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July 2016

Fly Fish Food Jimmy's / 2016 (Page 8)

Still Waters 7-26-16

July 26, 2016
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Still Water

Daniels Reservoir continues to offer the best still water trout fishing in reservoirs to the south. Damselfly nymph patterns and midge pupa patterns, both under an indicator, bring most interest from trout. Although not really still water fishing, right below Oneida Narrows Dam has been good with bead head nymph and streamer patterns. Both trout and bass respond. Sand Creek Pond #4 offers slow fishing during daytime, but for those beginning fishing at first light results are much better until daytime heat begins. Try damselfly nymph and small leech patterns.  The lack of invasive species check stations makes boating and fishing from boats on Franklin County still waters inconvenient for visitors and anglers coming from the north. Horseshoe Lake was stocked with grayling last September and rainbow trout this June. Most enjoyable fishing there is to present speckled dun emerger and adult patterns in front of lily pad beds. Has anyone tried fishing Teardrop Lake (Snow Creek Pond) off the Fish Creek Road? It was stocked with rainbow trout back in June and hosts hold-overs.

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Big Lost River 7-23-16

July 23, 2016
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Big Lost River

Flow out of Mackay Dam was raised a little recently, but at slightly over 400 cfs wading is a bit difficult. Western green drakes are finished, but terrestrial insects are coming on. Fishing has been somewhat slow, but nymphing with PMD patterns is a good method for some success. The same for presenting patterns simulating aquatic or washed-in worms (SJ worm, medium sized woolly buggers).  Flows will drop as irrigation demands diminish and calls for storage in the reservoir increase. Such should make for better wading conditions during the trico activity later this summer..

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Small Streams 7-23-16

July 23, 2016
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Small Streams

It looks like our hot dry weather will continue indefinitely. This will impact fishing on many of our small streams for weeks to come as flows drop and waters warm.  Resulting reduced cover contributes to less fishing success, but the overlying reason is that higher water temperatures mean less dissolved oxygen. Less dissolved oxygen means fish cannot be as active, and larger fish are impacted particularly.  Reduced dissolved oxygen also impacts aquatic insect activity.  Here are some thoughts that may help in making a choice in small streams. Any stream with a good component of water coming from springs will be less impacted by the current weather. Birch Creek, Big Elk Creek, Tom Creek, Warm River, and the Fort Hall Reservation spring creeks are good examples. Palisades Creek has a good flow throughout the season for an unusual reason. That is the two sizeable lakes in its drainage having a good component of (lower Palisades Lake) or total (Upper Palisades Lake) subterranean water in their outflow to the creek.  There others that are good candidates for a visit this time of year. Come in and talk to us. We can help in making a small stream selection for a good fly-fishing experience.

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Yellowstone Park 7-19-16

July 19, 2016
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Yellowstone Park

Some green drakes remain on Yellowstone River where it is open to fishing in the Hayden Valley area. Pelican Creek, except for the lower two miles, is now open to fishing, but is only a shadow of its former self. Some post-spawning cutthroat are heading back to the lake and will take most small or medium sized fly patterns offered. Beula Lake is living up to its reputation of being a great fishery.  Try small leech and damselfly nymph patterns for best wet flies. Dry adult damsel patterns work well close to shorelines and lily pad beds before and after mid-day winds take over.  Look for speckled dun and cinnamon caddis life cycle patterns to be effective soon. Only “fly in the ointment” is that the Ashton-Flagg Road is rough and dusty, so drive carefully.  If you plan to enter the Park west entrance from the south via U. S. Highway 20, see our road construction delay comments on the Henry’s Fork fishing report.

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Henry’s Fork 7-19-16

July 19, 2016
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Henry's Fork

If you plan to fish the Henry’s Fork above Island Park Reservoir, Henry’s Lake, the Madison River, or Yellowstone Park via the West Entrance, be aware of the U. S. Highway 20 road construction from about Pond’s Lodge to Island Park Village (at the south side of Henry’s Lake Flat).  The result is travel delays up to one hour. Expect these delays to continue into September.   Only practical alternative is to take Interstate 15 to Monida, Montana then the South Valley Road across the Centennial Valley and over Red Rock Pass then around Henry’s Lake to Highway 20 above the construction.  So plan accordingly. Meanwhile, enjoy trout responding to the remaining PM flavs, AM rusty spinners, and growing terrestrial insect population from Last Chance on downstream or nymphing in Box Canyon.

