Payette River, South Fork and tributaries

Southwest Region rules (base layer)

Regional bag limits and rules for the Southwest Region; all waters open all year except as modified by the special rules.

1. Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth): Bass limit is 6, both species combined None under 12 inches
2. Brook Trout: Brook Trout limit is 25 Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for Brook Trout
3. Bull Trout: Bull Trout - catch-and-release
4. Kokanee: Kokanee limit is 6
5. Salmon (ocean-run): Spring and summer Chinook Salmon seasons and limits are set by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission and issued in separate brochures Seasons and limits for fall Chinook Salmon and Coho
6. Salmon can be found on page 54: Sockeye Salmon fishing is illegal. Defined as ocean-run Oncorhynchus nerka longer than 14 inches in the Snake River drainage below Hells Canyon Dam and the Salmon River drainage (excluding above Mosquito Flat Dam) Fishing for salmon is prohibited unless a salmon season is specifically opened for that water
7. Steelhead (ocean-run): Defined as Rainbow Trout longer than 20 inches in the Salmon River drainage (excluding lakes and reservoirs). Between Hells Canyon Dam and Oxbow Dam and the Boise River from its mouth upstream to Barber Dam during steelhead seasons, steelhead are Rainbow Trout over 20 inches with the adipose fin clipped (as evidenced by a healed scar) Fishing for steelhead is prohibited unless a steelhead season is specifically opened for that water (see steelhead seasons/ limits on page 53)
8. Sturgeon: Sturgeon - catch-and-release Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required, see page 56
9. Tiger Muskie: Tiger Muskie limit is 2, none under 40 inches Trout includes Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Golden Trout, Arctic Grayling, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, land-locked Chinook and Coho Salmon, trout hybrids (e.g. Tiger Trout) Trout limit is 6, all species combined Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit
10. Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately: Walleye (Stocked illegally in this Region. May be harmful to existing fisheries.) Harvest is encouraged. No bag, length, or possession limits. Spearfishing allowed
11. Whitefish: Whitefish limit is 25 Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for whitefish Protected Nongame Fish includes Pacific Lamprey May not be harvested or possessed All Other Fish Species includes bullfrogs and crayfish No bag, length, or possession limits General Daily Limits The following daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Southwest Region except as modified in the Special Rule Waters on Pages 27-29. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit. Ben Ross Reservoir Big Creek Brundage Reservoir and tributaries Cascade Aquarium Pond Chamberlain Creek and tributaries Hells Canyon Reservoir Little Payette Lake Louie Lake Oxbow Reservoir Payette River, North Fork Rapid River and tributaries Roosevelt Lake
12. Salmon River tributaries: S almon River, South Fork and tributaries Stibnite Pond (Glory Hole) Warren Creek Bear Valley Creek Boise River Boise River, Middle Fork Boise River, South Fork Caldwell Ponds Chief Eagle Eye Creek and tributaries CJ Strike Reservoir Crane Falls Lake Deadwood Reservoir tributaries Dick Knox Pond Duck Valley Indian Reservation Lake Lowell McDevitt Pond Middle Fork Salmon River M.K. Nature Center Owyhee River and tributaries Parkcenter Pond Payette River, South Fork and tributaries Sage Hen Reservoir tributaries
13. Salmon River, Middle Fork: and tributaries Weiser Community Pond Wilson Springs Ponds Southwest Region North - McCall Southwest Region South - Nampa Ben Ross Reservoir Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches Big Creek (tributary to the Middle Fork Salmon River) Trout - catch-and-release No bait allowed, barbless hooks required Brundage Reservoir and tributaries Trout limit is 2, none over 14 inches No bait allowed Cascade Aquarium Pond

Idaho Fishing Seasons & Rules 2025-2027 (idfg.idaho.gov booklet) - Southwest Region · Captured in the state's own words; checked against the source July 3, 2026.

At the water nowContext

Streamflow: 520 cfs at south fork payette river at lowman, id (2026-07-29 01:30)

Forecast: National Weather Service. Flow: nearest active USGS gauge in this water's area, which may sit on a different reach. Conditions are context, not rules.

Pick from the species named in Payette River, South Fork and tributaries's rules. Setups are checked against the gear rules in force today, and your picks are remembered on this device only. These are rule-aware suggestions, not a claim about what is biting; advice, not law, and the rules above govern.