Small Streams

Small Streams, July 5th, 2022

The Ashton-Flagg ( Reclamation Road) Road is open, but rough beyond the South Boone Creek crossing. Sedans can pass with care, but towed recreation trailers are discouraged from even trying. This opening gives access to some of the best and varied fishing available in the area. Numerous small streams can be approached in both Idaho, Yellowstone Park, and Wyoming. Tillery Lake and Grassy Lake Reservoir, also in Wyoming, offer great flotation device fishing. In Yellowstone Park Beula and Hering Lakes can now be reached as well as many of the Fall River meadow reaches. In Idaho, the Fall River can be reached before it drops into its canyon.

The Blackfoot River drainage above Blackfoot River Reservoir is open to fishing. A no-kill order for cutthroat trout and no bait and barbless hooks restrictions apply to the entire drainage here. Below the reservoir, high and variable flows dampen fishing success, but float fishing is possible and can be effective through using streamers, rubber leg, and woolly bugger patterns.

Palisades Reservoir tributaries, Palisades, Pine and upper Rainy Creeks and Salt River tributaries coming out of Idaho are in good fishing shape with PM caddis, PMD life cycle and traditional attractor patterns working well. Terrestrial insects are “coming into view” on each. Warm River below Warm River Spring and Robinson Creeks adjacent to the Cave Falls Road offer good fishing.

Warm River below Warm River Spring and Robinson Creek where it parallels the Cave Falls Road offer good top water fishing with PMD, PM caddis and traditional attractor or patterns working well.

So here is a narrative suggesting that our fishing season is full blown with respect to choices. Get out and enjoy!

Small Streams, June 18th, 2022

Most are dropping and clearing after having to carry a load of run-off from recent storms. Many of these with adjacent camping facilities tend to get crowded on weekends, so expect company especially because our larger streams have yet to offer their best fishing. All Forest Service roads are open excepting the Ashton-Flagg Road east of the Calf Creek Hill.

Small Streams, June 14th, 2022

Most small streams outside of Island Park and the Fall and Teton River drainages are running a bit high but fishing well. Many of these, such as Bear, Birch, and McCoy Creeks, are seeing numerous anglers. The Salt River tributaries in eastern Idaho (Crow, Jackknife, Stump, and Tincup Creeks) are experiencing fewer angler visits than most others. The Blackfoot River drainage above the Blackfoot River Reservoir does not open to fishing until July first each year.

Small Streams, June 11th, 2022

All Palisades Reservoir tributaries are in fishing shape with roads ( Bear, Big Elk, McCoy Creeks) a bit rough (pot holes) because of recent rains. Road construction with a flagger on Highway 89 south of Alpine will slow down travel to McCoy Creek, Salt River, and its tributaries coming out of Idaho. All these streams are a bit high and discolored with declining run-off. A few golden stoneflies are emerging from McCoy Creek and each stream has good afternoon caddis activity.

Small Streams, June 7th, 2022

All Caribou-Targhee National Forest roads in the Island Park area are open excepting the Ashton-Flagg Road east of Calf Creek Hill. Many roads now open may be wet because of recent precipitation. Remember that roads being wet enough to become rutted should be avoided and drivers caught causing such are subject to fines.

Many headwater streams are high with run-off and will remain so for a while as weather warms.This includes Teton and Fall Rivers drainage streams and Robinson Creek. Blackfoot River below the reservoir is running high with irrigation water. Warm River is in fishing condition near the Warm River campground and around Warm River Spring. Caddis and may fly life cycle, soft hackle, small nymph, and traditional dry attractor patterns work well. All Salt River tributaries in Idaho (Jackknife, Stump, Tincup, Crow Creeks) and Palisades Reservoir tributaries ( Bear, Big Elk, McCoy Creeks) are high but in fishing shape. Roads accessing these are open excepting the Jensen Creek Road.

