Flow throughout the river are right at historic levels and has been constant for several days. Big stone flies have mostly come and gone (a few golden stones remain), and mayfly activity is increasing. Nymphing the riffles is currently the most productive strategy with emerging PMDs and yellow sallies making for that action. Before the end of the month, hoppers will be out and significant for fishing success.
We have received requests for an intermediate fly casting class, and here is our response.
Our Intermediate Casting Class, headed by Jim Duke, will be offered at Ponds on Snake River Parkway Wednesday, August 10th beginning at 6:30 PM and extending for about two hours.
Snake River Parkway Location
We limit attendees to six in order to provide a best measure of individual attention, and we recommend that attendees bring their own balanced outfits (rod, reel & line with normally used leader) to establish familiarity on learning the casting techniques to be offered and refined individually Here are techniques that will be featured:
Casting for Distance
Double Haul
.Reach Cast
Roll Cast
Tuck Cast
Accuracy exercises will also be offered.
Other techniques will be targeted on request
Cost is $60 per attendee, and balanced outfits are available for attendees not owning such. Sign up at All Seasons Angler ( tel. 208-524-7160, email [email protected]). Include your phone number or email address, method of payment, whether or not you will need a balanced outfit.
Terrestrial insect populations are building along banks throughout the length of the river as the variety of aquatic insects decreases. Begin thinking patterns for such as ants, beetles and hoppers anywhere you fish the river, and target holding water along vegetated banks. Some turbidity is present in waters released from Island Park Reservoir and this condition continues on downstream through the Harriman State Park section. Best fishing is during AM spinner falls and remaining mayfly activity during late afternoons. This” best fishing times comment” applies to the entire river. Upcoming speckled dun and trico activity will “revitalize” this.
If you fish the river below Ashton Dam, consider that the warmer the water, the tougher it is for fish to revive after being caught and released.
Headlines from Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s Henry’s Fork drainage water status report from yesterday follow.
Headlines:
Rob Van Kirk, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
P.O. Box 550
Ashton, ID 83420
208-881-3407 CELL
208-652-3568 FAX
.
The big stone flies have come and gone on the Madison River below Hebgen Lake. Caddis, PMDs, yellow sallys and a few golden stones provide top water fare for trout there. Morning spinner falls are producing some good fishing and terrestrial insect populations are beginning to flourish along the river the further one ventures downstream. A few speckled duns are making an appearance on Hebgen Lake, with their emergence peak being a few weeks in the future.. We have a bit of info that says that the Gallatin River has shaped up with PM caddis flies providing good action. The big stone flies are hatching just below its Yellowstone Park waters.
Now is the time to enjoy fishing our small streams, especially those that are a bit remote.
The Blackfoot River drainage above the reservoir is a good example.
Water levels in all streams are good thanks to an abundant snowfall last winter, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDF&G), other government agencies, and Trout Unlimited are working on improving in-stream habitat and riparian zones in many places. Caddis flies and stone flies predominate as aquatic insects and terrestrial insects will become dominant as life forms to consider when making fly pattern selections.. Although some waters run through private areas, there are many stream sections running through public lands. Contacting IDF&G’s Southeast Idaho Region office can give information on where to find water open to the public.
No big changes since our last report, and flow out of Palisades Reservoir has been constant for about a week.
We came close to losing three folks in a drift boat a day ago. They got crosswise to a bridge abutment near the Spring Creek launch site and capsized. All got out safely. We know it is difficult to maintain attention to the river when fishing is good, but stay alert to it, We all want to see everyone end the day in good shape after enjoying fishing or even boating this great river.
The Sand Creek Ponds are now open to non-motorized boat fishing unless there are posted restrictions for protecting wildlife. As with all our still waters, the currently high air temps warm water enough to move fish to deepest areas. However, speckled dun and damselfly activity will bring fish to less deep water during mornings and evenings. Life cycle patterns for these insects, small leach, small streamer, and traditional nymph patterns will work. The ponds are not very deep, so presenting flies on a floating line works when there is surface activity or when fishing shallower water. Switch to an intermediate line if there are no rising fish, and concentrate on fishing deeper water.
Not much change since our last report. Nymph fishing is great throughout and dry fly fishing is good “where you can find it.”
It’s quite a drive from Idaho Falls, around 135 miles to be exact, but right now the Little Lost River drainage above Howe, Idaho is offering good fishing thanks to an abundant snowfall winter in the Lemhi Mountain Range. Rainbow trout to good size and brook trout dominate the drainage with some small bull trout in such as Dry Creek. There is a limited service BLM campground just beyond the pavement end at the Clyde township, More campgrounds, primitive and somewhat developed, are on Sawmill Creek.( see above photo).
Light weight gear ( 3-4 weight) is best for fishing these streams, and the trout and char (brookies and bulls) are not picky. PM caddis activity is reliable and soon, thanks to our dry, hot weather terrestrial insects will be numerous. Stone flies up to goldens in size may still be around. Traditional attractor patterns and bead head nymph patterns of choice are always work well. For sure there will be fewer anglers in this relatively remote area than encountered on most of our small streams closer to town.
All Fall River Basin streams are near base flows. Bechler Meadows drying out, and river offers some good fishing with PMDs and damsel fly life cycle patterns. A few green drakes are present in this low water year. Best fishing here is during the evening brown drake emergence. A good strategy to enjoy it is to reserve one of the campgrounds along the river or nearby and fish until twilight. Same applies to Boundary, and Mountain Ash Creeks and Fall River. Beula Lake is offering some of the fastest still water fishing in the Park thanks to its abundant leech population and speckled dun and damsel fly activity.
Beula and Hering Lakes
Fall River
Brown drake numbers in Gibbon River in meadows and Duck Creek have diminished in the last few years. Is climate change the reason? Leave the Firehole River alone until September days begin cooling back to water temperatures where resident trout have a better chance of surviving being caught and released. The Yellowstone River is now open, but thanks to road traffic getting there in time to enjoy best fishing requires a departure as soon as entry gates open in the AM. We have no information on fishing the streams (Lamar River, Slough and Soda Butte Creeks) in the northeast corner of the park mainly because of road conditions.