Fishing Reports Archives - Page 44 of 231

Henry’s Fork, August 2nd, 2023

August 2, 2023

Flow out of Island Park Dam has been reduced to the usual amount for this time of the season. Up and down the river AM spinner falls and terrestrial insects are abundant. Hopper and ant patterns and hopper-dropper rigs work anywhere during PMs. Long, drag free floats are are required with any of these. The above photo should be enough to tell you that in many locations, terrestrial insect populations are not only abundant but the major food form for trout this time of year. If you are experienced in long, drag free floats, consider using a slightly stronger tippet in order to play that trout quickly giving it a better chance to survive the warmer summertime waters..

One other thought; particularly in the Big Springs- Macks Inn, Box Canyon, Harriman State Park and Warm River to Ashton sections, recreational boaters abound. This means early AM spinner fall periods and late afternoon terrestrial insect activities are best conditions for minimizing interruptions.

Small Streams, August 2nd, 2023

August 2, 2023

Fishing Reports, Small Streams

Grey’s River at Murphy Creek Bridge

Most of our small streams are currently in great fishing shape. One of these, being special in our area, is in prime condition right now. That stream is Grey’s River. It dumps into the Snake River just above the US highway 26-89 bridge on approaching Alpine, Wyoming from the west. One thing that places it above all other western Wyoming rivers with respect to access is that it flows mostly through public land

( Bridger-Teton National Forest). Its neighbors, Hoback and Salt Rivers are much paralleled by major highways and mostly locked up on banks and stream beds through Wyoming’s private property laws. Other than the Box Y Hunting Lodge-Renegade Ranch property, the Grey’s is about totally approachable. Another great situation on the Grey’s is that above the Murphy Creek Bridge, no bait fishing is allowed and boating is pretty much limited. So fishing visits diminish rapidly there. Below the bridge recreational boating, kayaks in particular, abound and empty bait cans and strips of discarded spinning line are common. The forest road following the river, “washboardy” in places, is well enough maintained that the State of Utah is well represented. Natural beauty of the surrounding countryside makes bringing a camera almost a must. Summertime thundershowers are abundant and can cloud portions of its flows. Wyoming fishing licenses can be purchased in Alpine.

Being mostly an upland river of abundant riffle and run character, the Grey’s hosts mainly caddis and stone fly populations. PMDs and a few other mayfly species occupy quieter waters, but now terrestrial insect are major food items for resident Snake River fine spotted cutthroat trout, the only trout present excepting some brown trout in lower sections. Five and six weight tackle and moderately sized tippets (3X-4X) are appropriate for playing hooked trout which range up to trophy size. Put the Grey’s River on your “must visit” list. When you visit, you will not be disappointed.

Article, July 26th, 2023

July 26, 2023

Articles, Fishing Reports

Just a few days ago a lady was killed by a grizzly bear on the Buttermilk Trial on the east side of Targhee Pass. Such incidents are in the extreme and are rare. Nevertheless we must be cautious and mindful that when it comes to back country presence, we humans are the invaders. We threaten hosted animals with our presence, and we have the obligation of informing them of that presence in order to avoid a confrontation and threat to their well being. We are instructed by agency personnel to carry bear spray to help ward off an attack to make noise to indicate our presence. A way that diminishes an attack by stressed wildlife is through using a claxon horn. These can be purchased at any marine supply retailer. They are inexpensive, compact ( can fit in a shirt or vest pocket), and they make an ungodly noise which carries even over the noise of a rushing stream. Most important they minimize the need to use bear spray on using which means an encounter is in progress.

South Fork, July 26th, 2023

July 26, 2023

Fishing Reports, South Fork

No matter where you choose to launch that boat, you will be met with scene like this for much of the remaining fishing season. Not all folks using these places will be anglers, some will be recreationists taking part in the “plastic boat hatch.” They have a right to use these facilities, but they have an obligation to do so in a courteous and thoughtful manner. The same applies to anglers.

