If you can bear the weather, Henry’s Lake is producing some great fishing. Almost anywhere in shallow water and along creek mouths, your favorite leech patterns will get action. Use intermediate lines for shallow water presentations and dress warmly. Beware of the wind if you plan to get out on the lake. Consider fishing sheltered areas and be ready to act if wind directions change.
Daniels Reservoir remains the best of these. Look for Springfield Reservoir to improve as the cooler weather and shorter days help break up weeds. Same applies to Chesterfield Reservoir: cooler weather will make those big fish more active. Bring your favorite leech patterns to any of these places for action. Want to bring a youngster or physically challenged person to a very safe still-water location to enjoy some easy fishing? Try Crystal Springs, now operated as a family fishery by IDF&G. Its open year round and can be fished from shore as well as from a small boat.
Fall run ‘bows and browns are in the Madison River and the Gibbon River. This will make for some great streamer fishing. You can also have some excellent streamer fishing by walking the Lewis Lake shoreline. Best locations are below the campground and the upper end of the lake. The upcoming cold snap will put an end to the terrestrial insects, but good BWO emergences will remain on streams in the Madison River drainage.
Warm River, Fall River, the lower Blackfoot River, the lower Teton River, Robinson Creek, and Birch Creek are providing the best action. All have BWOs and some tricos going through life cycles. Small beadhead nymphs work well on each of these. Some browns are moving into the Salt River tribs, but they are about as wary as a trout can be. Want to test your “big fish in small waters” skills? Try fooling browns in Stump, Crow and Jackknife creeks.
It’s streamer time on the river! Browns are moving, and your best chance for encountering them will during low light conditions. Use sink tip lines and your favorite streamer patterns. Float fishing will be most effective, but with water levels dropping there are plenty of walk-in locations to try. Come in and talk to us to find where some of these are.
The Big news from the weekend is the water has dropped to 6100cfs. Expect the water to continue to drop as we continue to move into the fall season. As water flows drop, wading on the South Fork becomes more accessible. Fish are eating rubbelegs, beadhead droppers, Blue Wing Olives, and streamers. Look for fish in the riffles and the flats. Trout are anxious to eat this time of year as they prepare for winter. Cloudy days and rain will produce the best day to “catch” trout while fishing. Go out and enjoy the beautiful colors of the canyon and the river!
Continued unsettled weather is in the forecast, and this bodes well for fishing the lake. Best fishing will be in shallower water where your favorite leech and streamer patterns will be effective. Dress warmly and consider the winds before you venture out onto the lake.
Daniels Reservoir provides the best action here. Again, concentrate efforts around and above the trees at the upper end. The west side bay is also a very good place to see action. Taking flies include hallowe’ens, green apple leeches and your favorite leech pattern. Springfield Reservoir is fishing well for those trying open water. Use intermediate lines to get your favorite leech and scud patterns to the taking depth. Use floating lines to present midge pupa patterns under a strike indicator. Twenty-four Mile Reservoir is very low with muddy shorelines somewhat difficult to negotiate. Fish are there, but getting to them is best through floating. Fishing at Chesterfield Res. is picking up, and the water is slowly rising as storage for next year is in progress. That’s a good sign for carrying fish over to next season. For now use intermediate lines to present your favorite leech pattern. Island Park Reservoir is about half full, so concentrate your fishing around cooler water such as around Trude and Grizzly springs.
It is streamer time on the Madison River drainage below barrier waterfalls. It is the same on the Lewis River system where browns are moving to spawning areas. Try wading Lewis Lake shorelines with intermediate lines to present streamers. Be sure to be well insulated because waters here are ultra cold! If presenting streamers is not for you, Firehole River BWOs and caddis are still emerging in numbers to attract trout. Beula Lake is still producing eager cutts for those anglers willing to walk 2.75 miles. Small leech and beadhead patterns are best.
Water is dropping because of decreased flows out of Palisades Dam and lower Henry’s Fork flows. This will open up more water to walk-in fishing. Big streamers are the ticket for encountering the big browns, ‘bows and cutts up and down the river. Some tricos and abundant BWOS & caddis remain for the dry fly enthusiasts all along the great but under-used river