Almost every small stream in our area is finally in fly-fishing condition. There are so many candidates, from the Teton River down to such as Medicine Lodge Creek, worthy of a visit that describing each would overwhelm this web site. Best thing to do is to for information on any of these is to contact us for suggestions and strategies.
All Fall River Basin streams (Bechler and Fall Rivers, Boundary and Mountain Ash Creeks) are in dry fly fishing shape now. Damselflies, Yellow sallys and PMDs are emerging to interest fish. Fish take patterns presented for these during late AM to late afternoon hours as well for the few golden stoneflies brought in by the wind. During evening hours their interest turns to brown drakes. Terrestrial insects are building around the edge of the meadow reaches meaning its time to stock up on ant, beetle, cricket, and hopper patterns.
Reports from Sand Creek Pond #4 give daytime water temps in the low 70s deg F. This slows fishing and makes playing fish as quickly as possible necessary. Reports also say action is good early in day. Try damselfly and speckled dun life cycle patterns, and do not overlook soft hackle versions for emergers of each. Present those just below the surface. Hebgen Lake gulper action remains the fastest still water fishing in our area.
With flow out of Palisades Dam at 11900 cfs this AM (13900 cfs at Heise), the river is at almost ideal flow for this time of year. Fish still are keying mostly on streamers and rubberlegs, earthworm imitations, and bead head nymphs as they did during the high water days. Look for more top water action coming soon as PMDs are out, especially along lower river. See last South Fork fishing report for fly pattern suggestions for upcoming days.
Found on Chester Dam Road: Soft case loaded with reel, spools, and lines.
Call Andy: 207-713-3457. Give correct description of contents to claim.
IDF&G is strongly considering a salvage regulation on the Big Lost River below Moore. This is because as flows out of Mackay Dam decrease fish will become trapped in downstream pools and perish. So rather than being wasted, salvage by legal means is being considered for the lower river. Go to the IDF&G web site for details on where this operation will be applied and for how long.
Action is slowing down somewhat. Best strategy will be to head for creek mouths. All creeks coming into the lake have good water levels this season. Cooler water coming from them attracts fish because of higher dissolved oxygen concentrations. The same applies to spring holes. Get to these locations early in the day to present your favorite leech and damselfly nymph patterns, but expect company from “anglers in the know” as the day advances. Want to experience even better still water fishing than Henry’s Lake currently offers? It’s not far from Henry’s Lake and can be found during the Madison Arm gulper activity on Hebgen Lake.
Run-off is leaving many of our smaller streams, but remnant conditions remain on some. Big Elk, Bitch, and Palisades Creeks area a little high and a bit discolored. The same for Teton River. Lower Palisades Creek could clear first because the lower lake acts as a settling basin. For now presenting nymph patterns and anything simulating an earthworm might be the best way to go in these creeks. McCoy and Bear Creeks, however, are in good dry fly shape. The same applies to the upper Blackfoot River, where even though hoppers are flourishing ( mosquitos are doing the same) throughout the meadows, the river is high enough where fish still key most on patterns resembling earthworms and grubs. Robinson Creek is now in great dry fly fishing shape as is Warm River. For PM fishing caddis life cycle and traditional attractor patterns may produce best on these two streams. Visitations are up on all these streams, but you can bet that when dry fly conditions kick in on the South Fork, many fly fishers will forsake these excellent smaller waters and tranquility will intensify.
With flow out of Palisades Dam reduced to 16000 cfs, look for riffles to begin appearing in the river below, even though flow at Heise is about 17 500 cfs. Those flows will soon drop. Now that run-off is nearly over expect further drops in flow out of Palisades Dam, even though there will be agricultural demands. Fish the soft water for now, but stock up on those patterns (PMD and caddis life cycle patterns terrestrial insect patterns, your favorite bead head nymph pattern, etc.) best for the great South Fork riffle and drop-off fishing soon to come.
The Palisades Reservoir inflow seems to be equaling to the outflow. This could signal the light at end of the high flow tunnel. Keep watching our fishing report as we follow the flow out of Palisades Dam (currently about 19,000 cfs). Meanwhile, look for soft water along the river below for presenting nymph patterns deep from big rubber legs to your favorite bead heads.