The stonefly hatch has pretty much run its course on the river which has an essentially constant flow of cool, clear water. The mutant golden stone fly hatch is next. Now a growing PMD ( and terrestrial insect population) and afternoon caddis hatch are bringing on top water fishing.

Small Streams, July 26th, 2023

July 26, 2023

Fishing Reports, Small Streams

Summer is time for a fish fry, and we have several small streams that host the main ingredient for such. Without a doubt the best trout for a fish fry is the eastern brook trout. These were introduced to area waters over 120 years ago, and have eliminated native salmonids from many waters though being aggressive and able to out produce the native “cutty.” Where are the best streams to find these “brookies?”

Look for small streams that are easily approached because catching enough for that fish fry can be a family activity. Almost any small sized fly will work to fool these aggressive little devils. IDF&G allows a personal limit of 25 brookies per day in most streams. Let the number of your fish fry attendees decide how many brookies to harvest. Certainly after being cleaned, store them in a cooler while traveling home to retain their wonderful flavor.

Here are some candidate small streams that host numerous brookies. Elk Creek at the east end of Buffalo River Campground is a great candidate. So is nearby Tom’s Creek and other upstream Buffalo River tributaries. Not far from these, Little Warm River and Partridge Creek are great candidates. Above Kilgore, West Camas Creek and Cottonwood Creeks, although brushy in places host great populations. So does equally brushy Modoc Creek flowing out of Pauls Reservoir. In the Lost River area Copper Basin streams such as nearby Cherry Creek with stair step beaver ponds and upstream Antelope Creek are good places to try.

Recipes for preparing brookies and other fish abound on the internet. One way of tradition is coated with cornmeal and fried which brings great eating results. What accompanies your brookies? Such as slaw, baked beans, fried okra, corn on the cob, and hush puppies are leading candidates. No matter what you choose the results will make for a fish fry ” fit for a king!”

Still Waters, July 26th, 2023

July 26, 2023

Fishing Reports, Still Water

Horseshoe Lake

Nearly all our still waters are in the summer doldrums. Here is one with conditional exception if you have a flotation device and do not mind fishing early in the day or during evenings. That would be non-motorized Horseshoe Lake. Facilities here are totally primitive: no rest rooms, no developed camping/picnic area, no boat launch facility except the north side open shoreline. Why place this small lake on our fishing report? Because it is easily approached and is stocked each year with grayling ( and rainbow trout with holdovers being rare). The rainbow trout to grayling ratio is about 8 to 1, and a “braggin’ fish” grayling here is about 13″ long. They are active during AM spinner falls, damsel fly egg laying activity and PM speckled dun hatches. Use the lightest tackle you have and a floating line to present patterns imitating these life forms.

One gets to Horseshoe Lake by traveling the Cave Falls Road about five miles east into the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Just past the LDS church girl’s camp the turn-off to Horseshoe Lake is on the left side of the road and signed. The road is good enough for sedans and gently rises to the lake. Take a camera to capture the beauty of this rare salmonid.

Southwest Montana, July 26th, 2023

July 26, 2023

Fishing Reports, South Western Montana

Hebgen Lake gulpers have yet to get going big time. Madison Arm is the favored location and there are convenient launch sites along its south shore. Other lakes will have these in some intensity. Some include the south end of Elk Lake, east section shallows of Quake Lake and isolated bays of Wade Lake’s west side. We have been “blessed” with windy PMs all over the region, and this will put gulpers down as soon as it begins.

Widow’s Pool on Picnic Creek , Centennial Valley

The Madison River still provides some good top water fishing below Quake Lake with caddis, Sallys, PMDs and a few golden stoneflies around. Terrestrial insects are beginning to be important here and on such as the Gallatin River. Early AMs and evenings are the best times to fish as daytime water temps are high enough to slow fish activity, and mid-day offers much reduced overhead cover. Centennial Valley creeks are in good shape but are getting hammered by visiting anglers. Nothing puts fish down on small waters as much as bank-side traffic which sends not usual vibrations into the water.

