Our rainy day yesterday brought BWOs out on the South Fork. Their numbers were only temporary because we are back to summer weather. But that temporary presence means they are waiting for more permanent cool weather to begin emerging big time. So if you fish the South Fork, it is time to stock up on BWO life cycle patterns.
Flow out of Mackay Dam remains high enough (about 450 cfs) to make wading a bit tough. AM tricos and PM caddis and hoppers provide action. Nymphing isn’t bad either.
Pretty much the same conditions as our report of four days ago. With respect to the lower river, terrestrial insect patterns work during evenings and early AMs. We are closer to cooling off and the resulting tiny BWO emergence. For the upper river’s Last Chance-Harriman section, tricos in the early AM and hopper and ant patterns after they quit. For presenting those patterns; long, drag-free floats over good holding water near banks and overhangs will bring results. Don’t shy away from a stout (3X) tippet when doing so. You will need it when tying into a really good fish that wants to get down in the abundant weeds.
Again, not much change since our last report. Streamside terrestrial insect population is at its peak nearly everywhere. Here’s a tip if you enjoy presenting hopper patterns. If a grain cutting operation is ongoing and nearby to a stream, hoppers will be on the move away from it. This means more of them end up on the water. Fish being in the water “24/7,” are aware of this and take notice. Enough said; bring hopper patterns if such activity is ongoing. Better yet, bring these patterns anywhere you try the water.
Here are a few streams to consider avoiding because of low water and hot weather (less cover and higher water temps): Blackfoot River above the reservoir, Salt river tribs coming out of Idaho, lower sections of sinks streams ( Beaver, Medicine Lodge, Camas, Little Lost). Some of the best to try these days: Teton River in the basin and below the canyon ( rattlesnakes still active in the canyon), Warm River, all Palisades Reservoir tribs, Birch Creek (in family area above Lone Pine), Bitch Creek, and Palisades Creek.
No big change since our last report. Flows remain about the same throughout except for a 700 cfs drop out of Palisades Dam drop on Wednesday. Mutant stones greet early AM fly-fishers. Fish are responding best to hoppers and other terrestrial insects on the river below Heise. Riffle fishing varies day by day, but PM caddis activity seems reliable almost every day. If you are considering a float trip downstream from Twin Bridges, be advised that someone in your group knows that part of river. The river in that section can be tricky with blind side channels and dangerous snags and sweepers. It is a good example of a “living river.”
We are starting with good conditions for the upcoming fall fishing season: clear water, suitable flows, and cooling weather. A lot of folks are looking forward to the BWO and mahogany dun activities which the fall season features and also the increasingly later effectiveness of presenting streamer patterns to amorous brown trout.
Fishing is slowing down on some streams because of the extended hot, dry weather. That’s the case on upper Blackfoot River where low flow has warmed water to the point of making it somewhat lethal to play a fish for a long time. Below the reservoir conditions are very different with around 600 cfs coming down the river to satisfy irrigation demands and making wet fly fishing the best way to go. Our weather should begin cooling next month, and irrigation demands will diminish, so better days are ahead.
We are looking forward to cooler weather. Such a change should mean more action from those big hybrids. For now creek mouths and spring holes fished with standard Henry’s Lake patterns will provide action.
Pretty much the same as last week. For the lower river fish early and late in the day and concentrate on terrestrial insect and caddis life cycle patterns. A lot of folks are fishing on the upper river where early AM tricos and daytime terrestrial insects (including ants), a few speckled duns, tiny PMDs, and later caddis and spinner falls bring action in the Last Chance-Harriman section. Two fly nymph rigs work well in Box Canyon.
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been constant at about 9800 cfs (10555 cfs at Heise, 5000 cfs at Lorenzo) for at least a week. Not much change since our report a few days ago. Mutant golden stones early, hoppers and riffle-feeding mayflies and PM caddis are interesting fish.
Beulah (Foreground) and Hering Lakes
Any water adjacent to a road is crowded and tourist traffic through most entrances makes getting there lengthy. This really applies to the major streams in the northeast corner of the park ( Lamar River, Slough, Soda Butte Creeks). By contrast Fall River Basin streams (Bechler and Fall Rivers, Boundary and Mountain Ash Creeks) in the southwest corner have few (Bechler and Boundary Creek) to nearly no (Fall River and Mountain Ash Creek) visits. All Fall River Basin streams and Beula and Hering Lakes are off the beaten path and require a bit of driving over gravel roads then walking to approach. Like anywhere in the Park, fishing is a bit tough on the basin streams ( AM tricos, PM hoppers, beetles and ants work best) as waters drop to base flows and are warmed by afternoons. At 7000 feet in elevation Beula Lake, however, still offers as good of fishing as anywhere in the park, and like its Fall River Basin partners requires a walk (2.5 miles) to reach.