Spotty fishing at best. Black leeches presented near bottom seem to work. We have heard more about the recent winds that whip the surface into near impossible conditions. Let’s hope that winds calm down and that a remnant of the once famed damsel fly emergence improves the fishing.
The great fishing on the lower river continues. Flavs have showed up, some green drakes remain. PMDs are present and PM caddis provide action.We have not heard a lot about the gray drake emergence. It’s is not what it use to be ten years ago in terms of number, but late afternoons and evening are the best times to try it (streamers work well during these times of day). The Chester backwater is one of the best locations especially on using a boat to get around shorelines.
Wind and cool temperatures have impacted fishing on the upper river. Predicted warm weather will bring aquatic insect activity back to seasonal norms.
It’s about ready to turn on the big stonefly hatch on. A few stoneflies are flying on the river below Lorenzo, and any day the fish will begin to notice. Warm weather coming up means their emergence will soon march up the river providing exciting dry fly fishing and crowds. Right now there are not many folks fly-fishing here, even though flow out Palisades Dam ( reservoir is about 95% of capacity and bulk of run-off is over) is about normal for the time of year. This makes the South Fork a great alternative to fishing the crowded lower Henry’s Fork. A few early season sallies are showing up. For now streamers, a variety of nymphs with and without beads, rubber legs, and big stonefly nymph patterns provide best action especially around riffles and side channels.
The Blackfoot River drainage above the reservoir opens to fishing Monday (July 1st). The river flow is about normal, but best fishing will be with steamers and wooly bugger types. A minimal evening brown drake hatch occurs in the meadow reaches not long after opening. PMDs are not numerous, and green drakes, if any, are very few. For faster water, such as in the narrows, stonefly nymphs (#6-8) and streamers are a good choice until we reach warmer conditions, then terrestrial patterns are best anywhere in the river. The Teton River (and Bitch Creek) is high with run-of and will be that way for a while. Believing that is easy on viewing the snow fields remaining on the west slope. Most other small streams are in fishing condition and roads to them are passable. Warm River just below the spring and across from Bear Gulch and Robinson Creek are fishing well (caddis, PMD life cycle, beetle/ant and traditional attractor patterns) and will get you away from the crowds.
Here is some information on back country roads going to fishing spots. The Ashton-Flagg Road is open west of the Bridger-Teton Forest boundary, but quite rough, meaning access to Fall River upstream drainage (including Beula Lake) is possible. The Fish Creek Road is open at the Chick Creek Road junction, but closed above and below it. The Cave Falls Road is open but scarred with connecting potholes (gives a vehicle suspension quite a workout!) from the Horseshoe lake junction on east.
The Firehole currently provides the best fishing in the park, and that is the reason for it being crowded. Gibbon also providing good fishing for those presenting nymph patterns in size ranging from small (#16) to large (#8). Being not far from the Firehole, it is getting some fishing pressure. No big PMD hatches yet on the Madison. Warmer weather coming up will change that, but will begin putting the seasonal damper on Firehole hatches. All streams in the northeast corner are high and discolored with run-off. The Ashton-Flagg Road is open west of the Bridger-Teton boundary, so Beula Lake can be reached. It will soon provide perhaps the best still water fishing the park offers. Bechler Meadows look almost like a rice paddy but is draining. For those able to put boats on them, Lewis and Shoshone Lakes are currently providing that. Lewis River in the meadow below the south entrance highway hosts perhaps the world’s most wary large brown trout. But they are susceptible during the upcoming green drake hatch and to a hair mouse pattern presented during the evening and in a manner of one struggling to swim.
All tributaries to Palisades Reservoir and those going out of Idaho into the Salt River are in fishing shape. The same goes for Robinson Creek, Beaver Creek, and Medicine Lodge Creek. Big Lost River is stocked with rainbows near Arco , but high water remains coming out of Mackay Dam. Birch Creek family area remains one of the best places to take a youngster fishing. So there are plenty of small stream fishing options in our ares.
Green and grey drakes, flavs and PMDs are coming out on the lower river, fish are hitting these very well, and word is out. This shifts fly-fishers from the upper river as well as bringing in those in waiting. So both places are well attended. Looking for a Henry’s Fork location with fewer fly-fishing attendees but with good fishing? Try the river in the Nature Conservancy’s Flat Ranch. It’s really the Henry’s Fork according to the USGS even though the rest of us call it Henry’s Lake Outlet.
Here is some useful technical information on the South Fork from Bryce Oldenmeyer of the Henry’s Fork Foundation.
Flow update: In response to cooling temperatures and decreased inflow, discharge from Palisades Dam was decreased 2,400 cfs this (Friday, 6/21) afternoon. Current outflow from Palisades Dam is 11,400 cfs. Flows are expected to stay around this level for the next 7 to 10 days.
Snow and reservoir overview
Average temperatures the last seven days have melted most of the snow at sites above Palisades Reservoir. Out of the eighteen SNOTEL sites above Palisades Reservoir, Togwotee Pass (elevation 9580 ft) and Two Ocean Plateau (elevation 9240 ft) are the only SNOTEL sites with snow. Togwotee Pass has 8.1 inches SWE (92% of median for the date; 32% of peak) and Two Oceans Plateau has 7.8 inches of SWE (66% of median for the date; 26% of peak SWE). Cooler temperatures are forecast for the next 3-4 days and runoff is anticipated to slow over the weekend. Even after temperatures are expected to return to average next week, it is likely that runoff will continue to decline as the remaining snow proceeds to melt.
The Upper Snake River system is currently 96% of capacity and expected to fill by the end of the month. Palisades Reservoir is 95% full (1,139,623 ac-ft of 1,200,000 ac-ft) and Jackson Lake is 97% full (822,279 ac-ft of 847,000 ac-ft).
With respect to fly-fishing, giant stoneflies are beginning to emerge along the river below Lorenzo. With warming weather they will soon advance up the river and become numerous enough to interest resident trout.
Damselfly activity is making for good fishing on Chesterfield Reservoir. Seek out sheltered coves for the best activity resulting from life cycle patterns of these. With respect to safety, watch out for wind that can up in an instant here. Island Park Reservoir is full but needs to warm up for best fishing. Condie and Twin Lakes have been producing good results for warm water fish.
The lower river offers the most consistent fishing with green drakes, PMDs, golden stones, and caddis all offering action for dry fly enthusiasts. If nymphing is preferred, rubber legs with small bead head droppers, or bead head nymph patterns by themselves and evening time streamers suffice. Best fishing here is above Chester Dam because Fall River contributes run-off. With less variable weather fishing in the upper river would become more consistent.