Flow out of Palisades Dam was dropped five days ago and so are leaves. Flow is about 3000 cfs Irwin, 2700 cfs at Heise, and 1200 cfs at Lorenzo. Great news for walk-in-wade fishing! More great news is that we will have good BWO weather for a while and likewise good conditions for streamer fishing. Hoppers will have a tough time becoming active, and boating will require some caution because of the “skinnier” water.
Flow out of Mackay Dam was reduced to 79 cfs a few days ago. This action will concentrate fish in deeper water in the river below and make for easy wading. With nice days remaining until this weekend, now may be a good time to visit the river below the dam and take advantage of trout chasing hatching BWOs and midges and a few remaining hoppers.
With flow below normal from the Henry’s Fork confluence to below American Falls Reservoir ( a paltry 316 cfs currently coming out of American Falls Dam) now is the time to pitch streamers for migrating brown trout and the rainbow trout that will follow them. That low flow out of American Falls Reservoir, which is at around 4% of capacity, is thus likely to stay that low though the winter as another irrigation season with its demands for water will begin next spring.
Leaves are falling, daytime hours are diminishing and flow out of Palisades Dam (now 3070 cfs at Irwin, 3250 cfs at Heise,1700 cfs at Lorenzo) is decreasing. This is to the joy of walk-in-wade fly fishers who have more locations to try and brings caution for those using boats.Unsettled weather is predicted for the upcoming weekend. Let’s hope that BWOs and mahogany duns take advantage of the increased overhead cover then and that trout now concentrated in deeper water come up to feed on the increased surface activity..
Let’s take look at an Idaho Department of Fish and Game action that establishes more locations for fishing.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDF&G) ACCESS YES program reveals a tremendous effort to acquire legal trespass on private property for anglers and hunters alike. Several dozen properties around the state are in the program with many in eastern Idaho. There are several ACCESS YES properties allowing access to fishing waters in eastern Idaho. Some of these are “off the beaten path,” while others are on well-known waters.
Finding these is relatively easy. Go to the IDF&G’s ACCESS YES website section and open the Search Properties Guide. Not only is the participating properties list in the Guide, but also locations, restrictions, travel directions, and, where permission to trespass is required, owner contact information. Also present for each is a map showing location and extent of each property.
You will see that currently there are properties on such area waters as the Blackfoot River, Camas Creek, Dan Creek, the Henry’s Fork, Teton River, Willow Creek and Henry’s Lake. If you visit any of these, accept restrictions given, livestock and structures. Help keeping these in a natural or undamaged state by minimizing your impact, and by picking up to remove any trash. The IDF&G is working to increase the number of participation properties and having a minimum impact on the already participating properties will help in bringing on new ones and in extending the tenure of those already on board.
The brown and rainbow trout run up the Madison River is in full swing and so is the number of anglers chasing it. Attention to etiquette really applies here. Get in line at the top of holes and runs to take your turn to fish through them. Streamers on sink tip lines bring the best results, and if you have success with them, you might get crowded and at least will be questioned on what patterns you are using.
An alternative to fishing the Madison run is that the Firehole River now offers the best top water fishing in the Park with white mlller, other caddis, and BWOs hatching in enough number to keep fish busy feeding on or near the top.
firehole
Teton and Warm Rivers are the stars of the show here. Warm, sunny PMs may be “numbered” in both places, but during these times terrestrial insects as well as caddis life cycle patterns will be effective. Recreational floaters are diminishing on the Teton in the Basin and none exist on Warm River, especially just downstream of Warm River Spring where tranquility thrives. Cloudier days will bring out BWOs in good numbers on both rivers.
Warm River Spring
It is streamer time in Box Canyon and in the Tubs. Water is low enough in the Box that walk-in-wade fishing beats fishing from a boat because of low water. Another plus is that recreational floater numbers in both places are decreasing as we cool off. Almost anywhere else on the river, terrestrial insect patterns during warm, sunny PMs are best bets to fishing success. Tiny BWOs are out during evenings at certain locations such as just above the Fun Farm Bridge.
Another strategy for this time of day on the lower river is that of using streamers to encounter migrating brown trout.
That big cuttbow hybrid, 36 inches, the lady landed is a new state catch and release record. Congrats to her and for proving that very large trout are still in the lake. Beware of toxins being released by algae, and consider washing hands with clean water after contacting lake water. Better consistent fishing success is ahead after any unsettled weather comes our way.
No significant change since our last fishing report. We need some unsettled weather for such to happen.