River flow in the Shelley area is about 900 cfs below normal. That is good news for wading, but water remains cold at the high thirties in degrees Fahrenheit. Triploid rainbows are fairly active and respond to nymphing and small streamers.
Flow just below Palisades Dam is a little under 900 cfs. At Heise it is 1400 cfs and remains in the mid 30’s in degrees Fahrenheit. No wonder there is not much dry fly activity! Zebra midges, rubber legs, and San Juan worms fished around riffles are bringing responses. Expect many of those responses to be from whitefish.
Flows throughout the river are lower than average, and most of the river banks are free of ice and snow. Boat ramps are open, but walk-in wade fishing is just as convenient. Triploid rainbows in moderate sizes are responding well. There are many places available for walk-in wade fishing. Get in touch with us, or stop by so we can help choose a location for such. Currently, the best chance for action is through presenting streamer patterns under low light conditions.
Not much of winter is left, meaning fly-fishers are getting out to shake off cabin fever. For sure access is currently limited because of remaining snow and ice, but each day a bit more opens. Another sign of the times is the shop receives increasing calls and emails asking for access information and ” where to find action.” Therefore we are beginning our fishing reports to answer increasing inquiries. We begin with information on the Henry’s Fork, the South Fork, and the main stem Snake River. When access becomes practical to other waters we will post such information here. So keep our fishing report in mind because it will offer increasing information on access and fish activity.
Problem here is that roads in nearly all places remain snowed in. With effort required to go through snow, lower reaches of such as Fall, and Teton Rivers are open. Warm River is open to catch and release fishing.
Walk-in fishing is the way to go on most of the river. Boat ramps are not cleared of enough snow to make launching and taking out much fun. As soon as we hear that certain ramps are cleared, we will post such info here. For now, if you must float, rafting is more practical, but you will need rope!
Fishing has been good along the river. Midge and BWO life cycle patterns provide action for floating line enthusiasts, while March browns should be doing the same not too far in the future. Giant stonefly nymph and steamer patterns are providing action for the sink-tip line enthusiasts. Some places to look for action include Last Chance area for good midge hatches. Henry’s Fork Anglers (HFA) offers that in Box Canyon midge life cycle, giant stonefly nymph and streamer patterns will result in action. Snow shoes or cross country skis may help access during warmer days. HFA also offers that rainbows are moving into the river above Island Park Reservoir, and access is best when snow is hard enough to support weight.
This year the river between Ashton Dam and the Vernon Bridge is open ONLY for catch and release fishing. Same for the river between Riverside Campground and the lower Harriman State Park boundary. Please report any violators to IDF&G.
Palisades Creek
Lower Palisades Lake and Creek Above
A while back we took a look at Big Elk Creek. In a number of ways it and Palisades Creek are physically similar, and some of the comments made for Big Elk apply to Palisades Creek with respect to fishing. But there are also major differences when comparing these two first class fisheries.
First; whereas Big Elk Creek empties into Palisades Reservoir, Palisades Creek empties into the South Fork reach of the Snake River below Palisades Dam. It is reached from U. S. Highway 26 where its access road goes roughly northeast leaving the highway about four miles below the dam. Within two miles the access road enters Caribou-Targhee National Forest where a full-service campground provides a base for fishing the creek or neighboring waters during an overnight or multi-day stay. The trail head for accessing the creek is above the campground on the opposite side and has ample parking. The trail from which the creek is mostly easily accessed is well maintained and non-motorized being open to mountain bike, horse, and foot traffic.
Through emptying into the river, Palisades Creek is a major spawning stream for cutthroat trout. Idaho Department of Fish and Game, as part of efforts to enhance cutthroat trout populations, operates a fish trap on the lower creek. Here cutthroat trout are allowed to pass to upstream spawning areas, and rainbow trout are denied access. Harvest of cutthroat trout is denied in Palisades Creek, and it is closed to fishing yearly during the month of June, all to minimize disturbance to this native salmonid while spawning. There is no harvest limit on rainbow and trout hybrids within the creek during fishing season.
The best fishing throughout Palisades Creek begins after run-off leaves, and dry fly fishing can be most enjoyable. It’s a stream of some gradient from lower Palisades Lake downstream, so most trout there will occupy holes, deeper runs, and just below structure. Access at some places as well as an uninterrupted back cast, can be a challenge because of willow thickets, but the creek is small enough that it can be safely waded and crossed in a number of places after run-off leaves. During summer months wet wading is practical. Light-weight gear makes playing trout in the fast water fun, so three and four weight systems are ideal. Trout here range up to moderate sizes with an occasional individual reaching trophy size. Caddisflies and stoneflies are the major aquatic insects present, so life cycle fly patterns for them are usually effective. So are traditional attractor patterns, dry and wet. Mayflies including PMDs, BWOs, and flavs are present but are relatively minor. As mid-summer approaches terrestrial insects become abundant along stream banks adding another interesting dimension to dry fly fishing in fast water.
Here’s another way Palisades Creek differs from others in the South Fork-Palisades Reservoir drainage. Two major lakes, Lower and Upper Palisades lake are within its drainage. The upper lake, on a tributary, has a subterranean outlet, and much of the outflow from the lower lake, on the creek itself, is also subterranean. This flow helps keep good water level in the creek during dry weather periods. The lower lake is a bit over four miles by trail above the campground, and some of the best fishing on the creek is in the low gradient stretch just above the lake. Because of beaver channels, willows, and marshy areas moving around here can be a challenge. But doing so is rewarding because the trout here average larger than in the fast water below the lake.
So Palisades Creek is another stream that offers great fishing, an easy approach, and solitude. Its trail is non-motorized so its tranquility means the only noise is the creek itself.
Flows throughout the river are somewhat below normal for the time of year, and access for walk-in and wade fishing is plentiful. Float fishing is also practical as long as boat launch facilities are maintained for winter conditions. Presenting streamer patterns this time of year is the way to encounter large brown and rainbow trout as well as a few cutthroat.
By December 1st the South Fork Road will close to motorized vehicles not far above where the road intersects with the Kelly Canyon Road above Table Rock. This closure protects wintering big game. It will remain legal to ski along the road to access the river. With the low winter maintenance flow (currently 887cfs at Irwin and 1290 cfs at Heise) there are an almost a limitless number of locations to walk in and wade to fish along the river. Presenting streamers will provide the best chance for encountering the largest trout, but with midges being active during better weather some chances for fishing riffles will happen.
Fishing on a few of our small streams remains practical this time of year. But road conditions can determine whether it is practical to try certain places. For sure we will get enough snow to close some roads until springtime, but a few could remain open. These can become difficult because of daytime warming after nighttime freezing. So consider that, if you must try a location where roads are not usually well-maintained, it may be best to depart while roads are frozen and return after they freeze up.