Jimmy fished this weekend and did very well swinging small midge patterns and softhackles. Streamer fishing also produced in the deep, slow runs. Fishing should only get better with this nice weather we are having so get out there!
Fishing on the Henrys Fork is really good right now. I fished around Ashton and around Vernon bridge this week and did well on rubberlegs and various droppers. Streamer fishing immediately below Chester dam has been good too with some nice fish being caught.
Grey’s River
Whether you intend to visit this area or if you reside nearby, put the Grey’s River on your “have to try” list for next August and/or September. Without a doubt, this western Wyoming river is one of the most beautiful high country rivers on earth. Mostly of moderate gradient, it flows mainly through pine forests but has some meadow reaches especially in upstream locations. Once you get to Alpine Wyoming via either US highway 89-91 or US Highway 26, look for the Grey’s River Road heading east out of “downtown” Alpine. If you need a Wyoming license, fly-fishing gear, accommodations, or a good meal, Alpine can serve you well. Back to the Grey’s River road. Just the drive along it is worth a trip, and not having a good camera in possession is a tragedy. For better than forty miles the Grey’s River Road parallels the river which at times is a stone’s throw away, then other times out of sight. It is one of the better maintained gravel roads anywhere. Along the road, mostly in its middle reaches, are some of the best US Forest Service campgrounds that can be found. These make great locations for anglers wishing to stay within casting range for days to enjoy fishing the river. With exception of a few large ranches, the river courses through Bridger-Teton National Forest. Thus access is not problem.
The Grey’s drains the country between the Wyoming Range and the Salt River Range. It’s beginnings are above elevation 6000 feet and no where is it below 5000 feet. All this makes it a run-off stream of major proportions. That’s why we cannot recommend fishing it until around late July in normal run-off years. So let’s look at what this river offers with respect to fishing. Snake River fine spotted cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish are the natives. In the lower reaches one can encounter a few brown trout. I use to believe that a sixteen inch cutt would be a braggin’ fish from the Grey’s. Was I ever wrong! After concentrating a few years back on some undercut banks with ant patterns, I nailed a couple of eighteen inch guys. LeRoy, one of my fishing buddies did even better by fooling a twenty-two inch beauty. Another prime place to concentrate attention would be where willows overhang a deeper run. Fish residing here have “double cover” from depth and the overhang. So laying here looking for drifting food items gives them comfort. If you fish early in the late July time frame, you may see golden stoneflies emerging and cutts sipping them. About the same time PMDs will begin a summer-long emergence and attract fish with their activity. Afternoons will be the best time to enjoy the PMDs because, as with all “non-tailwater” high country rivers, time is required for water to warm up to their activity levels. Caddisflies are plentiful all along the river, and some late afternoon swarms can invade your eyes, ears, nose, and throat. In the September time frame tricos will make for some morning fishing, but generally afternoon to early evening are the best times for dry fly fishing. Presenting nymph patterns can be good throughout the day.
Here’s a couple of thoughts to consider for the Grey’s River. Below the Little Grey’s River confluence the river flows at a higher gradient through a canyon beloved by local kayakers and rafters down to near the confluence with the Snake River (beneath the topmost part of Palisades Reservoir early in the season). Further upstream above the Murphy Creek Bridge fishing is permitted with artificial flies and lures only. Throughout this reach the river can be waded with care. The bottom consists mostly of rocks and cobbles. You might encounter a few drift boats or rafts on the river above Murphy Creek bridge, but that is only a once in a while happening. Afternoon thundershowers are always possible here, and heavy ones can discolor the river to a coffee and cream color. But normally the Grey’s River runs as clear and sparkling as any stream can. If you decide to give the Grey’s a try, don’t forget that camera!
Like I mentioned yesterday I am playing a little game of catch up on getting you all information on the new materials we have gotten into the shop.
If you haven’t noticed we have starting stocking a lot of the Spirit River UV2 materials. As more of this material becomes available we have been getting it in and on the shelves. This stuff is awesome! The added “UV” allows it to have a so called glow under the surface that makes the fish go crazy. We have gotten the Marabou in stock and we have a large variety of colors for tying steelhead and trout patterns. This stuff really is good looking, come check it out!
We have been getting a lot of new fly tying materials in the shop and I am playing catch up from the last two weeks with posts. This week I will be featuring these new materials and tools.
We got in the new Renzetti tying tools last week and these things are awesome. You can be assured that these tools have been built with the same high quality Renzetti is known for. We have an assortment of hair stacker’s, dubbing brushes, dubbing loop tool and dubbing picks. All the tools have been built out of aluminum and have been built to last.
The streamer fishing has been picking up on the lower river. I have not had any great reports on Blue Wing Olive’s, however I would make sure I had a good selection of BWO patterns in my fly box. Any day now we should start seeing good BWO hatches and fish feeding on the surface. Nymphing has also been effective with Rubberlegs and bead head nymphs.
