The fishing season here has only eight more days as it is closed after Sunday, November 4th. The best streamer fishing of the season is going on, mainly for brown trout and run-up rainbows in the Madison and lower Gibbon. Other rivers featuring good numbers of migrating browns include the Lewis, Gardiner, Snake, and Firehole below the falls. Other than these, the Firehole above the falls features BWO and white miller hatches. Watch the weather!
With water storage season beginning, flow in the Snake River is dropping ( 3510 cfs at Eagle Rock, 3790 cfs at Shelley, 3620 cfs at Blackfoot). With brown trout in their annual spawning migration, streamer presentation is the name of the game on the river. Doing so under low light conditions will be most effective to maybe encounter your biggest trout of the year. Float fishing is the best way to fish, but there are plenty of good walk-in wade locations. We can point out many of these to you, so get in touch, or visit the shop.
Flow out of Palisades Reservoir was reduced to 1770 cfs last night. Now there is an excellent number of places for walk-in wade fishing. Come into the shop so we can suggest some of the best of these to you. While top water fishing through BWO and midge activity may stay constant for now, streamer and large nymph presentation will soon be the best way to meet action from large trout. It is also the time of year to pay attention to weather reports. For example, next week will feature a cool-off and unsettled weather. Keep that nice warm clothing close by. Looks like you may need it!
Cutts are beginning to congregate around the State Park shoreline. This means anglers will soon be doing the same there, whether angling from shore or from a boat. Whether walking the shoreline, launching and fishing from a boat, let’s be sure to show courtesy and consideration to all present. There will be situations where such will be necessary in order to maintain an enjoyable outing.
Notice that what happens on the lower Henry’s Fork (Warm River to St. Anthony) is similar to what is going on this time of year on the South Fork. On both rivers flow is dropping to base level. BWOs, mahogany duns, and midges provide the best dry fly fishing. Streamer presentation gains in effectiveness as the fall season advances through November as brown trout make spawning runs. If switching to streamers is to your liking, the best places on the upper river this time of year include Box Canyon, the base and the top of Coffee Pot Rapids, and The Tubs above Mack’s Inn.
Here is USBurRec intent for managing water flow out of Palisades Dam for the upcoming months: “Flow out of Palisades Dam will be reduced 523 cfs this evening, October 15, 2018. Outflow from Palisades will be 2,927 cfs tomorrow morning. Discharge out of Palisades will continue to be reduced over the next few weeks until ~900 cfs, where it will remain through the winter.” BWOs and diminishing mahogany duns continue to provide good dry fly fishing throughout the river. The best way to encounter larger trout here is through presenting streamers. For both types of fishing, low light conditions are best.
It’s brown trout season with runs into the Lewis, Madison, and Gibbon River going in full swing. The Gardner and Snake Rivers will soon be in that category. If pitching big streamers is not your game, the Firehole offers good results for those presenting BWO life cycle and white miller patterns. Regardless of your preference, be prepared for wintry changes in the weather, and realize that fishing season closes after the first Sunday in November.
Looks like you can find the best still water fishing around at Daniels Reservoir. The upper end is the best location there, and midge pupa under an indicator in relatively shallow water and small leech patterns are producing. Do not overlook presenting leech patterns back towards shore when wind strong enough to muddy the water (see above pic) arrives. We have no reports on how Sand Creek Ponds are fishing. No news is not good news in this case.
Do not let that stair-step drop in flow out of Palisades Dam (currently 3400 cfs, 4280 cfs at Heise, and 1730 cfs at Lorenzo) stop you from a fly-fishing visit to the river. Those flow changes, especially this time of year, are something the fish seem use to. Certainly there is less boat traffic on the river than just a few weeks ago and the dropping flow opens more walk-in wade locations. Fly pattern suggestion remains the same; BWO, caddis, and mahogany dun life cycle, streamers, and rubber leg nymphs. An overcast day, like today, will likely mean better fishing success than the nice days predicted to begin the middle of next week.
As flows approach base levels this time of year, fish generally are moving down from our head water streams to seek better cover.
Thus put such as Jackknife, Rock, Modoc, Wyoming Creeks on the back burner until next year.