Fishing Reports Archives - Page 161 of 231

Small Streams 8-28-17

August 29, 2017

There was a fair amount of information in the last small streams report, but one item was not present. Last year IDF&G tried to begin a population of kokanee from Big Elk Creek in Bear Creek on the other side of the reservoir. Has anyone seen these in Bear Creek?

Small Streams 8-26-17

August 26, 2017

Fishing Reports, Small Streams

Several small streams should be on your destination list. For example, the Teton River in the Basin features very good early in the day Trico and PMD spinner falls. These happen before recreational boaters and floaters in big numbers come to the river. Bitch Creek offers cutties responding in tranquility and they can be enjoyed through limited access over private land. Lower Fall River features a great evening caddis swarm with evening dry fly action making up for the usual daytime lull. Warm River just below Warm River Spring offers dry fly fishing (caddis, terrestrial insect and traditional attractor patterns) with a good chance of solitude. Palisades Reservoir tribs and Palisades Creek currently feature good dry fly fishing through using a variety of patterns from traditional attractor and caddis life cycle to terrestrial insect patterns. The upper Blackfoot River in its meadow sections seems to host half the world’s grasshopper supply, and trout there are taking advantage of them. Looking for a stream that will produce enough brook trout for that Labor Day weekend fish fry? Try Sawmill Creek at the head of Little Lost River. That’s a long way to travel (130 miles from Idaho Falls) so nearby Beaver Creek above the I-15 Stoddard Creek interchange is a good candidate, and in the same area Modoc Creek below Paul Reservoir is another host of numerous aggressive brookies. Further east over Porcupine Pass West Camas Creek does the same. Towards Island Park, Little Warm River in the Pole Bridge Campground area hosts brookies in good numbers. Toms Creek, feeding into the upper Buffalo River, is another candidate for bagging pan-sized brookies. Thinking of a visit to these or other great small waters? Visit us, or get in touch for more information.

South Fork 8-26-17

August 26, 2017

Fishing Reports, South Fork

Flow out of Palisades Dam was increased to 10900 cfs a few days ago, but with flow down below at Shelley at a bit over 2000 cfs,it appears someone between there and Byington is using a lot of water. Riffle fishing now is as good as that which the South Fork can offer. PMDs (3 tails) and pink alberts (2 tails) are providing the action. Mutant golden stoneflies are beginning to show in place, and well placed hopper patterns (with a small bead head nymph patterns of choice dropper) aimed back toward well vegetated banks are producing.

Henry’s Fork 8-26-17

August 26, 2017

Fishing Reports, Henry's Fork

The lower river fishes best during daytime hours when two-nymph rigs are used, especially below Ashton Dam where the river is warmer than above. Not much dry fly action there during daytime unless you present hopper patterns close to the well vegetated banks. Best dry fly action is during evening caddis activity. Other than AM spinner falls the best fishing on the upper river is found by presenting such terrestrial patterns as ants, beetles and hoppers.

South Fork 8-22-17

August 22, 2017

Fishing Reports, South Fork

Last Friday flow out of Palisades Dam was raised a few hundred cfs to satisfy downstream irrigation demands. This small amount did not impact fishing, and riffle fishing has been picking up over the past several days. Look for this most enjoyable South Fork type of fishing to improve as our weather becomes more temperate.

Yellowstone Park 8-22-17

August 22, 2017

Fishing Reports, Yellowstone Park

Yesterday park fisheries personnel began treating the Gibbon River to remove all salmonids above Virginia Cascades including Ice, Grebe and Wolf Lakes. Their plan is to eventually introduce fluvial grayling (those now present are adfluvial) and westslope cutts in that section of the drainage including the lakes. View more details of this action visit the Yellowstone Park Fisheries and Aquatic Science Program web site.

Currently for most of the rivers worth a visit in the park, presenting terrestrial insect patterns brings the best responses from trout.

This time of the season most sources relate that park still water fishing slacks off. This may be true of such as Heart, Lewis, Shoshone, Trout, and Yellowstone Lakes, but it is not the case with Beula Lake. Right now it offers the fastest still water fishing in the park, and likely in the immediate surroundings. To enjoy Beula Lake you must be willing to drive the somewhat rough Ashton-Flagg Road, walk 2.5 miles to the lake, and either wade the shoreline or carry in a flotation device to fish the entire lake. Cinnamon caddis, speckled dun, and damselfly life cycle and small leech patterns are the best for getting responses from resident Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Not many regional fly shops tout this serene lake in the Fall River drainage, but we have “the goods” on it, so get in touch if you are considering a visit to this 107 acre lake.

Henry’s Fork 8-19-17

August 19, 2017

Fishing Reports, Henry's Fork

No real change here since out last report. One event worth noting is the significant flying ant appearance along parts of the upper river. So add patterns for these to your terrestrial patterns in that fly box if you fish during daytime. Otherwise approach is the same: AM spinner fall patterns, terrestrial insect patterns during day time, then caddis life cycle patterns during evenings.

Small Streams 8-19-17

August 19, 2017

Fishing Reports, Small Streams

We have so many small waters that currently will reward you with good fishing action that it is hard to single out any one to recommend. It’s like being a kid in a candy store. Perhaps the best approach is to contact us to pass on such as which trout species you wish to target, which water type you want to try, your terminal tackle preference, and perhaps your time constraints. That way we can suggest candidate waters to try and an appropriate fly pattern selection.

Southwestern Montana 8-19-17

August 19, 2017

Fishing Reports, South Western Montana

If you are looking at fishing the upper Madison River and its West Fork or the Gallatin River and its Taylor Fork, be sure to include spruce fly patterns in that fly box. Certainly there are specific patterns for this insect, but such as an elk hair caddis, small stimulator, or blond humpy work just as well when presented under the same conditions. On most streams the current effective strategy, besides these, is presenting early AM trico spinner patterns, daytime terrestrial patterns, and evening caddis life cycle patterns.

South Fork 8-19-17

August 19, 2017

Fishing Reports, South Fork

The flow out of Palisades Dam has been essentially constant at around 9000 cfs (about 100 cfs higher at Heise) for about two weeks, so this stability certainly helps fishing success. Finally the riffle fishing is worth trying on most on the river where an off-color (yellow-olive) PMD, #16, is emerging with fish responding. Hopper-dropper combinations work well when drifted through runs, pockets and into the heads of holes. Some mutant golden stones are appearing on the lower river, so look for this event to move upstream over the upcoming days. Look for improved dry fly fishing to last well into September when hopefully good BWO and mahogany dun activity will convince trout to look on top for some food.

« Previous Page Next Page »

Fishing Reports

Small Streams 8-28-17

Small Streams 8-26-17

South Fork 8-26-17

Henry’s Fork 8-26-17

South Fork 8-22-17

Yellowstone Park 8-22-17

Henry’s Fork 8-19-17

Small Streams 8-19-17

Southwestern Montana 8-19-17

South Fork 8-19-17

Fly Tying Classes

Browse the Archives

Our Shop