By June and July everything is green. The best fishing opportunities are found on the upper river for stream-bread trout. Temperatures can be hot during the day but are normally cool in the evening providing great weather for camping near the river. The fly tackle requirements for fishing the lower Salmon River are quite simple. Seven or eight weight rods are a good match for steelhead and brown trout, while eight and nine weight rods are the right choice for Chinook salmon.
Some guides prefer five and six weight rods for steelhead to better accommodate very light tippets.
Rod length is important for proper line control. It should be a minimum of nine feet. My preference is is a ten foot rod. The main characteristic of the reel is a smooth, adjustable drag. There should be no hesitation in the drag when a fish takes line from the spool.