Fishing Reports

Small Streams, September 2nd, 2023

Looks like stormy weather will prevail almost everywhere this weekend. Such weather will put terrestrial insects down relative to their activity on bright, sunlit days. Switching to wet attractor patterns is worth considering. Try nymph patterns such as two bit hookers, copper johns, hare’s ears, princes, and zebras, all with or without beads. If the stream you visit is discolored, do not overlook such as San Juan worm and small woolly bugger types as well as small streamer patterns.

BWOs could make an appearance ( with peak autumn activity yet to come) on certain places if you favor top water fishing. Warm River just below Warm River Spring would be a better location than by the crowded major campground at Three Rivers. Consider the Teton River in the Hog Hollow area and in the Basin as well as Buffalo River. Bring a raincoat wherever you go!

Small Streams, August 29th, 2023

Mahogany Dun

Good mayfly activity will begin on many streams as we begin the fall emergence peak. Gone are such as brown, gray and green drakes, flavs, and march browns. Only a few smaller PMDs are around on some waters. Tricos are diminishing, but speckled duns will remain in good numbers for weeks especially on still waters..The fall BWO hatch will begin any day now and carry on until winter sets in with such as tiny BWOs included. Pink alberts, also know as snowflake duns, will remain for a while. Mahogany dun hatches will be important and widespread. The Hecuba may fly hatch, more scattered and less consistent will appear on relatively soft bottomed streams. Mistakenly called green drake because of its size, it is famed for consistency on such as Slough Creek, but is less abundant on most Fall River Basin streams having a similar substrate.

A single track bypass road has been opened around the damaged section of the road to Bear Creek. The bypass road is suitable only for single vehicles, but not for those with a trailer. More information on the bypass can be obtained from the Caribou-Targhee Palisades District Ranger Station. Reconstruction of the main road will not be completed this year.

Small Streams, August 26th, 2023

Electroshocking for trout population studies will be undertaken by Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists on the Teton River in the Basin. Here is their schedule and locations:

September 6th and 13th, South Bates to Bates.

September 7th and 14th, Packsaddle to Harrop’s ( State Highway 33) Bridge.

Medicine Lodge Creek

Most of our small streams are in great summer shape. They radiate heat during night time, so early AMs are at their lowest water temperature. Give them time to warm up to the level that makes fish and aquatic and terrestrial insects most active (usually by late morning), and they will offer great fishing.