Flow out of American Falls Dam is about where it should be for this time of the season ( about 11000 cfs). The river is in great shape for boat travel to enjoy large trout and smallmouth bass. The bass population is perhaps the best in this part of Idaho, and offers a considerable alternate to the great trout fishing present. Streamers and woolly bugger types are best flies, especially when fished along submerged structure.
Beula Lake
We continue to suggest that if you want the best still water action in the area during mid summer, Beula Lake is the place to try. A walk of about two and a half miles is required and packing a flotation device gets one onto the whole lake. But places along the inlet, east side shoreline, and near the outlet can be waded. Currently, speckled dun mayflies, cinnamon caddis and damsel fly life cycle fly patterns will be taken by all trout ( only Yellowstone cutthroat trout are present) present. Traditional nymph and small leech patterns always produce here.
If the walk to Beula is too far for comfort, the walk to Riddle Lake is about half the distance and through flatter country. The same trout as in Beula Lake are just as active, but they run smaller in size. Both lakes are in “bear country.” so take proper precautions.
Gulpers have begun emerging during wind free AMs on the Madison and South Fork Arms of Hebgen Lake. Activity seems to be varying day by day, but is good enough for a visit. There are several launch site along the Madison Arm Road and at Lonesomehurst campground. Consider that other lakes, such as the upper end of Quake Lake Hidden and Elk Lakes, hosting gulper activity.
The best times for fishing success on the Madison River below Quake Lake is not mid day. Try morning hours for spinner falls and upcoming mutant golden stone fly activity. Socialize, visit a good restaurant, or try the South Fork of the Madison and its PMDs being active because of colder water during mid day. Come back to the Madison River during late afternoon to enjoy long drag free float along banks to encounter trout looking for hoppers, beetles and ants and solid caddis fly activity.
Palisades Reservoir is at about three-quarters of capacity. Flow out of Palisades dam continues to drop; now 8500 cfs at Irwin with 9000 cfs at Heise and a bit over 4000 cfs at Lorenzo. Lowered flows result in more wading opportunities and approaches to riffles where PMDs and caddis flies are active during PM hours. In particular, there are increased wading opportunities along the river road above Heise and along the road above Fall Creek falls. Mutant golden stone flies have begun hatching during early AMs on the lower river. Soon hatching in significant quantities will work its way up the river. That’s another reason for dropping flows to be timely!
Fish on for a Beginning Fly Fisher
few weeks back we offered small stream recommendations for visits by youth, entry level, and physically challenged fly fishers. If some of these folks express interest in visiting larger, more interesting streams with safety and convenience in mind, we can help once again. Safety would include such as slow to moderate current, easily negotiable banks, and optional wading. Convenience would include easy access, ample back casting room, minimal marshy areas, and few obstructions ( stream side brush, rocky slopes, etc). These considerations make meadow and other open areas great candidates. Several area streams with these properties are in this area. Let’s look at some.
The Teton River offers great locations including the old dam site access and Basin locations such as the Rainey campground area. The Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area is another with its vast flat meadow reaches. McCoy Creek in its middle section is worth visiting as is Warm River just below its major spring. Further away, such as Silver Creek along the IDF&G property, the Little Wood River in the Bear Tracks preserve, and the middle Portneuf River above Lava Hot Springs are good candidates.
All these waters host trout ranging to trophy size. This time of the season top water fishing can be successful thanks to abundant terrestrial insect populations. Five weight systems and floating lines are suitable for the above discussed waters, and each has plenty of room for long, drag free floats.
The next step in this somewhat graded approach would be introduction to our big waters where boating provides much more access than walking banks. Through this approach the budding fly fisher has a chance to experience the wide variety of streams our area offers.
Although this last week has been a reprieve from the hot, dry weather, such will soon return. This means that up and down the river, mid day is the slowest time with respect to fishing action. Overhead cover diminishes with increased sunlight. Water temperatures, already high because of upstream shallow reservoirs, increase further during daytime. The result is reduced dissolved oxygen making fish less active. Try your luck during AM spinner falls, and as cooler air prevails around sundown, try drag free floats with hopper-dropper combinations adjacent to banks an at the heads of deeper water. Also do not overlook drifting a mouse pattern along these sections during the same time of day. You will not encounter many fish by doing so, but one of those you do could be the fish of the year.
In Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area
Are you looking for some solitude, great scenery and relief from the crowds and boats on our larger streams? Consider the river in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area. The river here is a classic meadow stream hosting Yellowstone cutthroat trout, ranging to over twenty inches, with a few brookies coming in from above. The IDF&G has recently improved habitat here by placing log and snag jams along banks to improve overhead cover and help remove some silt from underneath. The result is an apparent increase in trout population. This time of the season terrestrial insects are the major trout food with some PM caddis activity ongoing along the river. Hoppers are particularly abundant. A small number of PMDs and speckled duns are present. The river here is a slightly smaller version of such as Bechler River and Slough Creek in their meadow sections making a stealthy approach and long, drag free floats necessary. Five and six weight systems are appropriate, and floating lines are best as weed growth thickens as summer advances. Wading gear is not required, but lightweight rain gear and sunlight protection should be possessed. Regulations include barbless hooks and no bait. Bring a camera!
Mackay Reservoir is being drained down to near river channel depth in order to do repairs on the ancient Mackay Dam. Thus IDF&G has placed a salvage order on the reservoir. Anyone salvaging fish must have a valid Idaho fishing license. Sport fishing methods, netting, archery and guddling ( using hands to capture fish) are legal means to harvest. Chemical and electrical means are illegal. On completion of dam repairs and subsequent reservoir filling, IDF&G will re-establish the reservoir trout population.
It’s a living river: look at the side channels
Flow out of Palisades dam is reducing to usual for the time of the season ( 9900 cfs at Irwin, 10400 cfs at Heise, 4800 cfs at Lorenzo) as irrigation demands stabilize. With PMD populations reaching summertime levels, don’t overlook AM spinner falls as well as daytime riffle visits. No AM mutant golden stone activity yet, but keep on using those hopper-dropper rigs as bank side hoppers are becoming abundant.
We continue to have big boat traffic on the river, and first responders beg that folks within each wear life preservers. We had a recent incident where a boat wedged against a bridged abutment in Swan Valley. Human occupants, not wearing these jackets were pitched out, but luckily were picked up downstream. The lone occupant remaining boat-wise was a dog willingly geared into a life jacket. Makes one wonder who was the smartest of that bunch!
Flow out of Mackay Dam is reducing, but very high (about 850 cfs) for safe wading. Autumn and late summer are great times to fish this section of the river. We will keep track of flow reduction in order to give you more info on best time to visit. With respect to drainage above the reservoir, Copper Basin in particular, streams have rounded into good shape, but visits from Sun Valley-Ketchum area fly fishers are abundant. Folks from these places have fewer miles to travel via Trail Creek Summit than fly fishers from the Snake River Plain and “yonder.”