Same as with the South Fork: wind is keeping BWOs down along the lower river. Presenting streamer patterns is the best way to encounter big browns, and this windy cloudy weather with threat of rain/snow weather is just right for good results in doing so.
That wind is keeping the BWOs down even with the present overcast. Try midge emerger patterns if you’re into top water fishing this time of year. Otherwise presenting streamer patterns for migrating browns is the way to encounter some big trout this time of year. Flow out of Palisades Dam is about 1150 cfs, a bit over the winter management flow of 900 cfs which will come soon. Flow at Heise is currently about 1500 cfs.
If you want to fish Yellowstone Park waters, better hurry. Season closes at end of day tomorrow, the first Sunday in November. And with daylight savings beginning, sunset will be earlier.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was dropped to 900 cfs yesterday. This will be the winter maintenance flow until next irrigation season. Flow at Heise is now about 1600 cfs.
With only 88 cfs coming out of Island Park Dam, wading in Box Canyon is as easy as it gets. Streamers and stonefly nymph patterns are the best choices for fooling its big resident cutbows these days. On the lower river migrating brown trout means presenting streamers is the best way to encounter them. There are several locations on the river where doing so is possible. Visit the shop, and we can suggest locations where the best streamer fishing has been going on throughout the lower river.
Even though water is low in both places, fishing at Chesterfield and Twenty-Four Mile Reservoirs remains good. You will have to track through some mud to reach water at Twenty-Four Mile. Daniels Reservoir still offers the best still water fishing in the irrigation reservoirs. Weeds are breaking up on Springfield Reservoir making for more water to try. Midge pupa under at taking depth under an indicator works very well on all these, but water and atmosphere cooling off signal to fish to get “more for the bite.” That means leech and nymph patterns become more effective.
Seems like fishing success varies day to day here. It may be best to watch the weather and pick a day when storms are predicted. Henry’s Lake has a history of fishing best this time of year when bad weather arrives. Be sure to dress and drive for the occasion, and remember that ice-up is about a month away.
Flow out of American Falls Dam is about 400 cfs. This low flow will concentrate fish and make streamer fishing exciting. It will also bring crowds of anglers to the river below the dam, so arrive early to enjoy that kind of fishing! Above the dam to the Henry’s Fork confluence flow is about normal and water is being turned off in most canals and therefore remaining in the river. Brown trout are moving, also making for good streamer fishing but with less crowding than below American Falls Dam. If you enjoy top water fishing, BWOs are emerging in some locations. Stop by; we can recommend some worth trying.
Flow out of Palisades Dam is currently a subject of interest. There is a proposal to reduce it to 600 cfs for a few days to perform repairs on a canal head gate. Currently flow out of Palisades Dam is just over 1400 cfs making for great walk-in and wade fishing. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, however, will eventually reduce flow out of Palisades Dam to 900 cfs, the winter maintenance flow, and likely no lower. As the river flows downstream to the Heise area, it picks up flow from Palisades,Rainey, Pine, Burns, and other creeks thus increasing water to the benefit of the fish population.
Fishing has been good around the lake. Fish are concentrating near shorelines, and because lake water is cooling off significantly, the outlook is great for continued good fishing.