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August 2010

Fly Fish Food Jimmy's / 2010 (Page 12)

Henry’s Fork 8-25-10

August 25, 2010
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Henry's Fork

Some of the best fishing on the river can be experienced on the Harriman reach where callibaetis and trico mayflies provide action.   Terrestrial patterns including hopper and ant patterns are a must, and the South Fork strategy of trailing your favorite hopper with a cinnamon ant pattern (#14) is sure to produce.   As with many meadow reaches the Harriman section also hosts deer flies and horseflies.  Don’t overlook this presence, and consider that a standard humpy, size 16-12 can imitate these pests.  After you swat  those pests, drop ’em in the river, then listen for a downstream rise. That is proof fish will take them!

If you fish from Riverside to Warm River use those terrestrial and caddis patterns, but also include traditional attractors.   Below the Warm River confluence fishing gets tough as the water now at base level has warmed going through the canyons.   Best strategy for the lower river is to wait for the cooler days coming soon. Then look for a great revival of fish activity.

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South Fork 8-25-10

August 25, 2010
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South Fork

With flows coming out of Palisades Dam just under 9000 cfs, the river is in ideal shape for fishing.  Fishing banks remains the most productive strategy.  Try hopper and chernobyl patterns trailed by a cinnamon ant (#14-#12), and place them close to grassy  banks, undercuts, and overhead cover.   If you want to fish riffles, late afternoon are best when caddis begin emerging.  If you do not get surface action, try soft hackled patterns in size 12-16 such as partridge and orange, partridge and green or badger and orange. Let them drift down a few inches to working fish. When your fly arrives in the area where fish are working, lift your rod tip to raise the fly toward the surface.   An evening PMD spinner fall can bring some action to riffles.

Many fly fishers have forgotten how effective a #12 or #14 renegade is on the South Fork.   Too bad: because fished as a dry fly or emerger it fly remains extremely effective up and down the river.   Try it in riffles or drop it against the same features you fish with hoppers or chernobyl types.  So for many folks it may be out of style, but for those few in the know it remains a stalwart pattern.  Maybe you should give a try especially if you believe that fish get use to seeing patterns that are presented over & over again!

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Still Waters 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Still Water

Fishing in many of our irrigation reservoirs is slowing because of draw down making fish run deep to remaining cooler waters.   So natural lakes, especially at higher elevations, make better destinations until we cool off in the fall months. Candidates to try now are Horseshoe Lake with its put and take grayling population, Aldous Lake with its cutts in a gulper mood because of mid day speckled duns, and Paul Reservoir with its put and take cutthroat population.

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Southwestern Montana 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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South Western Montana

Terrestrial insects are making for good action all around.   In particular, the spruce moth population is up and makes for great dry fly action on the Madison and Gallatin river drainages.   The Beaverhead River features good PMD and caddis activity, which along with terrestrial insects are bringing big fish to the surface.  Hebgen Lake gulpers seem to have active and inactive days according to report reaching us.

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Yellowstone Park 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Yellowstone Park

It’s terrestrial season on most of Park streams.   Want to see how good your skills are with terrestrial patterns?  Here’s a few ” graduate school for fly fishers” waters this time of year:  Duck Creek,  meadow reaches of  Bechler River, meadow reaches of Fall River, Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek, Lewis River below Lewis Falls and between Lewis & Shoshone lakes, and the meadow reaches of the Gibbon River.  Want to try some small Park streams with good chances of action and the same with respect to solitude?  Try Polecat Creek just west of the South Entrance,  Cascade Creek, a tributary to Fall River off the Ashton-Flagg Road, or Winter Creek in the upper Gardner River Drainage.   If you prefer still waters, we have been saying it all along:  Beula Lake offers some of the fastest fishing in the Park.  Speckled dun and midge activities make for gulper action. Any time now flying ants will be around, and every fish in the lake will be near the surface looking for them making for even better gulper action. You can find action almost as fast on Riddle Lake, too.

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Big Lost River 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Big Lost River

With flows out of Mackay Dam dropping near 300 cfs, the river below is in good wading condition.  Right now caddis and terrestrial patterns presented in the afternoon are working well, and the trico hatch is just around the corner.

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Small Streams 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Small Streams

This is a great time to try the South Fork and Salt River tribs.   The flav hatch seems to be erratic on these so far but terrestrial patterns, particularly foam beetle and hopper patterns, work on all of these.     On all of these best fishing is afternoon when waters have warmed to allow aquatic insect activity.   Start with the terrestrial patterns presented around overhead cover, then watch for rises to afternoon caddis activity.   And the chance for solitude is great on all of these, especially if you get away from roads and habitation.   Some others away from the South Fork and Salt River are Bitch Creek, Teton River, Warm River, and the upper Blackfoot River.  Get in touch with us to get information on which of these streams are best at any given time.

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Main Stem Snake River 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Main Stem Snake River

The best time to fish the river is approaching. For sure float fishing is the best method, but with dropping flows walk-in locations abound.   Caddis are active in evenings.  Terrestrial insect are abundant and because of increased agricultural activities will be on the move.  Fishing streamers at twilight makes for a great chance at large fish.   So consider putting the river on your “must try” list. We can help you choose a location.

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Henry’s Fork 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Henry's Fork

This is the slow time of season on the lower river, but that does not mean you cannot get into the fish of the season when you pitch streamer patterns at twilight. Be sure to have light colored and dark colored streamers, fish parts of the stream on the sunset side of the river, and have a stout (1X) tippet.  So much of successful streamer fishing is being able to recognize where the big trout hold.  Next comes being on the water when there is ample overhead cover.  After that pattern choice is a somewhat distant third.

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Henry’s Lake 8-21-10

August 21, 2010
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Henry's Lake

Still slow, and don’t expect an overall pick-up until we begin cooling off.  For sure there are some spots, like in front of Howard Creek  that offer action, but rest assured that they will be crowded when word gets out.

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