We have some reports that using small leech patterns presented on an intermediate line is interesting smaller fish on Henry’s Lake. Try the creek mouths (Targhee, Hope, Duck, etc). Get to these locations as early as possible, and as usual, expect company to move in.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was dropped to 10100 cfs ( 10400 cfs at Heise) yesterday. Normal flow out of the dam today is 11000 cfs. With PMD’s, pink alberts and some yellow sallys coming off in the riffles, the South Fork is just about at the top of its fly-fishing reputation. Add to these growing hopper populations up & down the river and it will soon be tough to beat the fly-fishing the South Fork offers.
Becker (300 fish), Riverside (300 fish), Jim Moore Pond (900 fish) and Rexburg Nature Park Pond (300 fish) were stocked with catfish on July 24th. Bottom fishing is the way to catch them, and for sure they are good eating!
Almost any area small stream is currently worthy of a visit. All have afternoon caddis activity with varying amounts of PMD and yellow sally activity. Terrestrial insect activity is ongoing, so having hopper, beetle and ant patterns are almost a must. So are those traditional attractor patterns (renegade, humpy, p-chute adams, royal wulff, stimulator) so many times overlooked.
A few caveats include the Teton River mid-day recreational boat hatch, high and variable flows in the Blackfoot River below the reservoir, decreasing flows out of Henry’s Lake into the Flat Ranch portion of the river below, and crowded waters around popular campgrounds (Warm River, lower Big Elk Creek, lower Palisades Creek).
Wading wet is comfortable in the lower river. Fishing there is fair early mornings (a few spinners) and evenings (caddis activity). The big early summer mayfly emergences are pretty much done on the upper river. Now it is time to of think terrestrial insects, PM caddis and a few speckled duns.
The river continues to live up to its mid-summer reputation with great riffle fishing thanks to PMD (use life cycle approach as described in recent South Fork fishing reports), PM caddis, and yellow sally activity. Presenting such as a super renegade or chernobyl variation trailed with your favorite bead head nymph (in sizes 12-16) is effective when float fishing. Hoppers are coming on, so whether wading or floating, it is time to have patterns of them in that fly box. A few big stoneflies are left in the river just below the dam. Flow is about steady as can be at this date with only a slight reduction coming on July 22nd. However, further flow decreases are coming.
Flow out of Mackay Reservoir is just a bit below 400 cfs and dropping. Further drops will make for safer wading to enjoy the western green drake, golden stonefly and upcoming terrestrial insect activity.
We have reports of Sand Creek Pond #4 water temperatures in the low 70s in degrees Fahrenheit. Consider how tough this condition is on fish being hooked, played, then released. The bigger the fish, the tougher high water temps are on them.
Flow out of Palisades was lowered to 11300 cfs ( a bit below average for this date) yesterday. The irrigation season peak has been reached, so more flow reductions are likely. Riffle fishing is at the quality for which the South Fork is famed. For active mayflies there begin the day with small nymph patterns, graduating to emergers on first sight of rising fish, then with more surface activity switch to duns.
Major quality streams in the northeast portion of the park are now in good fishing shape ( green drakes, PMDs, PM caddis, sallys, terrestrial insects increasing) barring thundershowers that muddy the Lamar River in particular. The problem is that the easily accessed portions ( lower Soda Butte Creek, Slough Creek in meadow below the campground and the meadow just above it, Lamar River meadows) are crowded with visiting anglers. Getting to these great waters is also frustrating because of the massive tourist traffic on park roads causing delays which shorten ” Time on the Water.” Minimize these delays by traveling earlier in the day: the earlier the better. Rewards are lighter tourist traffic and the chance to be first on the water.
Compare this to equivalent or even better quality Fall River Basin streams in the diagonally opposite (Southwest) corner of the Park. These streams ( Fall River and Bechler Rivers, Mountain Ash and Boundary Creeks) have non-existent crowding, especially on walking as far as one would on Slough Creek and the Lamar River to find equal social conditions. And tourist traffic is always minimal. True, Fall River Basin streams are considerably more remote, about 25 miles distant, half over which is gravel, by road from Ashton ID. But therein lies the reason for their giving a better chance of tranquility and an even a better fishing experience.