What will steelhead fishing look like on the Boise River this fall

Interested in reading more about this year's steelhead returns? Fish and Game's Clearwater Regional Fish Manager Joe Thiessen has an informative article that lays out additional information on how the 2026 return compares to previous years and theories as to why steelhead returns are lower this year.

Some additional background on stocking the Boise River with steelhead

Salmon and steelhead historically returned to the Boise River until around 1958 when the Brownlee Dam was completed. Since 1983, Fish and Game and Idaho Power Company have stocked surplus steelhead from the Oxbow Fish Hatchery into the Boise River when fish are available.

During the past 30 years, the Boise River has received steelhead every year except for 2019. The 2026 return is projected to be similar to the 2019 return, so anglers should be aware that there may not be enough fish available this year to stock steelhead in the Boise River. As the number of steelhead returning to Idaho have declined, so has the total number of steelhead stocked into the Boise River.

From 2000-2009, the Boise River received an average of 1,086 steelhead which dropped to approximately 504 fish per year between 2010-2019. From 2020-2025, the Boise River has been stocked with an average of 379 fish per year.