Crossing Salmon river with cheap raft? Idaho unit 20-20A

[Bossmann14]

Has any one crossed the salmon river in a cheap raft during the fall? looking to just cross it from unit 20 to 20A since the Stoddard Bridge is out? Would it be sketchy?

 

[idahohikker]

Super sketchy. The river in that area runs wide and fast with rapids and is not very safe to cross in any raft type craft. You're also risking icing later in the season and dangers of low water temps. I have personally crossed the river there in mid November and all involved agreed they probably would never do that again. There's also tons of jet boats zipping around so it's not like you're anywhere that others aren't.

If you want to pursue a hunt in the area, PM me and I will share some suggestions that are safer bets.

 

[Bossmann14]

O dang thanks for the info, I just assumed that in the fall it is a calm weak river, I guess not. I will pm with other questions.

 

[BeaverHunter]

I’ll disagree with Idahohiker on this one. If you’re looking to cross in that area you could pretty easily in the fall with a small boat such as a drift boat or small raft. Not a Walmart special but a decent raft. You would probably even be ok in a cheap raft but I wouldn’t risk it especially with all my hunting gear and especially not with a load of guys and meat coming back out. The bad news is that odds are you won’t have to worry about a lid of meat because the deer and especially the elk populations have been hit pretty hard in that area. In my humble opinion.

 

[idahohikker]

O dang thanks for the info, I just assumed that in the fall it is a calm weak river, I guess not. I will pm with other questions.

The Salmon is a raging river.

For others that may come across this, you don’t need to go to these lengths to find deer in Idaho. In fact 20/20a have some of the lower deer densities in Idaho. If you’re just into rafting, that’s one thing but many areas have more deer and better deer.

 

[idahohikker]

I’ll disagree with Idahohiker on this one. If you’re looking to cross in that area you could pretty easily in the fall with a small boat such as a drift boat or small raft. Not a Walmart special but a decent raft. You would probably even be ok in a cheap raft but I wouldn’t risk it especially with all my hunting gear and especially not with a load of guys and meat coming back out. The bad news is that odds are you won’t have to worry about a lid of meat because the deer and especially the elk populations have been hit pretty hard in that area. In my humble opinion.

You would cross at Stoddard?

I’ll agree that if you hunt out the right stretch of slack water that it’s not too bad.

 

[BeaverHunter]

You would cross at Stoddard?

I’ll agree that if you hunt out the right stretch of slack water that it’s not too bad.

No I wouldn’t cross right at stoddard but not too far away from it.

 

[Bossmann14]

Yeah I know it’s not the best area but if you hunt hard enough they are in there. And does anybody know when the new stoddard bridge will be built? Also which are the main jet boat companies in there area?

 

[welch01]

Try checking with the Salmon River Lodge.

https://salmonriverlodgeresort.com/

They are located just across the river from the Corn Creek boat ramp.

 

[208backcountry]

Enough people playing on that river with jet boats, I would bet it wouldn’t take too much calling around to find someone who would shuttle you where you want to go. I wouldn’t risk it in the wrong vessel

 

[208backcountry]

You don’t want to be “finding Nemo” in the salmon river any time of year

 

[Backwoodmac]

Salmon has claimed a lot of lives