fly guide ↗
- Woolly Buggerolive buggerView fly guide ↗
See flies for every season
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Spring
What to look forMidges, caddis, and small mayflies
Early summer
What to look forCaddis, PMDs, and stonefly nymph windows
Summer
What to look forCaddis and terrestrials
FallThis season
What to look forBWOs, caddis, and streamer windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
More fishing tips
Methods, fish species and trip notes
How to fish South Fork Clearwater River today.
Fish this river when the lower area still has edge definition, the weather gives you enough cool water for a full session, and the current species season matches your target. Skip it when muddy runoff, soft road assumptions, or stale steelhead or salmon information become the whole story.
Stable moderate flow
Best for swinging soft edges, nymphing travel seams, and fishing named area access without guessing.
High or dirty water
Usually a skip or scout call because the area loses clarity and safe bank positions quickly.
Low clear summer flow
Fish early, keep drifts compact, and focus on cover and shade instead of forcing bright open runs.
Cold shoulder-season flow
A good resident-fish and whitefish window if the river still has shape and you are not relying on a stale salmonid opener.
Wading, bank fishing or floating?
Access choicesNo single best option
Wading, Bank fishing, and Floating have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Wading92/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Bank fishing92/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Floating92/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Full river report
Is South Fork Clearwater River worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Idaho before you go.
The South Fork Clearwater is most useful when the Stites gauge leaves soft edges, travel seams, and clear enough water to fish the named Highway 14 access points efficiently. It loses value when runoff or basin color wipes out visibility, or when anglers confuse resident-trout rules with separate steelhead and salmon season pages.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Seam
- A seam is the line where fast and slow water meet.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Emerger
- An emerger copies an insect as it rises from below the water toward the surface.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pale morning dun (PMD)
- Pale morning duns, or PMDs, are light-colored mayflies that often hatch in warmer months.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
Why this call
Why this score
FlowHelps
USGS shows 170 cfs. The flow has been stable over about 6 hours. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1965-2025, 61 readings) show a typical middle range of 137 cfs to 238 cfs. Flow is within the typical range for this date, so weather, temperature, and access become the next checks.
SeasonHelps
Fall: Strong when cooler weather improves corridor comfort and the river is not carrying too much color.
WeatherHelps
The current NWS air forecast is about 64F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 81F. Mostly Cloudy.
Public alertsHelps
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps
Skip when the river is muddy, the species season is not clearly open for your target, or the corridor turns into pure runoff management instead of fishing water.
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Stable clear-to-lightly tinted flows that still leave readable travel seams and soft banks at the Stites area.
Skip when the river is muddy, the species season is not clearly open for your target, or the area turns into pure runoff management instead of fishing water.
Start at one named Highway 14 site, fish the first reliable edge water well, and move only if the gauge and clarity say the rest of the area is worth it.
If the South Fork is too broad, colored, or rule-complicated for the day, pivot to the main-stem Clearwater or a colder mountain alternative like the Lochsa after checking conditions.
South Fork Clearwater River access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter.
Before you go
Use Idaho Fish and Game's South Fork Clearwater water page first, then check the current separate steelhead and salmon rules if those species are part of your plan. Cutthroat are catch-and-release only here, and special hook rules can apply while fishing for steelhead or salmon.
Where to access the river
South Fork Campground
An official Forest Service recreation site directly on the Highway 14 river area.
Johns Creek Trailhead
A named public access node with a footbridge area for walk-in river scouting.
Highway 14 area pull-offs
Useful for quick flow and color checks where parking and entry are clearly safe and legal.
- The Highway 14 area makes this river easier to scout than many Idaho canyon waters, but named public sites are still the safest anchors.
- Seasonal access decisions should factor in current Forest Service road and area conditions before you commit to a long upstream drive.
- This is a better one-area day than a hop-between-every-spot day unless you are only scouting flows and access.
Sources and report details
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
See all 8 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report uses official regulation, flow, weather, access, and public-land sources first, then adds practical planning guidance for fly anglers.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Quick questions
What should I check first on the South Fork Clearwater River?
Start with RiverReports and USGS 13338500 at Stites, then confirm the current Idaho Fish and Game rules for the exact species you plan to target.
Can I fish this page as a generic trout report all year?
Not safely. Resident-fish planning is one thing, but salmon and steelhead seasons require separate live-rule checks and can change the legal picture.
Where should I start if I have never fished the area?
Use one named Highway 14 access point such as South Fork Campground or Johns Creek, fish it well, and let flow and clarity decide whether you expand the day.