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Fishing Reports

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / Fishing Reports (Page 19)

Big Lost River, August 15th, 2023

Forget about easy wading and good fishing in the river below Mackay Dam until the fall season at the earliest. High flows will prevail until water level allows dam repairs to begin. The river above the reservoir offers good fishing especially below the North Fork confluence. Copper Basin streams are mostly at base level flows. Trico and other spinner falls provide early in the day action. Action slows during mid day, but well placed hopper. caddis life cycle, and traditional attractor patterns can bring responses from resident trout. Expect fly fishing company coming from the Sun Valley-Ketchum area.

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Southwest Montana, August 15th, 2023

Spruce moths are beginning to show up in good numbers on the Gallatin River and soon will do the the same on forested sections of the Madison River. There are specific patterns for these insects, but any simulating a caddis fly ( elk hair caddis, X caddis, etc) work just as well. If you prefer fishing smaller, less crowded steams, check out the West Fork of the Madison River to see if these insects are active. Anywhere you find spruce moths present trout love them as a food form.

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Yellowstone Park, August 15th, 2023

Meadow Section on Fall River in Yellowstone Park

Fall River in Idaho appears mostly as a riffle and run stream occupying a canyon. However, in Yellowstone Park it is of much different character. Here are stair-step meadow reaches punctuated by runs through thick forests and the most beautiful waterfalls anywhere. Some of the best fishing in Fall River Basin resides here, but access is not always easy. Two of the easiest access points are off the Ashton-Flagg Road. The nearest to Idaho of these is through turning off at the Loon Lake-Fish Lake Road and following it to the wilderness area boundary. From here a walk of about a mile takes one to the Park’s south boundary. A short connector trail into the Park connects to the South Boundary Trail where a decision must be made on where to fish: the meadow reach upstream or the same downstream. Making such a selection is more difficult because forested portions are present where overhead cover means more active fish but tougher casting conditions. Long, drag free floats of terrestrial insect and traditional attractor patterns work best in these portions. The other relatively easy access to Fall River is further east of the Ashton-Flagg Road. This is the Terrace Falls Trail with its short walk to the river. From here the visiting fly fisher should go upstream to enjoy some classic riffle and run water where caddis and traditional attractor patterns bring fishing success. Bring a camera as this part of the river features some unique cascades and waterfalls.

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Henry’s Fork, August 15th, 2023

Water Quality Information from  Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s 8/14  HF drainage report

Water quality was good to excellent over the weekend, although afternoon high water temperatures have crept up a little over the past few days. However, afternoon highs have exceeded 70 degrees only at Buffalo River, St. Anthony and Parker, and then by lower margins than earlier in the summer. Mean daily water temperatures have been close to average at all locations. Dissolved oxygen concentrations have been good to excellent at all locations, benefiting from both cooler mean water temperatures (cooler water can hold more oxygen) and continued high photosynthesis from aquatic vegetation. Aquatic productivity is very high right now but not at the expense of high water temperatures and low dissolved oxygen.

In part as a result of Friday’s outflow decrease and in part because of improving water quality in the reservoir, turbidity at Island Park Dam has decreased by 1-1.5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) since then and was below average over the weekend. Turbidity at Pinehaven is near the lowest we have recorded this time of year.

All in all, streamflow, water quality, and aquatic ecosystem productivity are about as good as they can get throughout the whole watershed right now. With another round of cooler, wetter weather expected next week, I anticipate conditions to remain excellent for another two weeks.

Patterns for Grass Hoppers are Effective During Summer Days

  • Same as our last report: Best fishing success is during AM spinner falls and trico emergences. Then again as evening approaches through using long drag-free drifts of hopper or flying ant patterns each accompanied by a small dropper of your favorite nymph pattern.

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Still Waters, August 15th, 2023

Daniels Reservoir on a Windy Day

The Idaho Department of Fish & Game’s (IDF&G) Southeast Region office has put out a very interesting news release on the quality and quantity of trout in four popular area reservoirs: Daniels, Springfield, Treasureton and Twenty-Four Mile. The news release shows that even though summer is a ” down time” for still water fishing success, fish in good numbers and sizes are present in each. To read this informative article, go to the IDF&G’s web site and look under News Releases. Store the given info on each reservoir report for your visits during upcoming fall months.