South Fork, July 22nd, 2023

July 22, 2023

Fishing Reports, South Fork

There has been no significant change in flow down the river (12800 cfs at Irwin, 13600 cfs at Heise, 6400 cfs at Lorenzo) for several days. Palisades Reservoir is a around 90% of capacity. So we are in summertime flow conditions where irrigation demands seem to stabilize a bit. The giant stone fly hatch, being closer to the dam, is not far from ending. The golden stone flies are not far behind with some green drakes and an increasingly active PMD population following. All this means boat launch facilities, especially on the upper river, are crowded , and recreational floaters coming on. Evening remains a best time to fish the river. Daytime heat is decreasing, wind is dying, caddis are active, big browns are foraging, and most anglers are heading home or to the nearest water hole/eatery.

Still Waters, July 22nd, 2023

July 22, 2023

Fishing Reports, Still Water

Aldous Lake

There is not much for fishing success on our irrigation reservoirs during these dog days. There are, however, a few places you can have better fly fishing success and tranquility if you are willing to leave the beaten path. One of these is Aldous Lake above Kilgore. That fact alone offers that it will not be populated, except for a few locals. The Continental Divide is just above the lake. From Kilgore go west, take the first turn to the right and proceed to the Ching Creek Road. It ends at a parking lot/trail head. The walk to the lake, which is no more than a tarn, is a bit more than a mile with about the last half going uphill. Aldous features submerged springs making the water level and quality good enough to offer hold-over conditions for resident trout. Submerged vegetation hosts scuds and leeches galore.

It is best to pack a flotation device to get onto the lake because the timbered shoreline offers little room for back casting excepting a tiny area on the west shoreline. If speckled duns and damsel flies are active, you will have little problem attracting resident cutthroat trout featuring individuals exceeding twenty inches. No surface action? Try small leech or scud patterns or even fly rod jigs and use about a five-weight system to present these.

Yellowstone Park, July 22nd, 2023

July 22, 2023

Fishing Reports, Yellowstone Park

Areal photo of Beula ( foreground) and Hering Lakes

You can experience perhaps the best still water fishing in the whole region by visiting Beula Lake at the head of Fall River drainage. Here is how to get there and how to fish once there.

Travel the Ashton-Flagg Road from where it leaves US Highway 20 just south of Ashton all the way to the east end of Grassy Lake Reservoir in Wyoming. After leaving pavement at the Caribou-Targhee N. F. boundary, There is a long, dusty, pot hole pocked drive but with great scenery. At this point there is a small parking lot on the left with the Beula Lake trailhead. Your first quarter mile will be uphill, but the two miles afterwards features gentle ups and downs until the last few yards where the trail drops to the southeast corner of the lake. If you have not packed a flotation device, use the above photo to guide your walk east to the Fall River inlet where a sandy delta and meadow offers room for a number of folks to cast to and land fish. Yellowstone cutthroat ranging to trophy size are the only fish present other than forage minnows. If speckled dun mayflies are hatching, something like a parachute Adams, size 14, is all you will need to have a day of landing as many as thirty cutties. The same result can happen if you present your favorite dry damsel pattern. If fish are not rising to these, try any small dark leech pattern, traditional nymph ( prince, gold ribbed hare’s ear, zebra, etc)pattern or a small fly rod jig, and you could have the same results. If you have packed a flotation device, you can fish the entire lake and expect the same results. No hard sided boats, no motors, no man made development: just a hard to find tranquility and plenty of eager fish.

Looking at the above photo that is Hering Lake in the background. We will look at it in a later report.

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Fishing Reports

Henry’s Fork, August 2nd, 2023

Small Streams, August 2nd, 2023

Article, July 26th, 2023

South Fork, July 26th, 2023

Small Streams, July 26th, 2023

Still Waters, July 26th, 2023

Southwest Montana, July 26th, 2023

South Fork, July 22nd, 2023

Still Waters, July 22nd, 2023

Yellowstone Park, July 22nd, 2023

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