Small Streams 7-27-13

Jim and Jimmy fished the upper Blackfoot River a few days ago  and had a good experience on the upper end of the Wildlife Management Area. If you have never fished this part of the Blackfoot River, consider a visit. From Interstate-15 take the Sunnyside exit and go east on Sunnyside past Ammon and up into the foothills.  Sunnyside eventually connects with the Bone Road. At this intersection take a right on the Bone Road and head south past Bone.  Just south of Bone the road splits. Take the left hand branch, the Long Valley Road, and follow around the east side of Grey’s Lake  to Idaho Highway 34.  Take a left on the highway to Wayan then a right on the Williamson Loop Road. Go about a mile and take a left on the Lanes Creek Road. Follow this road south to its intersection with the Diamond Creek Road. Here you can take a left onto this road to a parking area on the river. Or you can take a right at the intersection where the road becomes the Blackfoot River Road.  Follow it to a parking area on the left, or continue on the road to the lower end of the Wildlife Management Area, take a left to park near the river. All three of the parking areas give convenient access to the river.  Cutthroat trout are here in good numbers with a very occasional brook trout arriving from the Diamond Creek beaver ponds.  Hoppers  are out in good numbers, so what to use is obvious, but also bring a few PMD life cycle and traditional attractor patterns.  The country is beautiful so do not leave that camera behind.   Best of all, you just may be the only one fishing this classic meadow stream.