Fishing closes on the river in Harriman State Park December 1st. Portions of the river are open to Catch and Release fishing. Refer to IDF&G’s 2022-2024 Seasons and Rules document to determine these sections. The Water Resources Board will increase the water flow out of Island Park Dam to allow better in-stream habitat for juvenile salmonids downstream through Box Canyon and Last Chance. This is good news for the future fishery.
Good wading conditions around the Ora Bridge and around the Vernon Bridge remain. Float fishing between the two bridges also encounters good action. Emerging BWO and midges continue to result in good top water fishing during mid-day hours.
Flies to fish:
Use snow shoeing or cross country skiing if you want to fly fish the upper river. On the lower river there are good wading conditions at just below the Ora Bridge and around the Vernon Bridge. Float fishing between the two bridges also encounters good action. Smaller fish rising to emerging BWO and midges makes for the fast fishing during the waning daytime hours.
Flies to fish:
Winter fishing conditions have arrived in Island Park. The Tubs and Box Canyon are the best places to pitch streamer patterns. Afternoon BWO and midge hatches provide some top water fishing for a few hours on the lower river, and it looks like we will have good streamer fishing especially with the unsettled weather predicted for this weekend and beyond. Dress warmly!
Flies to fish:
Flow out of Island Park Dam is about 170 cfs. Plans are to increase it to higher levels during the winter which is good news for juvenile fish down to Pinehaven. The best streamer fishing on the upper river can be found in Box Canyon and in the Tubs. In the lower river afternoon BWO activity and evening midge activity provides some action, but presenting streamer patterns of choice to migrating brown trout offers the most exciting action.
Flies to fish:
Flow throughout the river is a bit below normal, except even lower through Box Canyon where flow depends equally water incoming from the Buffalo River and from Island Park Dam until ground water supplements it downstream. Weeds are breaking up and whether drifting or still anchored to the bottom can impact fishing. That weeds are leaving reduces water level. Brown trout are migrating on the lower river making for good streamer fishing early and late during sunlight hours. BWO are active throughout the river during afternoon hours and a return to warmer afternoon will revive terrestrial insect activity. Want to present streamer patterns in an “off the beaten path location?” try streamers using a sink tip line in The Tubs just below the Henry’s Lake Outlet and Big Springs Outlet confluence.
Flies to try:
The lower river will also benefit in the same manner resulting from the upcoming change in weather. Look for diminishing terrestrial insect activity. A good location for enjoying mid to late in the day fish responding to BWO activity is around the Ora Bridge launch site which offers ample wading. This is also good location for streamer fishing to encounter migrating brown trout. Except for Box Canyon and The Tubs area which having deep water host trout because of overhead cover, the season on the upper river is slowly closing down.
Flies to try:
The Fun Farm Bridge is temporarily closed for repairs
Buffalo River continues to contribute most of the water flowing through Box Canyon and through the Last Chance-Harriman reach. Below, ground water adds significantly to the river flow. Afternoons will continue to give the best fishing during our “Indian Summer” days with BWOs and a somewhat diminished terrestrial insect population providing the basis. BWO activity during afternoons on wind free days makes for good top water fishing on the lower river. During low light conditions streamers will attract brown trout especially as evening approaches.
Fun Farm Bridge
Currently, most of the water flowing through Box Canyon on down to the Last Chance-Harriman reach is coming from the Buffalo River. Thus plenty of stealth and studied approaches are required for fishing success in these areas. Abundant bank side terrestrial insect populations remain making for good top water fishing while BWOs are providing some afternoon activity during the current run of warm, sunny days. Aquatic weeds remain plentiful enough in slower water to impact nymphing and streamer presentation. Hoppers and ants are providing good top water fishing along lower river banks, but afternoon BWO activity needs unsettled weather to improve. Evening midge activity can produce some good fishing. Brown trout here are becoming aggressive enough to make streamer presentation effective under low light conditions.
Flow is down throughout the river making for a good selection of walk-in-wade locations. Low flow in Box Canyon concentrates fish into deeper water such as directly below Island Park Dam. Streamer and jig patterns presented during low light conditions here and in deep downstream runs below the Buffalo River confluence will be effective as will large nymph and rubber leg patterns drifted deep. Consider the Tubs area below the Big Springs-Outlet confluence where the same strategy applies. Low water prevails on the lower river where the autumn mayfly emergence peak and a good terrestrial insect population exists. The same is ongoing in the Last Chance-Harriman reach. Streamer and jig patterns will become more effective below Lower Mesa Falls for brown trout as we move into October.