Baetis should be in full swing on the lower river around Chester and Ashton. Overcast days will help these hatches. The brown trout are starting to get active as we get closer to the time when they spawn. We have had reports of brown trout starting to be more aggressive on streamers in the last week. Hoppers are still working well in the morning and in the evenings on warm days.
Fishing is starting to pick up on the river. Flows have remained steady at 7100 cfs, flows will drop as the demand for irrigation declines. There has been a good Blue Wing Olive hatch early in the morning hours. Nymphing is still you best option for catching fish consistently all day. Rubberlegs and Zebra midges have been the hot flies. There is stormy weather that is supposed to move into the area mid week. This will really make things pick up on the river once this happens. We will keep you posted on reports as the weather begins to change later in the week.
Time to begin thinking brown trout! Whether you fish the Madison, Beaverhead, Big Hole, Gallatin, or Ruby, the browns are stocking up for upcoming spawning season. Come in and see our stock of proven streamer patterns and also to get information on where the browns are active in southwestern Montana, western Wyoming or eastern Idaho.
Get out to enjoy the last few weeks of fishing effective terrestrial patterns. That’s because by mid October killing frosts are sure to come and impact the terrestrial insect population. Then if you are a dry fly person, BWOs on such as the Firehole, Gibbon and Madison will be almost all that is left. After that streamers will be the way to go on just about all streams and on many lakes, especially those hosting brown trout.
The weather is going to cool off next week, and this will be just the ticket for fishing to pick up on these places. Right now Daniels Reservoir is the top producer with fish being taken on midge pupa below an indicator, but give things a bit of time, and other waters will be just as good.
Here is a tip for small stream enthusiasts. The Blackfoot River below the Reservoir downstream through the canyon is fishable and will begin producing now that most irrigation flows are over. There are several access places in this reach, and for the most part these are within 50 miles of Idaho Falls. Come in and discuss with us how to get to this part of the river. Terrestrial, attractor, streamer, and caddis life cycle patterns will be effective here.
Streamers are the way to find the big guys here. Come or get in touch to see what we recommend. Do you have a sink-tip line? You will need one to best enjoy the fall streamer fishing along this river. We can also provide access information for the river from Menan to American Falls reservoir. The “mainstem” is now a top regional fishery and will remain so for the next several months.
Fishing is really picking up thanks to cooler and longer nights. Concentrate on shallow waters and creek mouths as brookies are moving in big time. Leech patterns in fall colors, mity mites, and scud patterns presented on intermediate lines are the way to go.
Flows out of Mackay Dam are slowly dropping, wading is easier, and fishing is picking up. BWOs, terrestrials, midges and a few tricos are bringing action.
Mahogany duns are appearing late afternoons on the lower river. So are the tiny BWOs (#22-24). No hard frosts yet, so those terrestrial patterns are still effective up & down the river. If you do not have streamers for evenings, better change that right now! Come in to see what we recommend because as we move through the fall months streamers will be the best way to encounter the largest Henry’s Fork trout.