Small Streams, May 24th, 2022

Memorial Day weekend is a big time for anglers and families trying to reach back country waters. In this year where spring is coming late, we contacted the USFS Caribou-Targhee National Forest Ashton office today. They relate that currently nearly all back country roads have yet to open and/or are in very wet, blocked with snow, or in muddy condition. That includes the Cave Falls, Fish and Snow Creek, Horseshoe Lake, and Warm River Spring Roads. All campgrounds, except the Cave Falls Campground, will be open by May 27th.

On the Palisades District side, the Bear Creek, Jackknife Creek, and McCoy Creek Roads are open. The Jensen Creek Road is currently closed.

The Forest Service offices remind us that there are penalties for damaging roads that are in muddy or very wet conditions and therefore not officially open .

Small Streams, April 15th, 2022

Back country roads will soon be passable especially after maintenance and drying out. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has established a “Catch and Release Season” on certain streams that will become approachable. Refer to the Department’s on line or hard copy 2022 fishing regulations to see which waters this season applies.This season extends to the opening of general fishing season.

Small Streams, August 24th, 2021

Two of the best small streams to try during this low water year are Big Elk and Palisades Creek. Big Elk features a PM western green drake emergence to compliment fish rising to terrestrial insect patterns that time of day. Spawning kokanee are now in the creek but do not impact cutthroat trout from feeding. You may encounter an IDF&G conservation officer asking to see your terminal gear because of illegal snagging activities ongoing for the kokanee. Input from numerous springs keep the creek at good water temps for trout activity. Palisades Creek, brushy in places, features trout rising to caddis, terrestrial insect and traditional attractor patterns. Subsurface input from Upper and Lower Palisades Lakes keeps water temps at levels good for trout activity. Both creeks are paralleled by well maintained trails.

Warm River below the spring is another good small stream choice this time of year. AM tricos, later in the day caddis life cycle and traditional attractor patterns bring fish to respond anywhere on the river below the spring. The best chance for solitude on the river can be found by walking down the railroad grade crossing from the Warm River Spring Road. Brook, brown and rainbow trout populate the river.

Small Streams, August 7th, 2021

Our recent rains have helped bring a number of our small streams up to being more hospitable for resident trout. This could be temporary depending on upcoming weather, so let’s keep hoping for more rain!

Good News from The Nature Conservancy

Greetings from Silver Creek.

We are excited to announce that effective August 11, access to fishing will be allowed daily from 9am – sunset at the Silver Creek Preserve. Morning access closures will remain in place.

Due to sustained improvements in stream conditions at the Preserve, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is reopening access to fishing on our property during limited hours. Partial access restrictions remain in place to protect the health of the fishery during times of day when natural stressors are greatest. As always, TNC appreciates anglers’ cooperation in limiting handling and minimizing stress when fishing at Silver Creek Preserve. Whenever possible, please release fish quickly and limit your fishing activity when air temperatures get hot.

We also want to remind everyone of our new designated fishing access points implemented in May 2021. The map of access points at the Preserve and a list of FAQs is attached.  If you have questions about this policy or need more info, please email us [email protected] or call the Preserve Office (208) 788-7910.

Erika Green Phillips

Watershed Manager

[email protected]

+1 208 578-4049 (office)

+1 208 721-8112 (personal cell)

nature.org

Small Streams, July 17th, 2021

Presently Warm River is likely the top small stream in our area for fishing success. It’s best waters for finding this begin at Warm River Spring and continue on downstream to the head of the cascades. This quality resumes from the base of the cascades down to Warm River campground. Caddis flies are the predominant the aquatic insect throughout with scattered PMDs, but terrestrial insect are becoming more important for trout every day. Brown, brook and rainbow trout are hosted. Traditional attractor patterns (renegade, Wulff series, humpy, stimulator) also work well. The best route to the portion below the spring is the Warm River Spring Road that heads east from the Mesa Falls Scenic Highway near the Upper Mesa Falls access. Parking places are nearby the spring but a way to find fewer anglers is to walk or bike the old railroad grade downstream from where it crosses the road. Access is off the railroad grade for the section below the cascades.