Springfield Reservoir, March 10th, 2020
Springfield Reservoir offers some still water fishing. Midge activity is good enough for a visit. Pupa patterns under an indicator are standard for success there. Find the taking depth and action will begin.
Fishing Reports
Big Lost River, March 10th, 2020
Current midge activity and that upcoming for BWOs results in good fishing. Flow out of Mackay Dam is around 175 cfs. The big “if” is access because plenty of snow remains along the river below the dam. You might be able to park off the highway, but be ready to walk a ways with some “post holing” to get to the river.
Henry’s Fork, March 10th, 2020
Flow out of Island Park Reservoir has been around 550 cfs all winter, that flow increased by that from the Buffalo River has given good natural shelter along banks to young trout for habitation. This situation gives a better chance for a boost to future populations on downstream in the Island Park area.
Currently much of the lower river has snow covered banks limiting access at boat launch sites and walk-in access at most places. Nevertheless, were walk-in access is available, fishing has been good. Midge and BWO activity produce for the small fly enthusiast. Streamers and big nymphs produce for the large fly enthusiast.
South Fork, March 10th, 2020
Flow out of Palisades Dam was increased yesterday to 3700 cfs ( now 4400 cfs at Heise, 3610 cfs at Lorenzo). Boat ramps at Huskey’s, Spring Creek, and Conant have been plowed. The coming week promises good weather with many walk-in wade locations open on the lower river. Get in touch with us (208-524-7160, [email protected]) to see which are most convenient.
South Fork March 3, 2020
Here is an FYI. With Palisades Reservoir at 95% of capacity, flow out of Palisades Dam was raised from about 1800 cfs to around 2700 cfs yesterday, a 50% increase. Flow at Heise is now 3210 cfs and 2280 cfs at Lorenzo. That’s good news for resident trout. More rises in flow are certain as the near normal snow pack in the drainage begins to melt and irrigation demands start.
South Fork February 22, 2020
As February recedes there is certainly more pleasant days upcoming. Cold water temperatures dominate, but fish will become increasingly active, and whether pitching streamers and big nymph patterns or doing the same with tiny midge life cycle patterns fishing begins to improve. River flow has been adequate for maintaining fish populations at around 1800 cfs in flow all winter being the norm, with somewhat higher rates through the canyon down to Heise. Access is present for walk-in fishing along the lower river, and we at Jimmy’s can recommend locations for doing so. The river road from Wolverine to Black Canyon is closed to motorized access to minimize stress to wintering wildlife, and will remain so until IDF&G determines an opening. Consider a cross country skiing trip to fish and do photography in this stretch where tranquility reigns. Boating is more limited, but can be done. Boat launch parking areas are plowed at some locations (Conant, Palisades Creek, and Spring Creek), but ramps are not thus requiring chain-ups and care to launch and takeout. So now is the time to check those waders for integrity, put cleaning touches on reels and lines, and anticipate the improving conditions that signal a beginning to the South Fork fishing season.
Saturday, February 29th Fly Tying Demo with Grant Bench
A Utah native, Grant has guided rivers, lakes, and streams of the Uinta Mountains south slope for 15 years. He prefers the solitude and serenity of high elevation lakes for his own personal pursuits and sometimes takes his two kids, Stella, and Grant Yuriy (G2), or his wife, Holly, along. Spending his winter months in a “feather den”, he enjoys learning new techniques to broaden the fly tying skill set. When he’s not tying, he’s chasing exotic pheasants, upland game, or waterfowl on “feather ventures” across Utah and Southern Idaho. Grant considers himself extremely fortunate to have learned from some of the best tiers and mentors ever to have picked up a bobbin holder and thread. He also enjoys reading, writing, and arithmetic. Through using arithmetic he calculates that this will be his first fly tying demo at Jimmy’s.
Grant’s demo concludes our 2019-2020 Saturday fly tying demo season. We will begin our 2020-2021 fly tying demo season in November of this year. We look forward to presenting another array of accomplished fly tiers within it.
Gerry “Randy” Randolph, Master Fly Tier.
An engaging and gentle man, Randy is a fly-fishing and fly tying enthusiast. But looking deeper in the fly-fishing scene, he is world class at producing bass bugs. Just a glance at what he produces at the fly tying vise and then finishes with paints and resins backs this reputation up. Randy spent several man-hours building the display shown in the photo above. It is meant to collect and preserve a number of his creations. Since his move from California to Idaho, Randy has also become immersed in tying trout flies. A few of these occupy a place on this remarkable display that is now on display at Jimmy’s.
Saturday, February 22nd Fly Tying Demo with Quinn Grover
Quinn Grover has been fly fishing since he was a boy and writing about the sport since he was in college. His work has appeared in The Drake, The Fly Fish Journal, American Angler, and other publications both literary and fishy. His first book, Wilderness of Hope: Fly Fishing and Public Lands in the American West, was published in September of 2019 by the University of Nebraska Press. He has a PhD in English from Idaho State University and he is an English Professor at BYU-Idaho. He spends the moments between classes thinking about whether trout might be rising in the nearby Henry’s Fork. He has concluded that they probably are. This will be Quinn’s first tying demo at Jimmy’s where Wilderness of Hope: Fly Fishing and Public Lands in the American West, is available for purchase.
Saturday, February 15th Fly Tying Demo with Doug Gibson
Doug is a respected figure in Greater Yellowstone Area fly tying and fly-fishing. A native of Newdale, Idaho, Doug has been tying and guiding professionally for about half a century. Forty-six of those years have been with Three Rivers Ranch and two with Vern Bressler’s River Meadows Ranch. Such experience has made him authority on fishing the Henry’s Fork drainage. The list of concerns that Doug has tied for is also impressive: Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop, Dave Cochran’s River’s Edge, House of Harrop, Hunter’s, Orvis Alaska, Orvis, Deep Water Key, and ongoing at Three River’s Ranch. Whether it is for the Henry’s Fork, the Teton River or lesser known but quality waters such as Fall River, Bitch and Robinson Creeks, Doug has a depth of fishing experience for each. Through gaining this experience he has created effective patterns for every occasion. He also knows where and when traditional patterns are effective in the region. Being generous and knowledgeable look for Doug to share not only tying tips, but also presentation ideas for the flies on which he will focus.
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