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Fishing Reports

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / Fishing Reports (Page 37)

Small Streams, September 24th, 2022

Most of our tributary streams are down to base levels meaning fish are moving to larger waters to seek better overhead cover. However, some of the larger streams, not impacted by irrigation draw down, are good choices to visit.

The Teton River remains in great condition, and recreational floater numbers on the river in the basin are down. BWO, caddis and mahogany duns are active especially during overcast conditions. Fish are responding to these, and this is taking place along the entire river. Terrestrial insect will be active during warm days until a killing frost takes place.

Lower Teton River

Warm River also offers good fishing from Warm River Spring down to the cascades and on through the lower river with BWO, caddis, and, on warm er days, terrestrial insect activity.

The Buffalo River offers excellent BWO activity and easy wading around the campground reach..

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Henry’s Lake, September 24th, 2022

The cooling weather with early morning air temperatures beginning to drop below freezing is just what is needed to bring fish out of the depths to distribute around the lake. Weeds are beginning to break up, the lake is at about 80% of capacity, and out flow has been cut back to around 25 cfs.

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South Fork, September 24th, 2022

From Top of Squaw Creek Dugway

No significant change in flows since our last report. There are fewer folks fishing even though lower flow means increased wading locations. Foliage color change is coming on strong. So it is a great time to visit the river even though dry fly fishing success is a bit sporadic ( BWO and mahogany dun activity is best during cloudier days). Mutant golden stone flies are pretty much a thing of the past for this season but hopper-dropper presentations towards vegetated banks still works well. Presenting streamer patterns will become increasingly effective as we advance into the fall season.

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Yellowstone Park, September 20, 2022

Browns and rainbows are losing interest in being Hebgen Lake gulpers to staging around tributaries for the fall spawning run. Soon it will be a contest on the Madison as to whether there are more fish than fly fishers present as the fall spawning run has begun. The more numerous spawning run of Lewis River brown trout into the channel between Shoshone and Lewis Lake and below Lewis Lake is also beginning. So presenting streamer patterns of various types is becoming the name of the game on these Park waters.

With cooling weather, look for fishing on the Firehole River to improve much to the delight of top water fly fishers using BWO, white miller and soft hackled patterns.

Plenty of terrestrial insects remain in the meadow reaches of Fall River Basin streams, and this will be the case until a killing frost occurs. Waters here are at base level and ultra clear, so a studied approach with essentially no wading is required for success.

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South Fork, September 20th, 2022

Flow out of Palisades Reservoir continues to drop (now about 6160 cfs at Irwin, 6360 cfs at Heise, 3700 cfs at Lorenzo) to normal for the season as downstream irrigation demands diminish. The same can be said for number of anglers, but walk-in wade locations are increasing. Riffle and drop off fishing with BWO and Mahogany dun life cycle patterns has been productive, and even though they are diminishing greatly, some mutant golden stone flies emerge during early hours.

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Still Waters, September 20th, 2022

Currently Daniels Reservoir seems to be the ” star of the still water show” in our area. With cooling weather, fish are moving from depths to shallower water where midge activity is ongoing and leeches and scuds occupy vegetation. Thus there could be two strategies for success: indicator fishing with midge life cycle patterns to find the taking depth or intermediate line use to probe leech, scud and fly rod jig patterns around submerged vegetation.

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Henry’s Fork, September 20th, 2022

The Henry’s Fork features many famed locations. These tend to overshadow lesser known sections. The Tubs area is a location that takes a back seat to famed locations because its best fishing is seasonal and begins now. Most recreational boating from Big Springs to Mack’s Inn has ended, and trout migrating downstream from the Flat Ranch area reside in the deep holes here. As autumn advances these trout, as well as residents, become increasingly interested in streamer patterns. So sink-tip lines and stout leaders are in order. Very large whitefish ( stiffies) are present and are always feeding on midges. If you own a smoker and are looking to stock it, The Tubs offers stiffies ranging up to near three pounds. For sure, midge life cycle patterns will interest them.

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

  • Well above average temperatures returned yesterday; mean temperature for September so far is 5 degrees above average.
  • Natural flow stayed relatively constant yesterday and is 74% of average.
  • Island Park Reservoir is 45% full, compared with 46% full on average. Outflow will be decreased again today to around 350-400 cfs.
  • Water quality: Turbidity at Island Park Dam decreased yesterday and is back below 5 turbidity units this morning, about average for this time of year.

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South Fork, September 17th, 2022

Flow out off Palisades dam has been ramped down over the last several days ( about 8700 cfs at Irwin, 8900 cfs at Heise, 5600 cfs at Lorenzo).. It is now approaching normal for this time of the season. So is may fly activity with BWOs and mahogany duns being active. Add terrestrial insects still around in good numbers and the same with caddis flies, and the river offers great top water fishing. With more low light conditions around, streamer fishing is also very good. Presenting nymph patterns at the heads and tails of riffles also produces. Fishing is as good as it gets on the South Fork.

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Still Waters, September 10th, 2022

Aldous Lake

Still waters, and irrigation reservoirs in particular, are at the top of the list of waters needing a change in the weather to cooler conditions. For example, when irrigation draw-down increases water temperature into the seventy degrees Fahrenheit range, fish caught and released have a diminished chance of survival. The same can happen in shallow natural still waters especially during unseasonably warm weather such as we have just experienced.

There are a few still waters that appear to escape this warming and they are mostly a higher elevations. Local examples include, Aldous Lake and Paul’s Reservoir, and each now offers good fishing. Aldous Lake is a mile and a quarter walk from its trail head and is best fished through using a packed in flotation device,. A decent gravel road goes to Paul’s Reservoir, and it an be fished from the shoreline. Yellowstone cutthroat trout inhabit both these still waters. .

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Small Streams, September 10th, 2022

In most head water streams fish are now moving to larger water to find better overhead cover. Large beaver ponds that offer generous depth are also havens for fish, and even this time of the season can offer good fishing. Leach patterns are always effective in these ponds, and terrestrial insect patterns can be the same.

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