All the irrigation company owned reservoirs in the southeast corner of the state are offering good fishing. But you had best visit one soon because our low snowfall winter and upcoming hot days mean irrigation demands for their water beginning soon.
Now that the big stone fly event is fading into the rear view mirror, every fly fishing action is gearing up for the green rake event. It is ongoing on the lower river, but when Harrriman State Park opens to fishing, emphasis will shift to the upper river. Already campers/fly fishers are setting up quarters from which to fish. So expect the usual crowds along the river.
South Fork, June 12, 2021
Still a good escape from the crowded Henry’s fork. Flow throughout is at historic mean.Dam to Byington seems to offer best fishing.For nymph fishing, move away from banks, stick to drop offs, transitions and slow water. Hang your favorite bead head nymph off such as a Chernobyl type. Try Super-X, rubber leg patterns and streamers.
Green drakes and PMDs are out on the lower river. Add PM caddis, late and early day rusty spinners, a few straggler golden and big stone flies all making top water fishing great. Look for all these coming on the upper river in a matter of days. Also consider with these icon events you will have plenty of company just about anywhere you fish the river.
So many of us want escape the crowds currently present on our icon waters and to realize some tranquility on our vast array of quality back country waters. But to do so the roads there must be passable. Here is the latest info for some roads in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
In the Palisades District the Bear Creek, Elk Creek and McCoy Creek Roads are open. The Jensen Creek Road remains closed.
In the Island Park district, The Yale-Kilgore Road and the Fish Creek Roads are open. The Snow Creek road to Teardrop Lake should open soon but will be rough. The Horseshoe Lake Road is passable with rough spots. The Cave Falls Road is open and is in very good shape throughout because of improvements made last fall. The Ashton-Flagg Road opens on July 1st because of remaining snow at higher elevations and a rough surface.
In the Dubois District, The road to Aldous Lake is open and the road from I-15 to Kilgore is open.
BWOs are beginning to show in better numbers. Try the drop-offs into deep water as well as riffles. Rubber leg and steamer patterns continue to produce. Flow has been almost constant with few minor increases around the middle of this week.
The irrigation reservoirs to our the south and east ( Chesterfield, Daniels, Treasureton, 24-mile, etc) are beginning to produce. Leech patterns, midge pupae under an indicator ( find taking depth), damsel fly wet & dry patterns, all work. It seems best to be on the water early in the day. Consider that these reservoir will be running low as demands for irrigation water increase in what looks like another hot dry summer coming up. So best fishing be from now into the next several weeks.
Trolling seems to be the best way to encounter good fishing. This suggests that fish are moving into deeper water and that the lake is warming up. Not hard to figure because of or warm weather and the lack of good snowfall last winter.
The big stonefly event is beginning to run out. The Coffee Pot area is its “last stand” and some action remains in Box Canyon. Next up will be the big may fly events of gray and green drakes beginning on the lower river with emphasis above Chester Dam. Watch for these in significance to trout any day now.
From what we have heard, opening weekend featured good fishing. Fish must be remaining in shallower water and so are easier to encounter. The lake is more than 100% full which a good condition for staying cooler longer. This suggests that good fishing should remain in the near future.