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March 2013

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / 2013 / March (Page 2)

Mainstream Snake River

We have reports  from the USGS verifying that flow out of American Falls Reservoir has been increased to about 3000 cfs from around 450 cfs.   This will make for better cover and water conditions for those big trout.   But for those of us that wade, peril  increases.

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Big Lost River

Have you seen Tim’s recent Big Lost River contribution to our fishing report? What he offers is typical for fishing success this time of year on the river downstream of Mackay Dam.  Midge activity and an increasing chance for BWOs appearing as we advance into early spring can make for great winter fishing.  Pick a blue-bird day, string up your four- or five-weight system with a floating line,  and bundle up for a most enjoyable time.  At the time of this writing flows are about 111 cfs out of the dam thus making for easy wading.  That’s typical of flows now as water users begin storing water in the reservoir for the upcoming agricultural season.  Increases to around 200 cfs are possible, but if anything such an action gives fish more overhead cover thus reducing their skittishness.  Right now snow depth is not much along the river below the dam, so access is easy.

In general fishing success  this time of year can be more reliable than during the irrigation season when flows out of Mackay Dam can vary up and down abruptly at times putting fish down for a few days.  The Big Lost River Valley below the town of Mackay relies heavily on agriculture for economic well being, and the demand for water at critical times during the growing season takes priority over any recreational use.  At the end of the agricultural season flow out of Mackay Dam is again reduced as  storage in the reservoir above begins, and fishing success once again becomes more consistent.  So even though great fishing can be had during the summer months, especially when golden stoneflies or flavs are active and terrestrial insects populate banks, it is wise to watch for any abrupt changes in flow.  With reduced flows late in the irrigation season a real feature on the river here is the morning trico emergence.  That brings fly-fishers from all points to enjoy resulting activity.  After tricos wane, it is back to the autumn midge and BWO activity much like the current late winter-early spring activity.  Then as during this time of year it is not a bad idea to have a streamer or wooly bugger pattern along  to try for some of the lunker rainbows that sulk in deep holes and undercuts.

Just below Mackay Dam and around the campground there is good access to the river.  Remembering that you are with in legal actions by staying within the high water level of the stream bed, you can fish anywhere.  Downstream, closer to town, private land prevails and some land owners discourage access. Others, however will grant access to those asking with a diplomatic approach.  I recall an incident decades ago on the river that guaranteed me access over a piece of private land. This happened below town, but likely remains a good strategy.  We had asked for permission to access the river to end a float trip further down the valley.  We were given reluctant permission.  We put in at the Darlington Bridge with most of the trip going through private land.  During the way we picked up all kinds of garbage and offal.  When we ended the trip the land owner came out of the field he worked in. When he saw the load of garbage we had, he asked if we had picked it up along the river in his property.  To our affirmative answer he offered; ” If you did that for me, you can come here any time you want to fish!”  Another incident got me trespass permission just outside of Mackay. We were within the high water level of the river, but the observing land owner  reminded us to stay within or we would be trespassing.  Luckily I tied into and landed a rainbow a bit under twenty inches as that land owner observed.  On reviving the gorgeous rainbow and releasing it, the landowner offered “That’s great!  Now I can enjoy that fish. C’mon back any time you want to fish here.”

Most folks in the valley want you to enjoy the exceptional fishing the Big Lost River offers for miles below Mackay Dam.  Your visit has economic value.  There is our usual stop for breakfast or dinner at one of the fine restaurants in the valley, and we do the same at C-stores for a lunch and liquid refreshment.  If you are coming from afar and wish to fish a number of days on the river, motels or B&Bs here will welcome you, especially this time of year when tourists are few.   So consider a visit to this unusually productive river before irrigation flows make it tougher to fish.

 

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South Fork 3-16-13

A couple of days ago we floated from Lorenzo to Menan and were happy to see that the new ramp being built below Lorenzo. It will be on the south side of the river and access will be from the Lorenzo/Menan highway.  We don’t know the exact date that it will open but we will let when it is. In the meantime there is a 3 foot ledge of ice sitting on the ramp at current launch site. In order to put in you have to push the boat down over the ice ledge. Getting a boat out will take some extra rope and a good push by two folks on the back end of the boat. Then ice hopefully will melt in a week or so.

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South Fork 3-15

Fishing has been really good on the river for this time of year. Nymphing has producing the most fish. Jimmy saw a nice midge hatch on Wednesday on the river with fish rising on the surface. Streamer fishing is still and can be effective. Fish the deep slow to non-moving pools. We like to fish a full sinking line with a streamer, remember slow retrieve is the ticket with streamers.

As far as floating is concerned here is some information on the following boat ramps. You can take out at Conant but you will need chains and a rope. Wolf to Byington is a good float. Lorenzo boat ramp is almost impossible to take out but you can launch a boat over the ice. Menan is easy to take out as well. So your floats are Wolf to Byington and Lorenzo to Menan and Irwin to Conant. If you have questions feel free to give us a call.

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Beula Lake

Beula Lake

See that lake in the foreground of the “lookin’ south” areal  picture above?  That’s Beula Lake in the southwest area of Yellowstone National Park.   It is also one of the Park’s largest lake (a bit over 100 acres)  hosting Yellowstone cutthroat trout as the sole salmonid.  You cannot say that about larger Park lakes such as Yellowstone and Heart because they also host lake trout.  Trout Lake also hosts cutthroat-rainbow hybrids.  If I were to take a fly-fisher asking to catch cutthroat trout somewhere, especially in a back country setting, Beula Lake would be a top candidate for catching one.

