Flow is up with colder water throughout the river ( especially below Fall River and Warm River-Robinson Creek confluences) making for slower top water fishing even though BWO and Midge activity is good. Mother’s Day caddis are active in places. Streamer fishing can be productive when concentrated during low light periods and at out-of-direct-sunlight areas. Pattern choice is less important than understanding these conditions.
Stonefly nymphs are beginning to migrate and therefore becoming more available as a food form for trout. That’s another reason for slower top water fishing. Fish use less energy to feed along the river bed than rising to the surface. So as we move later in May, stonefly nymph patterns become more important in your fly box until adults appear.
Run-off from our much higher than normal snowfall last winter is beginning. Here is an example in almost the extreme. Snow pack in the Willow Creek-Blackfoot and Portneuf Rivers drainages was about 300% of normal. Today run-off measured by the USGS’s Willow Creek gage stationed just above Ririe Reservoir measured a flow of 1880 cfs and climbing. That is compared to a normal flow this time of around 250 cfs! All of our small streams will see unusually high run-off flows. These may delay good fishing on each, but will replenish depleted ground water levels which will keep good flows going, benefit resident trout and extend good fishing through the season.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was upped to about 8900 cfs ( now 11240 cfs at Heise, 6250 cfs at Lorenzo) yesterday. Tributaries such as Palisades, Fall, Rainey, Pine and Burns below the dam are closed to fishing during June but now are putting cold, discolored water into the river helping to reduced fishing success to presenting nymph or streamer patterns. The lower flow at Lorenzo is because canals are opened to provide irrigation water.
No word yet on 24-mile Reservoir fishing. Road going in likely needs to improve. Chesterfield Reservoir is ice-fee with slow fishing. Look for improvement around end of the month after it turns over. Roads are open to Treasureton Reservoir which is high and discolored. Daniels and Hawkins Reservoirs have improving fishing with midge pupa providing action until fish become gorged on such. Give streamers and woolly bugger types a try.
The latest stocking information for IDF&G’s Upper Snake and Southeast Regions follows. We post this here because it applies mostly to still waters. Many of these are great locations for family fishing. Some of these still waters host hold-over trout from previous stocking which can grow to trophy sizes. Some not yet stocked cannot be reached until roads open.
Ashton Reservoir – 38,751 rainbow trout
A scenic 400-acre reservoir on the Henry’s Fork, this waterbody is known for rainbow trout and is also home to the state-record brown trout.
Birch Creek – 4,750 rainbow trout
A productive spring creek in a high-desert basin, this small stream is ideal for kids and less experienced anglers. Rainbow trout are stocked heavily around access areas, and wild brook trout are fairly common.
Blue Creek Reservoir – 2,000 rainbow trout
This reservoir is located approximately 15 miles north of St. Anthony and is part of the Sand Creek Wildlife Management Area. Fish will be stocked when access/road conditions allow. There are additional ponds in close proximity that will also be stocked and provide additional fishing opportunities. These include:
Sand Creek MWA Pond #1 – 3,500 rainbow trout
Sand Creek WMA Pond #4 – 2,700 rainbow trout
Henrys Fork – 10,000 rainbow trout
World-famous for trout fishing! The river is suitable for wade fishing, bank fishing and fishing from a boat.
Mackay Reservoir – 4,200 rainbow trout
In the high desert of the Big Lost River Valley, fishing is popular from a boat and from shore on this 1,100-plus-acre reservoir.
Ririe Reservoir – 18,000 rainbow trout and 3,600 tiger trout
This waterbody provides an exceptional and diverse fishery. Springtime is ideal to troll for kokanee and rainbow trout.
Teton River – 1,000 rainbow trout
This river drains the west slope of the Teton Range and provides excellent fly fishing opportunities for all skill levels. Fish will be stocked in the Rexburg area. Check out this video showing the magic of fly fishing!
