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September 2010

Still Waters 9-28-10

A good cold snap is what we need to bring good fishing around to most of these.  Some success is had a Chesterfield Reservoir  for those fishing leech patterns deep, and some folks are finding success at the upper end of Daniels Reservoir when using damselfly nymph patterns and midge pupa under indicators.

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Big Lost River 9-28-10

Tricos emerge  during morning hours, BWOs in the afternoon, and midges go on all day. Add terrestrial insects, and the river offers good fishing even though flows are above normal at 300 cfs coming out of Mackay Dam.   October is perhaps the best month to fish the Big Lost River below Mackay Dam, so consider a trip here to enjoy great fishing and terrific scenery.

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Small Streams 9-28-10

With no killing frosts yet, terrestrial insect patterns are great choices for all our small streams.  Never overlook a cinnamon ant pattern this time of the season. Flavs are providing action on Big Elk Creek and Palisades Creek. With shorter days and  less time for water staying at best temperatures for these mayflies to emerge,  expect action to take place for fewer afternoon hours.  On other streams BWOs and/or tricos provide great action.  Warm River, Birch Creek, Teton River, Robinson Creek, and Little Lost River drainage streams are some.   But keep those terrestrial and attractor patterns handy on all of these!  Flow out of Blackfoot River Dam has jumped from around 250 cfs to around 600 cfs, so fishing is slow on the river below.

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Yellowstone Park 9-28-10

Fishing on the Firehole river is picking up with BWOs, tricos, & caddis attracting fish.  But a cold snap in needed to really get things going.  Elsewhere good terrestrial insects are numerous as there has been no blanket killing frost.  This begins the time of year when brown and brook trout are on the move to spawning areas. Streamers are the way to encounter them, especially the big browns. These are moving into the Madison River above Hebgen Lake, but waters are warm enough that good action is in the future.   It’s much the same with the Lewis River system; A touch of cold weather would bring on best action from migrating browns.  C’mon cold snap!

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Main Stem Snake River 9-28-10

Evening caddisfly emergences on the river can be dense enough to breath in at places.   Where this happens expect better fishing elsewhere.  With October a few days away, tie up a good supply of streamer patterns because these will be your “go to” flies in months to come almost everywhere along the river.  If you prefer top water fishing, BWOs can make for good evening fishing at locations such as below Gem Lake Dam and riffles near the Shelley interstate connector.

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Henry’s Lake 9-28-10

Not much change here as weather has been quite nice. Recent daytime temps have been close to 80 degrees F, so not much progress has been made in cooling off the lake.  Some success is reported at creek mouths and a few trollers are picking up fish.  If our weather cools off as expected next week, look for fishing success to pick up.

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Henry’s Fork 9-28-10

No killing frosts yet, even on the upper river.  So terrestrial insects remain plentiful.   The Riverside-Hatchery Ford area is a great place to try your skill with terrestrial insect patterns.  Flows along the river are below normal.  With respect to mayflies, tricos still emerge during mornings on the upper river.   BWOs emerge almost everywhere on the river, but overcast or stormy days would bring them on in bigger numbers. Some mahogany duns are hatching.  Nymph fishing remains effective in Box Canyon, but look for more responses to streamers everywhere along the river as we advance through October.

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South Fork 9-28-10

Fishing  conditions on the South Fork seems as stable as the flow  (6960 cfs for the last several days) out of Palisades Dam.  Mahogany duns and BWOs continue to make for good riffle fishing, but overcast conditions would make things better. With no killing frosts look for good fishing with terrestrial patterns to continue  indefinitely.  Also we are seeing a few late season PMDs hatching in riffles from time to time.  Look for early and late day streamer fishing to pick up as we move through October, and expect flows to drop even more as water storage for next year begins.

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Still Waters 9-21-10

Chesterfield Reservoir has some good deep water fishing.  Tail your leech pattern with a zebra midge, and use a full sink line. In the upper end of  Daniels Reservoir damselfly nymphs bring action with responses to midge pupa under an indicator beginning to work.   Not much seems to be going on at Springfield Reservoir where weeds make for tougher wet fly fishing.  Action on Sand Creek Ponds continues to be good with midge pupa patterns under an indicator working  best.   Afternoons to evenings are best times to be there.   Action on all of these will pick up after we get several days of cooler weather.

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Small Streams 9-21-10

Fishing the Blackfoot River above and below the dam is picking up. Flows below are around 270 cfs, above around 60 cfs.  Above the dam terrestrial insect patterns and streamers provide the best action. Below the dam where gradients are higher, caddisfly life cycle patterns, traditional attractor patterns and streamer patterns bring action.  The lower Teton River is another great location to consider.  Hopper and other terrestrial patterns work just fine with streamer patterns presented in the evening a good bet to bring action.   Robinson Creek hosts good fishing with caddisfly life cycle, traditional attractors, and terrestrial patterns bringing action.  Warm River BWOs and caddisflies provide action from the spring down to the Henry’s Fork confluence.   The Birch Creek family area, Beaver Creek above Spencer, and the Little Lost River remain great places to enjoy lightweight gear and a great early day trico emergence.  There are several more small streams to visit before frosts become severe, so get in touch with us to get information on these.

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