lochsa-river

Lochsa River is a river in Idaho.

It ranks #17 among the 28 waters of Idaho in the registry, and is of local prominence.

Fished for trout (inferred from the species listed).

Species: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bull trout and mountain whitefish.

USGS GNIS record: 385022.

Stretches: Upper Lochsa.

Access points: Wilderness Gateway and Knife Edge Campground.

Confluences: Lowell (Lochsa mouth).

Crooked Fork - Colt Killed confluence (head of the Lochsa) (confluence). It is fishable. Idaho Fish and Game defines the upper regulated section as running up to the meeting of Colt Killed Creek and Crooked Fork Creek, near Powell. Lochsa Lodge (in Powell) sends anglers to both creeks.

It is upstream of White Pine put-in.

Colt Killed Creek (feature). It is fishable. Hike-in trail; Lochsa Lodge says juvenile rainbows near the trailhead and larger fish farther up. Tributary, not the Lochsa itself.

Crooked Fork Creek (feature). It is fishable. Lochsa Lodge: less pressure and good-sized trout. Tributary, not the Lochsa itself.

White Pine put-in (access). It is fishable and launchable. Primitive non-motorised put-in/take-out at milepost 138 with room for about four vehicles (Blue Stream Fly only; not corroborated).

It is upstream of Wilderness Gateway.

It is downstream of Crooked Fork - Colt Killed confluence (head of the Lochsa).

Sourced from 4 independent fly sites.

Sources: bluestreamfly.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), cdn.orvis.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), Fly Anglers Online (retrieved 2026-10-20), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (retrieved 2026-10-20), lochsalodge.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), riverdancelodge.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), rowadventures.com (retrieved 2026-10-20) and Trout Unlimited (retrieved 2026-10-20).

Hatches

Caddis

Stage: adult. Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Lochsa Lodge: June through October, steady into fall; the 2012 post mentions a large caddis in mid-May and a Trout Unlimited trip report fished a small gray X-Caddis.

Sources: lochsalodge.com, Trout Unlimited, Fly Anglers Online

Salmonfly

Stage: adult. Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Lochsa Lodge (Powell) gives June to early July. A 2012 forum report had them dominant 9-13 May on a low-snow year before a big runoff pulse. Timing evidently moves with runoff.

Sources: lochsalodge.com, Fly Anglers Online

Grasshoppers

Stage: terrestrial. Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak July-August for surface-feeding cutthroat (Lochsa Lodge); a Trout Unlimited trip report had big chubby-style terrestrials moving larger fish.

Sources: lochsalodge.com, Trout Unlimited

Golden stonefly

Stage: adult. Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Early July to late August per Lochsa Lodge, which calls it often the most productive summer hatch; the 2012 forum post expected them later than May.

Sources: lochsalodge.com, Fly Anglers Online

Skwala

Stage: adult. Single or templated source.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

A forum poster fished skwalas around 13-14 May 2012 once salmonflies stopped working. Lochsa Lodge does not mention skwalas. One year, one poster.

Sources: Fly Anglers Online

Mayflies (unspecified)

Stage: dun. Single or templated source.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Lochsa Lodge says mayflies are steady through July.

Sources: lochsalodge.com

Access, closures and rules change; check with the state agency before you go.