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Photo: The Lochsa River holds giant steelhead and salmon, as well as countless cutthroat and whitefish, in its shallow water. Photo courtesy Drew Winterer.

The wild Lochsa River runs between the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area and the last remaining roadless portion of the entire Lewis and Clark Trail. Here, in the mountains of north-central Idaho, the river and its valley look much as they did in 1805 (with the exception of some ugly and blatant logging activity). The Lochsa does not currently have the dams that plague other rivers (the two small dams that previously existed on the Clearwater River have been removed). Homesteaders never lingered near the cold and tough-looking Lochsa Face. The Lochsa Face is the giant tree-covered wall that rises north of the river, sometimes over 2,000 feet above the river and its creeks. The river falls, cutting and weaving at the base of the Face, turning giant rocks into pebbles over time. The Lochsa River is known more for white-water thrills than for fishing. Every spring, kayakers and rafters from around the northwest flock here for high water. The big drops, fast water and numerous rapids, combined with a road that follows the length of the river, make this a busy river when the water is up. After the snow melt, though, attention goes elsewhere, leaving the river alone to just a handful of anglers, which is just how the anglers like it.

Where to Fish Where to fish: The Lochsa River, Idaho How to get there: To find the fishing hole that Indians described to Lewis and Clark, follow Route 12 four miles south of Lochsa Lodge, roughly 16 miles west of Lolo Pass. On the north side of the road you can see the saddle that Lewis and Clark hiked up. On the south side, the river bends away from the road. Here, where the river has carved deep holes into the solid bedrock, anglers have long fished with satisfying results. After enjoying the fishing, visit Forest Service Road 500 and see the last wild parts of the Lewis and Clark Trail (check first with the U.S. Forest Service at the nearby Powell Ranger Station, 208-942-3113, or at the Kooskia Ranger Station, 208-926-4274, as this road is rough and remote and a permit may be necessary to drive it). The scenic vistas here match the tremendous fishing of the Lochsa itself. What to fish for: Westslope cutthroat, salmon and steelhead What to use: For flies, chose stimulators, caddis flies, bead-head nymphs and stoneflies. For lures, try Panther-Martens, red-and-black daredevil, green spoons and Mepps. Salmon eggs will work as bait for the big fish. Note: You must release all wild steelhead. They can be identified by the distinct presence of an adipose fin. Hatchery fish generally have this fin clipped, so that it is missing altogether or only a small piece of scar tissue remains. The adipose fin is the fin between the dorsal fin and the tail along the top or back of the fish. Other resources: http://www.traflyfish.com/