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Fishing Reports

Jimmy's All Seasons Angler / Fishing Reports (Page 52)

Main Stem Snake River, November 27th, 2021

Flow out of American Falls Reservoir is down to around 440 cfs as efforts to fill the reservoir will continue low flows such as this through the winter and into springtime. These flows will concentrate fish in certain spots in the river below and provide easier access to many of them. Presenting streamer patterns will bring the best chances for successful fishing in the river below.

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South Fork, November 27th, 2021

Sporadic midge activity will be the only time for top water action from now through the winter. “Blue Bird” days will provide times when such activity peaks. Otherwise, most fishing success will come from presenting streamer, woolly bugger, and rubber leg patterns.

Flow in the river is staying much the same as in recent weeks. The foremost thought in water manager’s minds is to fill Jackson and Palisades Reservoirs. All water users hope that this winter will provide enough snowfall in the drainage to do so.

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Henry’s Fork, November 23rd, 2021

Snow shoes or X-country skis will help if you intend to fish the river in Island Park! Nymph patterns, large and small, and streamer patterns will be best candidates for action here and in the lower river as well.

There is near global interest in how 2021-2022 winter snowfall/water conditions will impact next season’s fishing conditions in the Henry’s Fork drainage.

Through the upcoming winter we therefore will post the Henry’s Fork Foundation’s Dr. Rob Van Kirk’s weekly summary of these conditions. Information from Dr. Van Kirk’s summary prepared on November 22nd follows.

Headlines:  

  • Yesterday was warm and dry, and with the exception of a little snow today and tomorrow, warm and dry conditions will continue for the next week.
  • Natural flow dropped yesterday in response to a cold morning and is 78% of average.
  • At a mean outflow of 119 cfs, Island Park Reservoir gained 481 ac-ft yesterday and is 66% full, compared with 61% full on average.

Details:

Despite a cold start to the day, mean temperature yesterday was 3 degrees F above average. No precipitation was recorded. Except for some light snow today and tomorrow, generally warm and dry conditions are forecast for the next week. Precipitation is tentatively forecast to return in the middle of next week.

Natural flow decreased a little yesterday as a result of cold overnight low temperatures. River icing was apparent in the Fall River hydrograph yesterday. Watershed-wide natural flow was 78% of average yesterday and within a few percentage points of that in each of the three subwatersheds. Cumulative natural flow for the water year so far is 77% of average.

At an average outflow of 119 cfs, Island Park Reservoir gained 481 ac-ft yesterday and is 66% full, compared with 61% full on average. At the current outflow, reservoir gain due to stream inflow has been in the range of 475-500 ac-ft/day. Direct precipitation on the reservoir surface has added an additional 1000 ac-ft since the start of the water year, equivalent to an additional 10 cfs of inflow, on average.

: Rob Van Kirk, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Henry’s Fork Foundation

P.O. Box 550

Ashton, ID 83420

208-652-3567 OFFICE

208-881-3407 CELL

208-652-3568 FAX

TT

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South Fork, November 20th, 2021

Palisades Reservoir is gradually filling. Now it is at 12% of capacity. Today USGS flow gages show about 890 cfs at Irwin, 1400 cfs at Heise, and 950 cfs at Lorenzo. Flows throughout the winter will likely be around these amounts. We will keep track of these flows because of the huge public interest in how winter water conditions will impact to next year’s season.

With respect to fishing; streamer, rubber legs, and woolly bugger patterns will be most effective for months to come. During this time top water fishing will be somewhat sporadic and reduced to using midge life cycle patterns

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Main Stem Snake River, November 13th, 2021

It is “Brown Trout Time” along the river from American Falls Reservoir upstream to the Henry’s Fork confluence. Browns are migrating and aggressive. Low light conditions, like we have today, are best times for success while presenting streamer patterns for them. Below American Falls Reservoir flow is down to around 1000 cfs making for good access. Flows will likely go lower as every effort will be made this winter and spring to fill the reservoir. Several streamer patterns and woolly bugger types are effective here depending on who you talk to and where/how you present them.

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Still Waters, November 13th, 2021

Although they have been drawn down, several irrigation reservoirs in the southeast area remain ice free. American Falls,Chesterfield, Daniels and Springfield are among these. Try patterns such as leeches, nymphs, halloween and other woolly bugger types under indicators after finding the taking depth, or strip streamer and woolly bugger patterns of choice.

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South Fork, November 9th, 2021

We might be down to winter maintenance flows ( about 950 cfs at Irwin, 1400 cfs at Heise, 850 cfs at Lorenzo). Water is becoming too cold for BWO activity, so top water fishing may be down to only midge activity. Presenting streamer and woolly bugger patterns will get you more activity in these pre-winter days.

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