Fly over Henry’s Lake, and you can tell from the boat clusters where the good fishing is. In front of Targhee and Duck creeks, in front of The Cliffs, and certain spots out in the lake where there are channels between weed beds are favored locations. Damselfly nymphs are what’s working in these places. So are midge pupa patterns if you can find the taking depth, and small woolly bugger patterns.
First off, the South Fork is fishing great all throughout the river. The salmon flies are now all the way up to the Palisades Dam, but they are still in the canyon. When fishing the big bugs, I would stop on a gravel bar and fish the structures like log jams, big boulders, and troughs. Along with the big bugs are PMDs, Yellow Sallies, and a big Caddis towards night. If there is an overcast day, I would not be afraid to try a streamer. Therefore the selection of flies I would have, goes as such:
Trout Flies:
Super Chernobyl Golden Yellow (size 8 & 10)
CFO Pink Ant (size 8)
Improved Sofa Pillow (size 4)
Rollin Stone (size 4)
Small Dries:
Pink Comparadun (size 16 & 18)
Pink Albert CDC Biot Emerger (size 16 & 18)
Kyle’s Yellow Sally (size 12 & 14)
Goddard Caddis (size 14)
Nymphs:
Bennet’s Seal Rubber Legs (size 6 & 8)
Beadhead Crystal Pheasant Tail (size 14 & 16)
Red Copper John (size 14 & 16)
Streamers:
Gallop’s Olive or White Sex Dungen (size 2)
Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow Sculpin (size 6)
Stenersen’s Lite Brite Minnow Rainbow (size 4)
PreviewJimmy’s will be open on the 4th! If you are looking to go fishing on the 4th, come on in for a great fly pattern choice and information on where ever you are going.
There is no significant change from earlier in the week with the types of insects and fly patterns. The fishing is very good and we are in the beginning of that time period on the south fork that everyone looks forward to. For those interested in the big stoneflies, they are out in good numbers above Cottonwood. Again we want to emphasize that there are many types of bugs out and you’ll find fish in different parts of the river eating different insects. Below is a list of flies that we will use for the next couple of weeks.
Big Stoneflies:
Rogue Foam Stone #4 and 6
Brett’s Stone #4 and 6
Improved Sofa Pillow #4 and 6
Golden Stoneflies:
CFO Golden Stone #8
Rollin’ Stone #10
Chubby Chernobyl (purple and tan) #8 and 10
Yellow Sally Stones:
CFO Yellow Sally-X #12 and 14
Kyle’s Yellow Sally #12 and 14
Mayflies:
Pale Morning Dun Thorax Dun #16
Harrop’s PMD Cripple #16 and 18
William’s CDC Pale Morning Dun #16
Harrops Pale Morning Dun Nymph #16
Other:
Super-X #4
Sculpzilla (streamer) #4 and 8
Chesterfield Reservoir has been drawn down by about a third because of irrigation demands. This has warmed remaining water there and therefore hurt fishing some, even though damselflies are mating and laying eggs. Fishing at Daniels Reservoir is much better than at these two. Damsel adults are going great guns here. Midge pupa at the taking depth under an indicator work well, too.