mobile-logo
Top

Author: Bruce_Staples

Fly Fish Food Jimmy's / Articles posted by Bruce_Staples (Page 46)

Southwestern Montana, July 16th, 2022

July 16, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, South Western Montana

The big stone flies have come and gone on the Madison River below Hebgen Lake. Caddis, PMDs, yellow sallys and a few golden stones provide top water fare for trout there. Morning spinner falls are producing some good fishing and terrestrial insect populations are beginning to flourish along the river the further one ventures downstream. A few speckled duns are making an appearance on Hebgen Lake, with their emergence peak being a few weeks in the future.. We have a bit of info that says that the Gallatin River has shaped up with PM caddis flies providing good action. The big stone flies are hatching just below its Yellowstone Park waters.

Share

Small Streams, July 16th, 2022

July 16, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Small Streams

Now is the time to enjoy fishing our small streams, especially those that are a bit remote.

The Blackfoot River drainage above the reservoir is a good example.

Water levels in all streams are good thanks to an abundant snowfall last winter, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDF&G), other government agencies, and Trout Unlimited are working on improving in-stream habitat and riparian zones in many places. Caddis flies and stone flies predominate as aquatic insects and terrestrial insects will become dominant as life forms to consider when making fly pattern selections.. Although some waters run through private areas, there are many stream sections running through public lands. Contacting IDF&G’s Southeast Idaho Region office can give information on where to find water open to the public.

Share

South Fork, July 16th, 2022

July 16, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, South Fork

No big changes since our last report, and flow out of Palisades Reservoir has been constant for about a week.

We came close to losing three folks in a drift boat a day ago. They got crosswise to a bridge abutment near the Spring Creek launch site and capsized. All got out safely. We know it is difficult to maintain attention to the river when fishing is good, but stay alert to it, We all want to see everyone end the day in good shape after enjoying fishing or even boating this great river.

Share

Still Waters, July 16th, 2022

July 16, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Still Water

The Sand Creek Ponds are now open to non-motorized boat fishing unless there are posted restrictions for protecting wildlife. As with all our still waters, the currently high air temps warm water enough to move fish to deepest areas. However, speckled dun and damselfly activity will bring fish to less deep water during mornings and evenings. Life cycle patterns for these insects, small leach, small streamer, and traditional nymph patterns will work. The ponds are not very deep, so presenting flies on a floating line works when there is surface activity or when fishing shallower water. Switch to an intermediate line if there are no rising fish, and concentrate on fishing deeper water.

Share

Small Streams, July 12th, 2022

July 12, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Small Streams

It’s quite a drive from Idaho Falls, around 135 miles to be exact, but right now the Little Lost River drainage above Howe, Idaho is offering good fishing thanks to an abundant snowfall winter in the Lemhi Mountain Range. Rainbow trout to good size and brook trout dominate the drainage with some small bull trout in such as Dry Creek. There is a limited service BLM campground just beyond the pavement end at the Clyde township, More campgrounds, primitive and somewhat developed, are on Sawmill Creek.( see above photo).

Light weight gear ( 3-4 weight) is best for fishing these streams, and the trout and char (brookies and bulls) are not picky. PM caddis activity is reliable and soon, thanks to our dry, hot weather terrestrial insects will be numerous. Stone flies up to goldens in size may still be around. Traditional attractor patterns and bead head nymph patterns of choice are always work well. For sure there will be fewer anglers in this relatively remote area than encountered on most of our small streams closer to town.

Share

Yellowstone National Park, July 12th, 2022

July 12, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Yellowstone Park

All Fall River Basin streams are near base flows. Bechler Meadows drying out, and river offers some good fishing with PMDs and damsel fly life cycle patterns. A few green drakes are present in this low water year. Best fishing here is during the evening brown drake emergence. A good strategy to enjoy it is to reserve one of the campgrounds along the river or nearby and fish until twilight. Same applies to Boundary, and Mountain Ash Creeks and Fall River. Beula Lake is offering some of the fastest still water fishing in the Park thanks to its abundant leech population and speckled dun and damsel fly activity.

Beula and Hering Lakes

Fall River

Brown drake numbers in Gibbon River in meadows and Duck Creek have diminished in the last few years. Is climate change the reason? Leave the Firehole River alone until September days begin cooling back to water temperatures where resident trout have a better chance of surviving being caught and released. The Yellowstone River is now open, but thanks to road traffic getting there in time to enjoy best fishing requires a departure as soon as entry gates open in the AM. We have no information on fishing the streams (Lamar River, Slough and Soda Butte Creeks) in the northeast corner of the park mainly because of road conditions.

Share

Henry’s Fork, July 12th, 2022

July 12, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Henry's Fork

Headlines from Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s latest water report for the Henry’s Fork follows.

Headlines:  

  • Mean temperature yesterday was 2 degrees F above average; water-year precipitation stands at 90% of average.
  • Natural flow dropped another 3% yesterday, while diversion increased to 99% of average. Water rights priorities are near the median for the date.
  • Outflow from Island Park Reservoir was increased to 1460 cfs yesterday to accommodate increased diversion into the Crosscut Canal.
  • Diversion and reservoir outflow will remain high for the next 2-3 weeks, as hot, dry weather continues.

Rob Van Kirk, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Henry’s Fork Foundation

P.O. Box 550

Ashton, ID 83420

208-881-3407 CELL

208-652-3568 FAX

Evenings ( try caddis and PMD and gray drake spinner patterns) and early AMs ( spinner patterns again) are the best times to fish the lower river where terrestrial insects are beginning to appear in good numbers. A bit early for these along the upper river except ant and beetle patterns should always be in that fly box Variable flow out of Island Park Reservoir impacts fishing from Box Canyon to Riverside. PMDs, Flavs and green drakes are diminishing a bit (AM and PM spinner falls bring action) except for PM brown drakes in lower Harriman offering best activity. PM caddis activity is reliable everywhere.

Share

Small Streams, July 9th, 2022

July 9, 2022
2
0
Fishing Reports, Small Streams

Are you looking for a stock of brook trout to have a summertime fish fry? Here are a few streams that are good candidates for creeling enough to do so. Elk Creek at the east end of the USFS’s Buffalo River campground is a good location, and another in the same area is Tom’s Creek which enters Buffalo River just above it on the south side. Not far way to the east Little Warm River is another good place to try,and USFS’s Pole Bridge campground make a good base of operations for gearing up. Cottonwood Creek above Kilgore is another good candidate. It can be a bit brushy, but such places are the best for finding them. Beaver Creek above the Stoddard Creek and campground Interstate-15 Exit holds plenty of brookies, but the adjacent Union Pacific mainline is a considerable danger. Modoc Creek, brushy as ever, below Pauls Reservoir is another good place to try if you do not mind a bit of thrashing through thick willows.

For all these streams, simple flies are the ticket. The brookies in all these are aggressive enough to take any small wet or dry pattern (try such as renegades, bead head nymphs, peacock woolly worms) offered, so save those elaborate and time-consuming-to-tie patterns for the Henry’s Forks, Teton Rivers and South Forks of this world.

Share
« Previous PageNext Page »