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Southwest Montana, August 12th, 2023

Tricorythodes (trico) may fly

Speckled dun activity has been spotty so far on Hebgen Lake, but AM trico activity provides good fishing during wind-free days. Below Quake Lake, good top water fishing can be had with traditional attractor ( goofus bug, renegade, P-chute Adams, Wulff series) patterns and hopper-dropper combinations. During rainy periods switch to nymph patterns. Terrestrial insect patterns work best on the Gallatin River. Accept that the closer you approach the Big Sky community, the more anglers you will encounter. Thus fishing this river in the Park upstream from the highway will diminish your angling company.

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Yellowstone Park, August 12th, 2023

Soda Butte Creek

A word of caution: Soda Butte Creek will be closed to fishing from August 14th to 18th. This closure is in place as activities to remove brook trout will be undertaken by Park fisheries staff. Brook trout have been removed through past actions, but the the mechanism for their return is being studied. This closure will certainly transfer anglers to nearby Slough Creek and the Lamar River.

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Henry’s Fork, August 12th, 2023

Headlines from Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s Henry’s Fork drainage water status report filed yesterday.

Yesterday’s mean temp was right at average for this time of year, and water-year precipitation stayed at 108 % of normal.

Lower watershed stream flow is still well above irrigation season targets, so outflow from Island Park Reservoir was reduced to 575 cfs this morning. As natural flow continues to drop, an increase in out flow may happen next week.

Island Park Reservoir is 63.7 % full compared to 60.6 % on average.

Turbidity at Island Park Dam continues to drop , and is at average as of today.

Dr. Rob Van Kirk

Senior Scientist

Henry’s Fork Foundation

There is no significant change in fly fishing conditions since our last report. Mornings and evenings remain the best times for fishing success up and down the river.

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Small Streams, August 12th, 2023

Bitch Creek Slide to Reach the Bitch Creek Confluence With the Teton River

As with the South Fork, many smaller waters are in top fishing shape these days. Where smaller waters beat the much deserved popularity of that river is in tranquility. For example, you may fish in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area with seven miles of meandering meadow stream and encounter a fewer number of anglers than fingers on one hand. The Palisades Reservoir tribs offer a variety of fishing with McCoy Creek and its bank side terrestrial insect population attracting Snake River fine spotted cutthroat and a scattering of brown trout into action. The Big Elk Creek western green drake hatch is on going to offer some of the best afternoon fishing in the area. If you can hike several miles, Bear Creek is essentially untouched by anglers so far this season. Palisades Creek offers great riffle and run fishing for cutthroat trout ranging to trophy sizes. Use traditional dry fly and caddis life cycle patterns. Few places offer the physical beauty that the Teton River in the Basin offers along with great top water fishing with PMD, caddis and terrestrial insects convincing trout to rise. Morning and evening visits here minimize recreational boating activity. And if you are sturdy enough to descend to the where Bitch Creek converges to the Teton River in the canyon you could be the lone fly fisher present. Warm River Spring maintains high quality cool, clear water to the the river on downstream with its caddis and terrestrial inset population making for an active brook, brown and rainbow trout population. With its stair-step beaver ponds hosting numerous cutthroat trout, the South Fork of Tincup Creek beckons a visit.

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South Fork, August 12th, 2023

Let’s not deny him a share of fish

We try to keep up to date on this river because of its popularity and what it offers to fly fishers this time of the season. Flows have been reduced a bit, much to the joy of walk-in wade anglers ( 7900 cfs at Irwin, 8100 cfs at Heise, 3400 cfs at Lorenzo). Water is in great shape being clear and cool. Morning mutant golden stone activity is moving up the river to provide interesting top water fishing. Mid-days are the time to run errands, photography, observe wildlife, or having a great lunch in a nearby “watering hole.” If you must fish during mid-days, nymphs from rubber leg patterns down to the array of small beaded or beadless patterns presented close to overhead cover can produce. PMDs and afternoon caddis are active, and pink alberts are making an appearance. As soon as waters have warmed by early PM, terrestrial patterns will become most effective, especially under windy conditions, for trout foraging vegetated banks. Streamers presented during evenings can fool that big brown trout searching for minnows during the increased overhead cover. So the river now offers some of everything for the fly fisher to try, and that variety and determining what food item to simulate at a given time makes for interesting fishing few other streams can match!

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