Top

Fishing Reports

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / Fishing Reports (Page 69)

Henry’s Fork, May 24h, 2021

Below are some excerpts from Rob Vankirk’s latest report on the water situation in the Henry’s Fork drainage. If you plan on visiting the river in the near future to fish, what is given below could help in planning. One thing is certain; with a three-day weekend coming up and the stone fly event in full swing, you will have plenty of company.

 

Latest forecasts are calling for one more round of decent precipitation this evening through tomorrow night. Totals will range from 0.25 in the valleys to 0.75 inch in the northeastern corner of the watershed. Temperatures remain below average through Friday or Saturday, rising to average by Sunday. Warm, dry conditions are expected to return next week, putting an end to our 10-day break.

 

Given the higher-than-expected rainfall totals, streamflow response to the rain was higher than I expected. Natural flow reached its highest peak for the season to date yesterday at around 7,000 cfs. Although 2,000 cfs greater than the late-April peak, 7,000 cfs is still only 90% of average for the date. Total accumulated natural flow for the water year so far is 84% of average. Natural flow has been receding since early yesterday morning, and I expect recession to continue until late tonight, when it should increase again in response to rain this evening. However, lower rainfall totals forecast for the next 24-36 hours will probably keep total natural flow a little lower than it was yesterday. Diversion decreased another 6% yesterday and was 86% of average.

 

Island Park Reservoir and Henry’s Lake both reached full pool on Sunday, and Grassy Lake gained enough over the weekend that it will most likely fill, especially if rain favors the Fall River headwaters again today and tomorrow. Outflow from Island Park Reservoir was increased yesterday from 210 cfs to 925 cfs to match inflow, which reached a maximum of around 875 cfs on Sunday. Much of that inflow was from direct precipitation on the reservoir surface, but natural reach gain between Henry’s Lake and Island Park did increase in response to rain from around 450 cfs on Thursday to 822 cfs yesterday. Although this number will change a little with addition of more data over the next day or two, it will be close to the snowmelt-driven peak of 790 cfs back on April 29. Stream inflow to Island Park Reservoir is around 750 cfs this morning, and I expect that to drop throughout the day. Rain this evening and tomorrow will probably not produce much more streamflow response but will add another 300 ac-ft of inflow on top of stream inflow. Once rain ends tomorrow night, inflow will drop fairly rapidly. Outflow from Island Park Reservoir will be adjusted as needed to keep the reservoir full until draft is needed to meet downstream demand.

 

The biggest, and most critical question is: when will that happen? Based on April-1 conditions, I predicted that need for reservoir draft would begin on June 25. After the driest April in the last 33 years and a very dry start to May, it looked more like draft would be needed as soon as the Teton River reached its snowmelt-driven peak for the spring shortly after June 1. At this point, I expect natural flow to be sufficient to meet irrigation demand until at least June 10, if not even June 15. This won’t be as favorable as June 25 (or last year’s July 4), but it’s much better than June 1.

Rob Van Kirk, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Henry’s Fork Foundation

Share

South Fork, May 24th, 2021

Flow throughout the river remains constant and is a bit below normal for the date.  Some BWOs are active in riffles, so have some of their life cycle patterns handy. Other flies that are producing include rubber legs, San Juan worms. and streamers. The South Fork remains a more tranquil and lightly visited alternative to the Henry’s Fork with its crowded boat launch sites and numerous fly fishers chasing the giant and golden stone fly hatches.

Share

Henry’s Fork, May 22nd, 2021

Cold, rainy weather kept the lower river giant stone fly activity down yesterday.  Nevertheless boats and rafts were numerous everywhere above Chester on the lower river. Yesterday the upper river experienced wind and snow making fishing difficult and travel downright dangerous. In fact, US Highway 20 was closed past Island Park, so getting into Montana by that highway and State Highway 87 was not possible. The same could happen to fishing and travel tomorrow according to weather predictions. As we warm up after tomorrow, look for the stone fly activity to move up the river, likely into Box Canyon where crowding is sure to happen.  Even with the stone fly activity it is a good idea to have caddis life cycle patterns in that fly box because at times fish key on them during stone fly activity. Also it might be prudent to check highway conditions before venturing to the upper river because of bad weather predicted for tomorrow.

Share

South Fork, May 22nd, 2021

With the stone fly madness progressing on the Henry’s Fork, the South Fork offers  a much more tranquil and less crowded fishing alternative. All boat launch sites are open, and there are an almost unlimited number of walk-in wade locations.  BWOs are appearing around riffles during PM hours, especially during overcast days, while rubber legs and streamer patterns continue to produce.  Flow has been consistent for several days and throughout is right at normal for the time of year.

