Flow out of Palisades Dam was increased yesterday to 3700 cfs ( now 4400 cfs at Heise, 3610 cfs at Lorenzo). Boat ramps at Huskey’s, Spring Creek, and Conant have been plowed. The coming week promises good weather with many walk-in wade locations open on the lower river. Get in touch with us (208-524-7160, [email protected]) to see which are most convenient.
Here is an FYI. With Palisades Reservoir at 95% of capacity, flow out of Palisades Dam was raised from about 1800 cfs to around 2700 cfs yesterday, a 50% increase. Flow at Heise is now 3210 cfs and 2280 cfs at Lorenzo. That’s good news for resident trout. More rises in flow are certain as the near normal snow pack in the drainage begins to melt and irrigation demands start.
As February recedes there is certainly more pleasant days upcoming. Cold water temperatures dominate, but fish will become increasingly active, and whether pitching streamers and big nymph patterns or doing the same with tiny midge life cycle patterns fishing begins to improve. River flow has been adequate for maintaining fish populations at around 1800 cfs in flow all winter being the norm, with somewhat higher rates through the canyon down to Heise. Access is present for walk-in fishing along the lower river, and we at Jimmy’s can recommend locations for doing so. The river road from Wolverine to Black Canyon is closed to motorized access to minimize stress to wintering wildlife, and will remain so until IDF&G determines an opening. Consider a cross country skiing trip to fish and do photography in this stretch where tranquility reigns. Boating is more limited, but can be done. Boat launch parking areas are plowed at some locations (Conant, Palisades Creek, and Spring Creek), but ramps are not thus requiring chain-ups and care to launch and takeout. So now is the time to check those waders for integrity, put cleaning touches on reels and lines, and anticipate the improving conditions that signal a beginning to the South Fork fishing season.
A Utah native, Grant has guided rivers, lakes, and streams of the Uinta Mountains south slope for 15 years. He prefers the solitude and serenity of high elevation lakes for his own personal pursuits and sometimes takes his two kids, Stella, and Grant Yuriy (G2), or his wife, Holly, along. Spending his winter months in a “feather den”, he enjoys learning new techniques to broaden the fly tying skill set. When he’s not tying, he’s chasing exotic pheasants, upland game, or waterfowl on “feather ventures” across Utah and Southern Idaho. Grant considers himself extremely fortunate to have learned from some of the best tiers and mentors ever to have picked up a bobbin holder and thread. He also enjoys reading, writing, and arithmetic. Through using arithmetic he calculates that this will be his first fly tying demo at Jimmy’s.
Grant’s demo concludes our 2019-2020 Saturday fly tying demo season. We will begin our 2020-2021 fly tying demo season in November of this year. We look forward to presenting another array of accomplished fly tiers within it.
An engaging and gentle man, Randy is a fly-fishing and fly tying enthusiast. But looking deeper in the fly-fishing scene, he is world class at producing bass bugs. Just a glance at what he produces at the fly tying vise and then finishes with paints and resins backs this reputation up. Randy spent several man-hours building the display shown in the photo above. It is meant to collect and preserve a number of his creations. Since his move from California to Idaho, Randy has also become immersed in tying trout flies. A few of these occupy a place on this remarkable display that is now on display at Jimmy’s.
Quinn Grover has been fly fishing since he was a boy and writing about the sport since he was in college. His work has appeared in The Drake, The Fly Fish Journal, American Angler, and other publications both literary and fishy. His first book, Wilderness of Hope: Fly Fishing and Public Lands in the American West, was published in September of 2019 by the University of Nebraska Press. He has a PhD in English from Idaho State University and he is an English Professor at BYU-Idaho. He spends the moments between classes thinking about whether trout might be rising in the nearby Henry’s Fork. He has concluded that they probably are. This will be Quinn’s first tying demo at Jimmy’s where Wilderness of Hope: Fly Fishing and Public Lands in the American West, is available for purchase.
