Author: Jimmy

South Fork 05-26-09

Water conditions on the South fork are much better than we expected to see at this time of year. The flow from the Palisades  Dam is 12,700 with a slight greenish tint. Water temp is in the mid 40’s. We have had our best luck on streamers fished on type IV full sinking lines or long 20 foot  type 4 or 6 sink tips. The fish have been holding on the slower banks and pools. Our best technique is casting the fly straight at the bank from a boat and making a downstream mend. Let the fly sink and begin to swim (or drag) downstream. As the fly swings out begin stripping the sinking line back in.  Some of the takes have actually been on the swing out before you begin striping the fly. Some takes have also been as you pull the fly from the river to recast.

Our best patterns have been:

#4 Clouser Minnows in a chartruese/white color combo,

Belly Ache Minnow in size 4,

Prince-of-a buggers (Brown) in size 4.

Galloup”s Sex Dungeon in size 2 (Olive or Black)

Stenersen’s Olive or Gray String Leech in size #6

Olive, Black or white Conehead Zuddlers in size4

We have also had good luck on a Bennett’s Rubber Leg with either a glo bug or San Juan Worm dropper. We using these flies on a floating line with and indictor.

One note about the lower river below Byington. The river has changed dramatically. Many of the channels we floated last year are dry and new ones have been cut. The same goes for tree and brush piles. Some have moved or have additions to them while other are completely gone. Please be carefull when you leave the main river to enter a side channel.  If you are not quite sure about what might be ahead give yourself plenty of room and time to stop and  look.

South Fork 04-08-09

The South Fork has stabalized at 6500 cfs.  According to the Bureau of Reclamation this should be the level through mid May and that time the flow will be increased significantly.  The water is clear from Palisades Dam through the canyon. Below Byington there is still some color and debris but it will clear in the next day or so. As the water is turned back into the Great Feeder Canal at Heise look for the water to drop in the Lorenzo section.

All boat ramps are now usable except for Cottonwood which won’t open until after April 15th. Some years Cottonwood doesn’t open until after the 15th do to fallen rocks and soft/muddy road surfaces.

The situation at Twin Bridges is the same as last Fall where there is enough water to launch a boat but the channel down to the ramp is still too low float.   Its a weird concept to think about but you’ll understand when you see it.  If you launch at Byinton you are going to Lorenzo.

The streamer fishing will be very good now through mid May as will the nymph fishing. We recommend using a 15 or 20 foot sink tip for streamers. A Bennetts Brown Rubber Leg Nymph with a glo bug or San Juan dropper is a good combo under a srike indicator.

South Fork 03-20-09

There is no new information to share except for reports that there are some  Blue Wing Olives hatching on the lower river from Twin Bridges down to Menan. The water gets a chance to warm up by the time it gets down there which explains why we see them on the lower river and not as much closer to Palisades Dam.

One other feature of the lower river are some of the sloughs that are connected to the river. Some of them are worth rowing into and looking for trout feeding on midges. We use a number 12 or 14 beadhead midge Pupa suspended under an indicator.

South Fork 03-16-2009

Today undoubtably has been the warmest day of the year for Eastern Idaho for 2009. For the next 3 weeks we should see midge hatches everyday and only brief periods during the day where your rod guides freeze!

The ramps at Palisades Dam and Huskey’s are now usable. The take at Spring Creek is still pretty messy so take out 2 miles below Spring Creek at Conant. I’m still having my best success wading so do keep in mind that with these low seasonal flows you really don’t need a boat. A boat will just get you away from the ramps and bridges.

I’ve mentioned before that March is becoming my favorite month of the year on the South Fork. Pack a thermous of soup and get out there at least once this month before the irrigation season brings us higher flows.

South Fork 03-11-2009

On warmer days we have been seeing good hatches of midges in the afternoons with exception of yesterday when the high was 28 with wind gusts to 40mph! The weather will return to a more typical March by this weekend.

For the next 30 days  flows will be stable, low and clear. In addition to midges on the surface you will want to fish some streamers in the deeper pools. We like to use a fast sinking tip line or even a full sink when fishing streramers.  If its early in the day and no midges are hatching we’ll try a pair of tunsten zebra midges underneath a small foam indicator. Again we are looking for slow deep pools and we fish the midges up to 12 feet beneath the indicators.

At 1000 cfs the river is very wadeable so a boat really isn’t helpful. If you do decide to take a boat be aware of the ice on the ramps as you put in and take out. A set of chains or a long rope will come handy. As of yesterday the ramps at Palisades Dam , Husky and Spring Creek are still snowed shut. You can slide a boat in at the Irwin slide and take out Conant but again be prepared to chain or rope the boat out. The ramp at Cottonwood is closed until at least April 15th so the next place you can put in is at Wolf. (I would really advise against floating the canyon due to the slow current which would not leave any time to fish.) From Wolf  you can float to Byington and again really think about what you need to do to safely take your boat out. The  channel to Twin Bridges is dry and will be until later this year so the next take out is Loenzo. At Lorenzo you drive down the concrete ramp and onto a gravel bar so a 4 wheel drive is a necessity.

March is becoming my favorite time of year to fish the South Fork because of the low water, no crowds and your rod guides stop freezing up!