Again, let’s look at the  picture above.  The trail head to Beula Lake is on the Ashton-Flagg Road at the east end of Grassy Lake Reservoir. You can see the trail’s trace towards the right through the skinny jackpine forest in the above picture. It ends at the southwest corner of the lake, a distance of 2.75 miles.  The first half mile from the trail head is uphill, but the rest is flat until you drop about 100 yards to the lake. There is a way to avoid this uphill pitch, but it is best described here in the shop.  That’s Fall River coming  into the southeast side of the lake. Fall River exits the lake at the northwest corner cascading down to flow through the first of stair-step meadows on exiting the Park and on into Idaho.  The elevation here is almost 7500 feet, so being in reasonable shape for the walk is advised.  There are three primitive campsites along the west shore of the lake.  Any one  of these can be used for an overnighter through the Park’s back country reservation system, but a day trip is totally practical.   Now let’s talk fishing.

The season here begins as soon as the USFS opens the Ashton-Flagg Road to traffic. That means after the road is dried. This is big snow country, so opening usually happens late in  June.  Much of Beula can be fished from the shoreline.  Just follow the fisherman trail around the lake to one of the several locations with shallow wading and allowing  back cast room.  Waders help, but are not necessary.  Beula cutts are not particular; any of your favorite small or medium sized  bead head nymph or leech patterns will attract cutts averaging 10-16 inches, but ranging to a bit over 20 inches.   A floating line and nine foot leader with  3-4X tippet  is all that is needed for presentation.  Damselfly action can be expected by the end of June, and speckled duns begin emerging in July.  So life cycle patterns for these two insect types work well any time, and the gulper fishing when they emerge can be terrific.  I’d mentioned wading as being effective for Beula, but if you are in good enough shape to pack a float tube in, you will have even better fishing.   Insulated waders may be best  for the water temps in the high fifties in degrees Fahrenheit.  Get  in front of the lily pad beds and pitch flies back towards the lilys or go to the inlet for non-stop action.  Thirty to forty fish days are common this way.  Again, going to the picture above, you can see Hering Lake  just to the south of Beula. You will need a float tube to fish Hering effectively, but your reward can be cutthroats ranging  to over four pounds.  But that is not every year.  Hering is not as hospitable as Beula, and trout get trapped in it when water connecting the two lakes recedes in springtime.  Some years only a few fish get trapped in Hering,  but competition is lower here , so they grow to larger sizes.  By September another food form is important on these two lakes.  That would be from the ant swarms that frequent the area.  When they fall in good numbers onto the lake surfaces, trout key on them with enthusiasm.  Around the end of September to the first of October the season begins ending here.  That is mainly because of weather.  Rain or snow storms can make the Ashton-Flagg Road tough for other than four-wheel drive vehicles, but when blue bird days extend into October, Beula (and Hering) can be spectacular fishing.  Just keep an eye on the sky for a change in the weather.  Any time you venture here bring potable water, ultra violet protection, and a reliable raincoat.  You will be for a unique and great back country fly-fishing experience.

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Big Lost 3-12

The Big Lost has been picking up lately with the nice weather. Good midge hatches and very few Blue Wing Olives. I would continue to look for a BWO hatch any day now. Nymphing a prince nymph and Zebra midges has also been very productive. Don’t forget a few BWO nymphs. We have a great selection here in the shop.

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Salmon River 3-12

We wanted to give you all a heads up on the Steelhead fishing conditions in Salmon. All boat rams are open and accessible from Salmon down to North Fork. There is still a lot of self ice so be careful.

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Henry’s Fork

As far as we know floating Warm River to Ashton is still out of the question because of the boat ramp at Ashton is still covered in snow and self ice. The same goes for Vernon to Chester. As soon as this opens we will let know. There is good wade fishing on the Henry’s Fork right now. Midges and nymphs have been working the best. I would pack some Blue Wing Olives in my fly box if I was going fishing up there soon. With the warm weather this week it would not surprise me at all to see some BWO’s hatching.

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South Fork 3-12

Well the time has come to update the South Fork fishing report. Flows are still steady at 900 cfs. Fishing is starting to pick up. Reports of Midges hatching on the warmer days and good success on nymphing deep. Streamer fishing is also been producing fish. Be sure your deep and slow with the streamer. We have been starting to see some more action on the Blue Wing Olive nymphs and that will continue to pick up as the weather gets warmer. Spring creek boat ramp is still pretty hard to get in and out of right now and you still need chains or a really long rope at Conant. Wolf to Byington is accessible if you want to float. No reason to drag the drift boat out yet though. There are still really great spot you can access through wade fishing.

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Today at Jimmy’s 3-12

We got some new Wheatley Fly boxes in. Lots of people have been asking about these fly boxes for storing steelhead flies. Wheatley is a great fly box that has a classic look. These boxes make any fly look good…Except a foam fly. Don’t disgrace a Wheatley with a Chernobyl Ant, it’s just wrong.

We also have tickets for the IF4 Fly Fishing Film Tour on sale until this evening at 6pm. After that you will need to buy tickets at the Colonial Theater. See ya there!

We still have a few spots left in our special topics tying classes. This will be the last month for these classes. Call and sign up today. Spots are limited and filling quickly.

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