Going on a trip to fish summer fish the second week in Oct. Just wondering what optimum levels at Heller should be for the most productive fishery from there to the confluence of the Salmon.

I predict 8-11 thousand cfs in the daytime during that time frame- As for whats the best flow??? I think whenever you are up there and have a line in the water would be a good flow . The Salmon itself is way low this year. 3100 to 3700 which is major skinny.. P.S Fish at Riggins already!!!

I think it was last week that they were going to be playing with the water flows out of Hells Canyon Dam for some sort of study. Sorry, I can't exactly remember when or at what levels they were going to run. However, the article did mention that the flows could be low enough to cause some boating problems for people in larger jet boats above the Grande Rhonde confluence. Maybe somone else here has some info on this as well. I'll try and find the article that I read. So, just a heads up for ya. Good Luck up there, there should be lots of fish around by then.
Already fish around Riggins, wow. I had a buddy that hooked two on the Rhonde last weekend. I guess it's time to get out.

Duke

Right you are on that one B-run.A sunny afternoon below Imnaha should be enough any soul could ask for. But a fish or 3 makes for a full trip. I made a trip with Skip and stayed at the hot springs 3 and 4 years ago. It seemed when the water was fairly low we waxed em. But tree years ago fighting high water we really had to work for the fish.

Low flows out of Hells Canyon dam will start Wednesday (9/27) and run through Friday. For the purpose of some scientific study related Idaho Power's hydroelectric relicensing, the outflow will drop to 5,000 cfs, meaning the level at Heller Bar will be somewhere around 10,000-11,000. Some of the old boys around here are saying that unless a jet boater knows the river extremely well, they're better off staying away during this period.

Jeb, thanks for the clarification on the flows. I just didn't want mmouse to get caught off guard but it looks like it will not affect his trip.

Duke