Fishing has really improved on the South Fork. Great midge hatches over the weekend with fish feeding on the surface. Other than the increase of midge activity all other tactics for catching fish have not changed from our previous reports.
All the boat ramps are open however the river is still at 900 cfs. This means that the river is a fraction of the flow we normally see. Short 3-4 mile floats will take you the majority of the day. We don’t advise going into the canyon. Cottonwood is still closed for wintering wildlife and it would be impossible to float the entire canyon in one day. Irwin slide to Spring Creek or Spring Creek to Conant and Wolf to Byington are good floats. Heise is inaccessible right now because the water is to low. Lorenzo to Menan is also a good float this time of year.
We have reports from the USGS verifying that flow out of American Falls Reservoir has been increased to about 3000 cfs from around 450 cfs. This will make for better cover and water conditions for those big trout. But for those of us that wade, peril increases.
Have you seen Tim’s recent Big Lost River contribution to our fishing report? What he offers is typical for fishing success this time of year on the river downstream of Mackay Dam. Midge activity and an increasing chance for BWOs appearing as we advance into early spring can make for great winter fishing. Pick a blue-bird day, string up your four- or five-weight system with a floating line, and bundle up for a most enjoyable time. At the time of this writing flows are about 111 cfs out of the dam thus making for easy wading. That’s typical of flows now as water users begin storing water in the reservoir for the upcoming agricultural season. Increases to around 200 cfs are possible, but if anything such an action gives fish more overhead cover thus reducing their skittishness. Right now snow depth is not much along the river below the dam, so access is easy.
In general fishing success this time of year can be more reliable than during the irrigation season when flows out of Mackay Dam can vary up and down abruptly at times putting fish down for a few days. The Big Lost River Valley below the town of Mackay relies heavily on agriculture for economic well being, and the demand for water at critical times during the growing season takes priority over any recreational use. At the end of the agricultural season flow out of Mackay Dam is again reduced as storage in the reservoir above begins, and fishing success once again becomes more consistent. So even though great fishing can be had during the summer months, especially when golden stoneflies or flavs are active and terrestrial insects populate banks, it is wise to watch for any abrupt changes in flow. With reduced flows late in the irrigation season a real feature on the river here is the morning trico emergence. That brings fly-fishers from all points to enjoy resulting activity. After tricos wane, it is back to the autumn midge and BWO activity much like the current late winter-early spring activity. Then as during this time of year it is not a bad idea to have a streamer or wooly bugger pattern along to try for some of the lunker rainbows that sulk in deep holes and undercuts.
Just below Mackay Dam and around the campground there is good access to the river. Remembering that you are with in legal actions by staying within the high water level of the stream bed, you can fish anywhere. Downstream, closer to town, private land prevails and some land owners discourage access. Others, however will grant access to those asking with a diplomatic approach. I recall an incident decades ago on the river that guaranteed me access over a piece of private land. This happened below town, but likely remains a good strategy. We had asked for permission to access the river to end a float trip further down the valley. We were given reluctant permission. We put in at the Darlington Bridge with most of the trip going through private land. During the way we picked up all kinds of garbage and offal. When we ended the trip the land owner came out of the field he worked in. When he saw the load of garbage we had, he asked if we had picked it up along the river in his property. To our affirmative answer he offered; ” If you did that for me, you can come here any time you want to fish!” Another incident got me trespass permission just outside of Mackay. We were within the high water level of the river, but the observing land owner reminded us to stay within or we would be trespassing. Luckily I tied into and landed a rainbow a bit under twenty inches as that land owner observed. On reviving the gorgeous rainbow and releasing it, the landowner offered “That’s great! Now I can enjoy that fish. C’mon back any time you want to fish here.”
Most folks in the valley want you to enjoy the exceptional fishing the Big Lost River offers for miles below Mackay Dam. Your visit has economic value. There is our usual stop for breakfast or dinner at one of the fine restaurants in the valley, and we do the same at C-stores for a lunch and liquid refreshment. If you are coming from afar and wish to fish a number of days on the river, motels or B&Bs here will welcome you, especially this time of year when tourists are few. So consider a visit to this unusually productive river before irrigation flows make it tougher to fish.
A couple of days ago we floated from Lorenzo to Menan and were happy to see that the new ramp being built below Lorenzo. It will be on the south side of the river and access will be from the Lorenzo/Menan highway. We don’t know the exact date that it will open but we will let when it is. In the meantime there is a 3 foot ledge of ice sitting on the ramp at current launch site. In order to put in you have to push the boat down over the ice ledge. Getting a boat out will take some extra rope and a good push by two folks on the back end of the boat. Then ice hopefully will melt in a week or so.