Share

Henry’s Fork, May 18th, 2021

The giant stone flies are out big time from Ashton Dam to Chester. Fish have been on them for a few days, so expect the best activity to be moving up the river. Also expect plenty of company from boats to walk-in wade anglers throughout the lower river especially on weekends. Right now the best place to avoid crowds on the lower river would be to hike down Bear Gulch and fish upstream.  Hard sided boats are not allowed for accessing the river from the trail below Lower Mesa Falls, but rafts can be eased down the trail and launched.  Thus an occasional raft will go by to take out at Stone Bridge.  Few anglers take time to walk down the mile or so to access the river at Bear Gulch.  With relatively low water currently in the river, use caution if you are taking a raft down the trail below Lower Mesa Falls. Be aware that small but dangerous Surprise Falls can easily flip a raft and that rocky areas just below the surface are abundant and there is no easy access out of the river down to Bear Gulch.

A good strategy for fishing the lower river is to wait several days after the peak of the hatch passes a given lower river location.  This allows fish time to digest captured big stone flies, then return to that location where fish will be looking for a repeat. Through doing such most anglers will be upstream in places such a Box Canyon and the Coffee Pot area.

Share

Today at Jimmy’s, May 11th, 2021

                Keeping a Fly Fishing Journal Pays Benefits

 

It took me half a dozen fly fishing years to consider keeping a journal to capture details of each outing. Finally, a fly fishing friend who kept a journal got my attention:

“With the number of times and the different waters you fish, you are losing information that would much help choosing where and when to go and what to use during any future trip.”

Dave was a detail guy, so every bit of information that impacted his fly fishing success during an outing went into his fly fishing journal.  I watched him jot down thoughts in a little notebook even while fishing!

“ Yes,”‘he said,”It would mean that after each outing part of the evening or the next day would be devoted to compiling significant details.”

His suggestion seemed at first to me like an exercise in futility. But I dutifully began, and after the first year with about fifty outings described, the “light came on”, and I wished I had started earlier. That revelation came around about 1980 in the days before personal computers were available and notebooks or card files provided information storage. As the 1980s progressed, I could see trends in the captured information developing that provided detail gems that helped in deciding where to fish and what to use while doing so. Since then updating my journal after each outing  has become the final part of any outing.  Things became different with such as WORD or EXCELL providing convenient ways to capture and store information, so sometime in the early 1990’s I converted my journal electronically.

So what should be included in a fly fishing journal? That’s a great question, and for the first few years I added categories as I progressed through each season.  But here are some basics that should be captured.

 

Name of Water Fished and Specific Location (include any USGS gage flow reading that influences water fished )

Date and Time of Day Fished

Weather Conditions

Water Conditions

Insect Activity and Other Food Items Present for Fish

Equipment and Flies Used

Catch for Each Fly

Comments ( I include travel conditions especially on back country roads and crowd conditions)

 

Here’s how the entry for each outing looks in my journal. Consider it just an example, so construct one to your preference, and add anything else that describes your experience and fishing success.

 

Blackfoot River

Date:  7/14/2019    Friday Allen Ranch gage 200 cfs       Where: Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area

Time of Day:  1100-1730

Weather:  Bright, Building cumulus mainly to east, Nice, Increasing breeze, High Barometric Pressure, Air temp to low 80s

Water:   Somewhat high, Some discolor, Weeds growing, 57 Deg. F. at 1200, 60 Deg. F. at 1600

Emergences:  Hoppers, ants abundant, caddis activity increases with time, very few PMDs, some rises

Equipment and Flies Used: WF-5-F/S, 9 ft, 2X tippet, WF-7-F, 9ft, 3X tippet

     Bead Head Peacock Leech #6: 7 cutts; one is 21.5 “, others 18″, 16” on down to small, some hits

     Blond Humpy #12: 3 cutts one is 17” others small, few other hits

Comments: Patterns simulating drifting earthworms may be best when river is this high. Missed another big cutt using leech pattern. Small fish rising & LeRoy tries for them, but got nothing bigger than 14”.  Two guys fishing behind us. Fish not keying on hoppers yet, may be full of worms.  IDF&G fisheries biologist Arnie from Pocatello office present doing fish survey.  He says cutts holding their own here.  Roads are quite dusty and “washboardy” in places.

Catch: 10 Cutts

 

Share

Still Waters, May 8th, 2021

The current strong winds have made fishing on our larger reservoir somewhat dangerous.  Therefore we have little to report on fishing, butwe  urge caution on such as American Falls, Blackfoot, Chesterfield, Daniels, Hebgen and Palisades.

Share

Henry’s Fork, May 8th, 2021

Any day of the week you choose to fish the lower river, you will have plenty of company. Boats and walk-in anglers are aplenty especially from Ashton Dam down to Chester Dam. The reason is that this part of the river currently offers the best  stream fishing in the region.

Share

South Fork, May 8th, 2021

Flow out of Palisades Dam was raised to 10700 cfs (12200 cfs at Heise, 5410 cfs at Lorenzo ) Yesterday. This flow is at the normal for the season. Best fishing remains through presenting  rubber legs and streamer patterns. Top water fishing is minimal with only scattered midge activity.

Share