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South Fork 07-18-16

July 18, 2016
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Fishing Reports, South Fork

Even though it is the dog days of summer, the fishing still continues to be good on the South Fork. The Salmon flies are starting to end on the upper section in Swan Valley, but the Golden Stones are fishing well throughout the whole river. Also, I would recommend fishing a dry dropper with the Golden Stone and a small nymph below it. The best fishing has still been in the riffles with a Pink Comparadun and an emerger. The flows are continuing to stay stable around 13,000 cfs, and there is no word on dropping the South Fork. Although if I had a day off, I would spend it on the South Fork fishing dry flies.

Flies I would use:

Nymphs: Bennett’s Brown Rubber Leg size 6 & 8, Pearl Lightning Bug size 16, Red Copper John size 14, Bead Headed Pheasant Tail Crystal Flash size 16

Streamers: Gallop’s Yellow Dungeon, Kreelix Copper/Gold, Gallop’s White Peanut Envy, Sparkle Minnow, Flash Minnow.

Dry Flies: John’s CFO Yellow Sallie size 14, Kyle’s Yellow Sallie size 12,  Super Chernobyl Golden size 10 (A.K.A Chubby), CFO Flamer size 8, CW Pink Albert Dun size 16, Pink Albert Captive Dun size 16,

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Henry’s Lake 7-16-16

July 16, 2016
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Henry's Lake

Fishing here sure has been slow, and the reason is likely a combination of factors. Leeches presented deep seem to bring the best results up to now.  But the way things are warming up, it is likely time to concentrate presenting traditional Henry’s Lake patterns at creek mouths. Begin doing so at first light, and expect oncoming company, especially if you are having good fishing.

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Henry’s Fork 7-16-16

July 16, 2016
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Henry's Fork

Higher water releases from Island Park Reservoir draw down resulted in turbid water flowing through the Last Chance-Harriman reach on downstream a ways. This impacted fishing success for a few days, but should decrease with any decrease in flows. Some afternoon flavs remain, but rusty spinner patterns bring the most interest during evening hours. Fishing on the river below Ashton Dam remains slow with best times to do so being early in the day.  But below the dam and above the reservoir to Warm River terrestrial insects are becoming more important in dry fly fishing.

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Warm Waters 7-16-16

July 16, 2016
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Warmwater

We usually do not receive a lot of warm water fishing information because most information comes from trout fishing, the major angling interest regionally. This year we and other local shops are receiving even less on warm waters because of increased restrictions and added inconveniences.  Here are a few. Invasive species regulations (up to date boat sticker purchase requirement and verification), no fishing from boats and no wading (only fishing from shore) on Deep and Devil’s Creek Reservoirs, and the lack of boat inspection stations in Franklin County, the location of so many of reservoirs hosting warm water fish species. The Franklin County situation is that the only boat inspection station is on U. S. Highway 89 just north of the Idaho-Utah border. Thus persons wanting to fish county reservoirs, including those further north in the county where most are located, must go almost to the Utah border first for an inspection and its verification certificate. Add to that the $20 fee required for non-Franklin county residents and good for only five days, and the result is that visitation to these reservoirs is way down compared to past years.  For those willing to bear this burden, crowding is not a problem, but there certainly is an impact on fishing time for those anglers residing north of Franklin County.

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Still Waters 7-16-16

July 16, 2016
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Still Water

Daniels Reservoir remains the “star of the show” for reservoirs to the south, and can be a bit crowded.  Damselfly life cycle patterns work very well (adult patterns work better on wind-free days) as do midge pupa patterns under an indicator. You must determine the taking depth. Springfield Reservoir can be good for those presenting dry damselfly patterns on top of channels between weed beds, again being best during wind-free times. Twenty-Four Mile Reservoir is pretty much done for the year, Hawkins Reservoir is being drawn down, and Chesterfield Reservoir is not producing up to par. We do not have as much information as is usual for this time of year simply because people are not fishing these and other reservoirs to the southeast because of political-social reasons. If you go to our current Warm Water report, you will see an sketch of the reasons why.

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