Doug is a respected figure in Greater Yellowstone Area fly tying and fly-fishing. A native of Newdale, Idaho, Doug has been tying and guiding professionally for about half a century. Forty-six of those years have been with Three Rivers Ranch and two with Vern Bressler’s River Meadows Ranch. Such experience has made him authority on fishing the Henry’s Fork drainage. The list of concerns that Doug has tied for is also impressive: Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop, Dave Cochran’s River’s Edge, House of Harrop, Hunter’s, Orvis Alaska, Orvis, Deep Water Key, and ongoing at Three River’s Ranch. Whether it is for the Henry’s Fork, the Teton River or lesser known but quality waters such as Fall River, Bitch and Robinson Creeks, Doug has a depth of fishing experience for each. Through gaining this experience he has created effective patterns for every occasion. He also knows where and when traditional patterns are effective in the region. Being generous and knowledgeable look for Doug to share not only tying tips, but also presentation ideas for the flies on which he will focus.
I work for the City of Pocatello in the “clean” Water Department. I fish for “fun”! I like to find different water and different species especially with my wife and daughter. I tie flies that are simple and catch fish, I love Stillwater, fishing the Snake (not American Falls), but really love a good creek! I started fly fishing because I got tired of putting worms on my wife’s hooks, naturally she always caught more fish than me! We fish primarily still water on pontoon boats or from our small boat, but enjoy a nice river or creek now & then. My wife bought me a fly tying kit for Christmas one year & just started tying flies. I find fly patterns off the Internet, demos, expos, & YouTube. Social media has also been a great source of reference for me & has helped me connect with some great local people. Some of the tiers that have influenced me along the way are Collin Carlson, “Wild” Bill Schiess, Shawn Bostic, Aileen Lane, the Fly Fish Food guys, & Gary Barnes. One of my fondest memories was catching my first fish on a fly I tied myself; now thinking back that must have been the dumbest fish ever! The flies I will be tying are a variety of my favorite flies, mostly used on still water, but some that I use on systems.
Tom was born in Fresno, CA in 1968. At age 12, he took his first fly tying class at the Royal Coachman Fly Shop in Fresno. That began more than 40 years of fly tying and fly fishing addiction. A week never passed without tying a fly for 30 Years.
Tom has fished, guided and tied flies for Trout and Steelhead in CA and Oregon, Trout, Char, Grayling, Salmon, Pike and Halibut in AK and Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit and Barracuda in the Cayman Islands. For the last four years Tom returned to the Trout Fishing I cut my teeth on. Now he fishes, guides and ties flies for the Madison River, Yellowstone Park, all area lakes and the Henry’s Fork, Teton and South Fork of the Snake River.
With the materials and innovations now in fly tying, our options as creators of natural, life-like Trout food designs are unlimited. Tom will be talking about fly design and how to effectively fish to bring life to your fly!
For my demo at Jimmy’s Tom will be tying “Trout Spey” flies. He I uses these flies with a “Micro Spey” rod. He will discuss and demonstrate how to use marabou, rabbit, hair, weight and other items to design and tie flies for specific purposes.
Scott Sanchez began tying flies at age 12. As a youth in Utah he offered his first of many fly tying workshops. He has worked in the fly fishing industry for decades, and is now the manager of JD High Country Outfitters in Jackson. He is also a member of the Scott Rods Pro Staff. Scott has written articles and sold photos internationally, and his photos have won regional and national awards. His books include Introduction to Salt Water Fly Tying, The Never Ending Stream, and A New Generation of Trout Flies. In 2007, he received the Arnold Gingrich Lifetime Achievement Award for literature from the Fly Fishers International and in 2010 he was their recipient of the Buz Busek award for contributions to the fly tying world. Scott has been a featured guide on national TV programs. He is considered one of the most innovative fly tiers in the world. During the annual Jackson Hole One Fly he is in high demand for his ultimately effective flies. He has decades of experience fishing around the world but especially in the Greater Yellowstone area. It has been nearly a decade since Scott’s last tying demo at Jimmy’s. At the upcoming demo he will likely offer new patterns he has created since that event.