Picture a western fly fishing stream. Trout dart beneath the surface of secluded pools while gin-clear water tumbles over boulders, shaded by towering pines and framed by rugged mountain peaks. Chances are, the image in your mind looks an awful lot like the Lochsa River.
An endlessly beautiful river in Northern Idaho, the Lochsa is known for harboring trout that are both abundant and willing to bite. Trophies aren’t unheard of, but you’re unlikely to catch the biggest trout of your life here. Fish measuring 10 to 15 inches are typical. Even so, with scenery this charming and trout this accommodating, it’s almost impossible to walk away from the Lochsa River feeling dissatisfied.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout and More
Native westslope cutthroat trout are the primary trout species in the Lochsa River. Spunky and energetic, these fish are typically willing to take classic attractor flies, though they’ll also key in on a specific hatch at times. Known for their energetic runs and airborne leaps, westslope cutthroats are a joy to catch and some of the prettiest fish that swim in Idaho waters. The Department of Fish and Game doesn’t stock them in the river, so all the cutthroats in the Lochsa are wild fish.
The Lochsa River is also home to Idaho’s iconic bull trout, a much larger and more elusive species that often reaches 10 pounds. Living in the deepest and most secluded pools of the Lochsa River, bull trout feed on minnows, crustaceans and even small cutthroat trout. Contrary to common misconception, targeting bull trout is perfectly legal, but they must be returned to the water immediately.
A modest number of ocean-run steelhead enter the Lochsa River from the Clearwater River in the fall and winter, but the Lochsa is managed as a steelhead refuge, and targeting them is not permitted.
Best Time to Fly Fish the Lochsa River
Timing is very important when planning a Lochsa River fly fishing trip. Throughout most of the spring, the river is unfishable due to snowmelt runoff. Whitewater rafting, not fly fishing, is what attracts people to the Lochsa this time of year. If you’re fishing early in the season, you might have better luck in the river’s small, hidden tributaries, of which there are many.
The river may be a muddy torrent as late as early July, but it clears up by mid-July most years, and by the end of the month fishing really starts to pick up. August, September and October are the best fly fishing months on the Lochsa, with low, clear water and hungry trout aplenty. Good conditions usually persist through Thanksgiving.
Seasonal Hatches and Fly Patterns
Hatches on the Lochsa River are numerous and abundant, with near-continuous cycles of mayflies and caddis species throughout the prime months from midsummer through fall. Expect to see pale Morning Duns and Green Caddis in July and into August, followed by October Caddis from September through October. Blue Winged Olives emerge prolifically in spring, and then hatch again in fall.
The Lochsa is a great dry fly river. Nymphing can also work very well, especially in some of the deeper, stiller pools, but if you like throwing dry flies, you can catch fish doing so more often than not. Cutthroats are usually willing to rise and lap up an Elk Hair Caddis or Stimulator in sizes #12 to #18. The Lochsa is a very “bouldery” river, and the bigger trout tend to hang out around deeper current seams among the rocks.
There’s always a good chance of running into a stonefly hatch in summer too, so have a few Parachute Hoppers or other big, chunky dry flies handy. A Chubby Chernobyl often works wonders, and you might be surprised how willing even smaller cutthroats are to snatch a big fly from the surface.
These big surface flies can also be used as strike indicators; try tying on a pink San Juan Worm suspended on a dropper beneath a Hopper. Fly box staples like Wooly Buggers also produce a lot of strikes here, especially green or olive colors. Tie on a Clouser or Sculpin and aim it toward deep water for bull trout.
Access Along the Highway 12 Corridor
The Lochsa River’s headwaters lie within the Bitterroot Mountains in Lolo Pass, a stone’s throw from the Montana state line. From there, the river meanders gracefully westward through roughly 70 miles of Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest until it merges with the Selway River to form the West Fork of the Clearwater River just east of Kooskia.
U.S. Highway 12 parallels the Lochsa River throughout nearly its entire course, and there are dozens of access points along the way. Several U.S. Forest Service campgrounds are located directly alongside the river, and roadside turn-offs that provide foot access for anglers are numerous. The Lochsa Lodge is another great spot, offering four-season accommodations.
Unless you’re coming from Missoula, the easiest way to the Lochsa River is from the west. Route 12 provides a direct route from Lewiston and other points on the west side of the Idaho Panhandle.
Know Before You Go
Despite its renown, the Lochsa River has a reputation as somewhat of a local’s river. It’s unusual for it to be crowded even during prime late summer weekends, and if the most obvious spots are taken, it’s usually not hard to hoof it to an equally promising secluded spot that’s farther from the beaten path.
This is a great river for walking and wading, but also one that requires some caution. Some of its pools and plunges are deceptively deep, and with much of the bank and riverbed made up of bowling ball-sized boulders, it’s easy to make a misstep. Don’t expect to jog along the bank; this is a river that necessitates taking each step with care. Whether you plan on wading or not, a wading staff is good to have handy.
Gear-wise, a 5w or 6w rod is generally ideal, giving you the ability to cast large flies long distances. The upper Lochsa is little more than a creek, but it widens significantly, and it’s a pretty good-sized river as it approaches its confluence with the Selway.
For a fly fishing adventure with a true wilderness feel, head to the upper Lochsa River. The White Pine Campground is the final outpost of civilization after Route 12 veers away from the river, and the Lochsa’s uppermost few miles can be reached only on foot.