Fishing Reports

Small Streams 9-12-15

Idaho Department of Fish and Game is proposing to transfer some Big Elk Creek kokanee to Bear Creek with the idea of starting another run from Palisades Reservoir.  Lets hope it works because if successful, there would be more forage fish for large trout in the reservoir. Right now Bear Creek might be a good choice to try with the great terrestrial insect population in its meadows. Also with the daytime becoming shorter and cooler, fish in beaver ponds there will become more interested in small leech patterns.

Small Streams 9-8-15

With most summer vacations over such streams as Teton River in Teton Basin and lower Fall River  will see fewer recreational boaters. This means mid day fishing will have fewer interruptions. The Teton River in the Basin is fishing very well with terrestrial insect and mahogany dun life cycle patterns producing during afternoon hours. Now that days are shortening and cooling most of the best dry fly fishing on small streams, excepting during remaining trico activity, will take place during afternoon hours.  More time is now needed for the atmosphere and therefore waters to warm up to point of best insect activity.

Small Streams 9-5-15

Teton River in the basin is a good place to try with fish taking terrestrial insect patterns, and lately mahogany duns.  Daytime recreationists will soon diminish to the point of not interfering with mid day fishing.

Kokanee are in Big Elk Creek big time, but they do not interfere with fishing for the cutts as much as folks trying to fish for them by legal and illegal means.

Warm River remains good fishing for folks presenting terrestrial insect, traditional attractor, and caddisfly life cycle patterns. Best location is just below Warm River Spring. After this weekend Warm River Campground will empty out, and the lower river will be less crowded for fishing.

The cooling weather is just what is needed for fishing to pick up on the Blackfoot River in the Wildlife Management Area. The low, warm water has slowed fishing there most of the summer, but now look for fish to respond well to AM tricos and day time terrestrial insect patterns.

Small Streams 9-1-15

All the South Fork-Palisades Reservoir tribs will be good fishing this coming week end, but they likely will be crowded. That’s particularly true of Big Elk Creek where run-up kokanee attract legal and not so legal fishing. Each of these, excepting Bear Creek, have nearby popular campgrounds. Nevertheless fish in all of these will respond well to terrestrial insect, flav, caddis and traditional attractor patterns.  There will be numbers of day time recreationists on the Teton River in the basin, so fish it early and late in the day. Lower Warm River will be crowded and likely the same for the upper river in the Pole Bridge Campground area. There will likely be fewer enthusiasts on the river just below Warm River Spring because no campground is adjacent. And so it goes: expect lots of fly-fishers and other anglers if a campground is nearby. Some candidates places less likely to be crowded include the upper Blackfoot River, lower Fall River, lower Teton River, Bitch Creek, and Salt River tributaries. Want more information on any of these? Get in touch with us.