Selway River Fishing Guides
One of the original Wild and Scenic rivers, a wilderness cutthroat fishery reached by rough road or by raft.
Guides on the Selway River
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About the Selway River
The Selway was among the eight rivers named in the original Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, and it has been guarded ever since. Above Selway Falls the river runs through the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, where the only ways in are a permitted float, a long hike, or a backcountry airstrip. The float permit is one of the hardest to draw in the United States – a handful of launches per season – which keeps the upper river as lightly fished as any water of its size in the lower forty-eight.
Below the falls the river is reachable by a narrow forest road running upstream from Lowell, and that stretch is where most anglers actually fish. It is still excellent. Westslope cutthroat are the native trout and the main quarry, and in the absence of pressure they behave the way trout used to behave, rising freely to a dry fly drifted anywhere near a current seam. The water runs clear over granite and cobble, so wading is straightforward when levels allow and the fish are visible in the softer runs.
Bull trout share the river and are strictly protected, so anglers should be prepared to identify them and release them in the water. Steelhead push into the lower river in fall, and a small wild run reaches well upstream. The Selway is not a numbers fishery in the way some tailwaters are, but the quality of the setting and the willingness of the fish more than make up for it. Anyone floating the wilderness reach should treat the trip as a wilderness expedition first and a fishing trip second.
Logistics matter more here than tactics. The road above Lowell is narrow, unpaved for much of its length and slow, so plan on well over an hour to reach the falls. There are no services upstream of Lowell, cell coverage is absent, and the nearest fuel and lodging are a long drive away. Anglers should carry everything they need for the day and be prepared for weather that changes quickly at elevation. Bears are present throughout the drainage and food should be stored accordingly.
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Access
Lowell - the Lochsa confluence and the start of the Selway road.
Selway Falls Campground - the practical upper limit of road access.
O'Hara Creek - developed campground and a popular river reach.
Boyd Creek river access - a marked pullout with parking and a trail.
Rackliff Creek - walk-and-wade access on the lower river.
Slims Camp - a quieter access point along the forest road.
Paradise launch - the wilderness float put-in above the falls, permit required.
Seasons
Spring: heavy snowmelt makes the river unfishable and the wilderness float season begins.
Summer: flows drop and clear by July; the best dry-fly cutthroat fishing of the year runs into September.
Fall: cool, low and clear, with fine trout fishing and steelhead in the lower river.
Winter: the road is largely impassable and the river is effectively closed to access.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Selway River?
As of Sep 17, 5:00 am, the USGS gauge SELWAY RIVER NR LOWELL ID reads 645 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Selway River?
Anglers target Bull Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead, Westslope Cutthroat Trout on the Selway River in Idaho.
Where can you access the Selway River?
Lowell - the Lochsa confluence and the start of the Selway road. Selway Falls Campground - the practical upper limit of road access. O'Hara Creek - developed campground and a popular river reach. Boyd Creek river access - a marked pullout with parking and a trail. Rackliff Creek - walk-and-wade access on the lower river. Slims Camp - a quieter access point along the forest road. Paradise launch - the wilderness float put-in above the falls, permit required.
When is the best time to fish the Selway River?
Spring: heavy snowmelt makes the river unfishable and the wilderness float season begins. Summer: flows drop and clear by July; the best dry-fly cutthroat fishing of the year runs into September. Fall: cool, low and clear, with fine trout fishing and steelhead in the lower river. Winter: the road is largely impassable and the river is effectively closed to access.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Selway River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Idaho agency site: https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish