A big visitor weekend is coming up with Labor Day, so expect company, even in some back country locations.  Whatever streams you choose, terrestrial patterns are a must. This is really true if flying ant swarms are where you fish.  Be sure to have some cinnamon ant patterns in size 14.  Look for tricos to dominate AM fishing  along some parts of Fall River Basin streams and the Madison River drainage.  Slough Creek will feature a green drake emergence.  We need to cool off more for the Firehole River to shape up to fall fishing form.  Run-up browns and ‘bows  from Hebgen Lake are beginning to show in the Madison River.  Gulpers are still active on Beula Lake, but expect crowds on this last big weekend of the summer season.  Small streams such as Obsidian, Cascade, and Polecat creeks host eager trout for light weight equipment fans.  So there will something for whatever your fly fishing preference may be.

During Labor Day weekend expect big crowds at any still waters having easy access.   It will be a time to practice courtesy and have patience.   Speckled duns are still hatching around mid day to evening at some higher elevation waters such as Aldous Lake and the Sand Creek  Reservoir ponds.  For Chesterfield and Daniels reservoirs try leech and damselfly nymph patters in deep water.  Dry damselfly patterns will be worth trying at Springfield Reservoir.  Cooling weather will help bring back action throughout.

Recent winds have hurt surface action, but big PMDs are still hatching.  Terrestrial patterns also work during wind free days. Streamer fishing is picking up, and some very large fish have moved in to upper sections of  Spring Creek.  Evenings are best for fishing here.

This is a great time of year to begin fishing the Blackfoot River below the dam and through the canyon at such places as around Corral Creek, Graves Creek and Trail Creek Campground. Flows will stabilize as irrigation demands for stored water decrease.  With more consistent flows action will increase.   Caddis life cycle and terrestrial patterns will be best bets for action with some isolated BWO hatches.   Don’t overlook pitching streamer patterns as there are some very large cutts & bows in this part of the river.

Look for good terrestrial pattern fishing on such streams as the lower Teton River, the Salt River tribs, Little Lost River, Sawmill Creek,  Birch Creek and  South Fork tribs.  Kokanee are thick in Big Elk Creek but do not interfere with cutts taking PM caddis and terrestrial patterns.  Caddis life cycle and attractor patterns will work on all of these waters.

Terrestrial patterns provide the best  afternoon action on the upper river.  We have reports that cinnamon ant patterns are producing very well.   Tricos bring action during earlier hours.  Cooling weather helps action, especially on the lower river where action has been slower.  On the lower river pseudo and trico hatches bring action, but  as this month goes on, evening streamer fishing will be improving as browns move toward spawning areas.

Big news is that the river is in great wading condition below Mackay Dam (outflow about 280 cfs) and the tricos are out in good numbers.  This makes for great AM fishing, then switch to terrestrial patterns for PM fishing.

The cooling trend in the weather is the best that can happen to improve fishing here. Look for action to begin picking up soon around the lake.  Meanwhile, try creek mouths for best results.

Streamer fishing, especially during evenings is coming on up & down the river.  Boating is the best way to enjoy the currently great bank fishing with terrestrial patterns.  Look for snowflake duns hatching on the river and responding trout from around Blackfoot on downstream.

We lost the old dog pound access on the Snake River off West River Road just upstream of Idaho Falls.  The area is airport property and is now posted and access roads bermed. Too bad: it was a good take-out location for those floating from the power dam upstream. Some very large browns & bows reside in this part of the river and they attract anglers.  Let’s hope that access here can be identified.

Just a quick note.The flow dropped again this morning about 300 cfs to 8,000. Keep in mind these drops cause the wingless golden stones(mutants) to emerge. Hate to sound like a broken record but the water conditions are as good as they get. Look for mahogany duns and blue wings in the riffles.

We have word that flow out of Palisades Dam has been dropped to 6000 cfs to aid in the search for a missing person. A boating accident happened yesterday around 6:30 PM just above the Spring Creek launch site.  Since then a boat and person are missing on the river below.  Expect some congestion on the river below and lowered flows until this situation is resolved.

9-2-10 5 pm

As of 5 pm the flow has returned to 8000 cfs.

With the weather change we are going to have this coming week look for several changes on the South Fork. The Pale Morning Dun hatch is about over for the summer but the first good cold front of the year will bring out the Blue Wing Olive and Mahogany Dun Mayflies. Also through September the flow will begin to drop as the irrigation demand decreases. The water drops will cause the mutant golden stones to emerge which will make the chernobyl/golden stone patterns more effective.

The streamer fishing has been good early in the mornings (daylight until the sun hits the water) and then change to a chernobyl. The hopper fishing has been better in the lower canyon down to Menan with  smaller size 8 and 10 hoppers.

Hey guys, a pair of wading boots were found at Kelly Island on the 28th of August. Call Dustin at  201-5313 to identify.

Flows on the South Fork are-

Heise: 8,760

Irwin:8,350