Trail Creek Pond – 450 rainbow trout
Also known as Victor Kids Pond, this small, scenic pond is located in the lush Teton Basin. One of the most consistent kids fisheries in the area, it is easily fished from the bank, with trails and picnic tables around the perimeter.
Bannock Reservoir – 1,000 rainbow trout
Located within the Portneuf Wellness Complex near the County Fairgrounds in Pocatello, this community park offers good trout fishing. Multiple docks provide fishing access around the 5-acre pond.
Bear River below Oneida Dam – 3,000 rainbow trout
These fish will be stocked in the very scenic Oneida Narrows reach of the river below the dam. This popular section of the river offers the longest continuous public access along the entire Bear River.
Dike Lake – 1,500 rainbow trout
Located adjacent to the Blackfoot Reservoir Campground, this waterbody gets stocked once a year. This yields high catch rates for a limited time, so catch ‘em before they’re gone!
Dingle Gravel Pond – 1,000 rainbow trout
This pond is located adjacent to the Bear River east of Dingle in Bear Lake County.
Kelly Park Pond – 500 rainbow trout
Located in Soda Springs, accessing this pond requires a short walk, but it offers a great kids fishing opportunity. Lace up the boots, grab the fishing poles and take the kids on a nature walk!
McTucker Pond – 1,500 rainbow trout
Located near Springfield, there are many places for kids to fish from docks or the bank.
Montpelier Rearing Pond – 500 rainbow trout
This little fishing spot is tucked into a scenic high desert canyon in the hills east of Montpelier. It’s a great spot to take kids fishing.
Headlines from Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s SWE Report Filed Yesterday for the Henry’s Fork Drainage
Temperatures and snow melt were lower yesterday than earlier in the week but still above average.
Natural stream flow increased yesterday to average but is likely to level off today, depending on location and amount of rainfall.
At an average outflow of 695 cfs, Island Park Reservoir gained 421 ac-ft yesterday and is 86% full, compared with 93% full on average.
Water quality
Turbidity continues to increase across the watershed in response to snow melt and increasing stream flow. Turbidity is particularly high right now in Fall River and other tributaries such as Robinson Creek. Water temperatures dropped back to average yesterday at all locations except Island Park Dam, where ice cover has kept temperature at 39 degrees F. Our water quality data show no signs of open water on the reservoir yet. Ice melted last year on May 6, the latest date of ice-off we have observed since installing our water quality instruments in 2014. This year’s ice-off date is likely to be 4-6 days later than that
Flow out of Mackay Dam has dropped from around 450 cfs to 200 cfs making for easier wading in the river below. Midge and BWO activity provides action. Use life cycle patterns for these.
Rising flow and discolored water are slowing fishing success in the river from the Henry’s Fork confluence down to American Falls Reservoir. Flow out of American Falls Reservoir is about 7500 cfs.
Flow out of Palisades Dam has leveled at about 4500 cfs for several days, but is certain to rise as weather warms and downstream irrigation demands increase. Tributaries below the dam are releasing discolored run-off into the river.
Still water fly fishers are yearning for so many waters to open and offer good fishing. Here is some info we have gathered on status of the most popular of these.
Ice is leaving Chesterfield Reservoir. See picture above (courtesy of Dave Whitworth) taken last Wednesday. At that date, it was about 80% iced over. Road to the boat dock is open, and ice should be gone for the upcoming week.
Twenty-Four Mile Reservoir is likely totally iced over, and the road to it can be damaged by travel. So it is in best interest to wait until ice leaves and the road dries out.
Blackfoot Reservoir remains iced over. Contact Bingham and Caribou county web sites for road conditions.
The Dairy Creek Road leaving just below Hawkins Reservoir and making a short cut to Daniels Reservoir is open, but rough in places. It is being fished ( mostly Utah anglers) but offers spotty fishing to date.
Hawkins Reservoir has been stocked with hatchery catchable rainbows, and fishing action is picking up.
Springfield Reservoir offers spotty fishing with early AMs and evenings being best time for action. Try midge pupa patterns under indicators at these times.
