american-falls-tailwater

American Falls Tailwater is a stretch on Snake River, Idaho.

Also called American Falls tailrace, Basalt Canyon and Snake River below American Falls Dam.

It is fishable and launchable.

The one stretch of the Idaho mainstem with real trout interest: IDFG calls it the tailrace fishery; Wet Fly Swing's guest, Larry Larsen of Snake River Fly, calls the water below American Falls the 'Basalt Canyon' tailwater and talks bass, carp and big rainbows; Jeff Currier fished smallmouth, carp and a large rainbow around Massacre Rocks. IDFG splits it into two regulation reaches: dam to Eagle R

Sourced from 4 sites.

Sources: Idaho Department of Fish and Game (retrieved 2026-10-20), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (2) (retrieved 2026-10-20), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (3) (retrieved 2026-10-20), jeffcurrier.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), jeffcurrier.com (2) (retrieved 2026-10-20), jhnewsandguide.com (retrieved 2026-10-20) and wetflyswing.libsyn.com (retrieved 2026-10-20).

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