St. Joe River Idaho

The St. Joe River was once described as "among the best trout streams in North America". That review, from several newspaper accounts, dates back to the early 1900’s. Log drives on the river and over-fishing devastated this once world-class fishery. Today, with some common sense and smart conservation, this river has regained blue-ribbon status as a fly fishing stream.

The river has some of the easiest access in Idaho. From its beginnings high in the Bitterroot Mountains near the Idaho-Montana border, the St. Joe travels about 120 miles to its rendezvous with the southern end of Lake Coeur d’Alene. From the quaint town of St. Maries, Idaho, the access road faithfully follows the river for 89 miles. This paved roadway is known and maintained as the St. Joe River Scenic Byway.

The Byway begins on Forest Highway 50 at the junction with State Route 3. As you head east from St. Maries along the river, don’t lose hope in finding good trout water. Along this early part of your drive, you will notice that the river is wide and slow-moving. You will likely encounter canoeists, bass fishermen and water skiers. Do not let that faze you. It will get a lot better up the road!

If you will camp on the St. Joe, there are 8 Forest Service campgrounds along the river corridor, with many other undeveloped locations to camp. I like Turner Flat and Tin Can Flat, two Forest Service campgrounds east of Avery. Both have 11 campsites, with drinking water and vault toilets.

Autumn at Avery on the St. Joe

The North Fork of the St. Joe enters the main river just east of Avery. From there on east the St. Joe is protected water, partly as a Recreational River and partly under the Wild Rivers & Scenic Rivers Act. Forest Highway 50 changes to Forest Service Road 218 near the Historic Red Ives Ranger Station, and the road ends at Spruce Tree Campground. This is the beginning of the Wild River portion of the St. Joe. Avery upstream is catch-and-release water, allowing barbless hooks only and not allowing bait.

There is a small, recently renovated campsite on the North Fork, called North Fork Joe Campground. Its found 6 miles north of Avery on the N. Fork of the St. Joe Road (FR 456), turn south on Old Moon Pass Road for 1 mile. The camp has 5 units, with vault toilets. The refuse policy is Pack it In, Pack it Out. No developed water and trailers are not recommended. Fish up or downstream from the campground for fine cutthroat to 18 inches.

If you have the choice, fish on weekdays rather than weekends. As a rule of thumb, you will encounter fewer fishermen the further upriver you go. Fish types include west slope cutthroats, bull trout and the mountain whitefish. A 5 or 6-weight rod with matching line is called for. The Irresistible, Wulff patterns, Caddis patterns and the Renegade are good for dry fly fishing. Fast-sinking nymphs are okay, but they seem to work best early in the year, during high water. My favorite has been the Muddler Minnow, fished wet. All of these flies are best in sizes 10 through 16.

The St. Joe River is one of my favorite streams in the state. I will bet that it will become one of your favorites, too. Give it a play and find out what this beautiful river has to offer. Tight lines.

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