Idaho Fish and Game will not decide until mid-November whether surplus steelhead can go into the Boise River this fall because the 2026 return ranks among the lowest recorded. Statewide bag limits dropped in September to protect wild spawners and fill hatchery needs.

Fish for the river come only after Oxbow Hatchery meets its 600-fish broodstock goal from a Snake River trap that opens in early November, a process that can last two weeks in poor years. Any extras are divided among Idaho, Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe. Anglers should watch agency channels around November 20, when a single stocking, if it happens, often occurs the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.