Henry’s Fork

Henry’s Fork 7-13-09

Flavs,  smaller PMDs, evening caddis blooms and diminishing brown drakes are the fare on the upper river.  On the lower river we are beginning to leave the early season mayfly emergence peak. Gray drakes are present but diminishing.   PMDs are present in good numbers, but their size is decreasing.  So go to #18’s-22’s of your favorite dry, emerger, cripple and spinner patterns.  Evening caddis emergences remain strong here.  Beetle and ant patterns are always good around overhead cover and along banks.  We are not far from the days when hoppers will be a major food form for trou up and down the river.

Henry’s Fork 7-10-09

Big event on the upper river remains the  evening brown drake emergence. You will find them almost anywhere on the river within the State Park, but some areas are better than others. The river at the end of Wood Road 16 is a prime location.  It can get crowded near, but there is room to spread out, especially upstream.  Flavs are coming on, too.  On the lower river gray drakes remain in good supply, particularly below Chester Dam.   Above the Dam they are there but decreasing. Flavs, PMDs and caddis are also present and afternoons are best for fishing their imitations.  Look for PMD spinner falls in the morning.  Anywhere on the river don’t overlook presenting beetle and ant patterns especially near shorelines.   As our mayfly  and stonefly hatches decrease terrestrial insects will become increasingly important food items for trout.

Henry’s Fork 7-06-09

Fish in the lower river are in a “kids in a candy store” situation.  Flavs, PMDs, gray drakes, midges, caddis, sallys, and a few left over golden stones are all active.   All you have to figure is which are they taking at a given time and location.  Afternoons into evenings are best. Don’t worry so much about fly pattern for each of these, put more attention onto presentation. Look for the flavs and gray drakes to begin decreasing in numbers soon and the consider that such as beetles and ants will become important. On the upper river the big news is the evening brown drake emergence on lower Harriman, but look for the flavs to become important too.  It’s a great time to be on the Henry’s Fork!

Henry’s Fork 7-04-09

Big news here is the excellent brown drake hatch evenings with best being on the lower Harriman reach of river.  Be there early to get your favorite spot even though there is plenty of river.  Any big brown drake dry pattern will work if you present it carefully.  There are still a few golden stones around Box Canyon and from Riverside Campground down through the Warm River confluence.   Green drakes have peaked,  but caddis and PMDs are everywhere.  On the lower river gray drakes continue giving action from above Chester Backwaters down to St. Anthony.   Don’t forget your favorite streamer pattern for evenings on the lower river.  Through presenting them comes your best chance for that “fish of the year”.  It’s a great time to be on this storied river, and if you are waiting for the South Fork to subside, this river is the best alternate for you and that boat.

Henry’s Fork 6-30-09

Say good-bye to June, 2009 with a great gray drake emergence on the lower river. This includes the river from Chester to St. Anthony.  Strictly an evening affair, but the river offers many places to enjoy this event. Two of the best are the Chester Dam backwaters and the slow water at the Fun Farm Bridge.  If this is not enough, early and middle PMs will have action  thanks to PMDs, and so will the upper river.    Expect crowds this weekend, even though the South Fork is beginning to shhape up

Henry’s Fork 6-22-09

The lower river is the best fishing location.   Green drakes are out in the afternoon, then the gray drakes take over in the evening. PMDs and caddis are abundant at these times, too.  Use your favorite patterns for these.  Expect much boat traffic on the lower river until the South Fork “high tide” diminishes.  On the upper river the PMD emergence is the big event and there are plenty of caddis in many kinds. Green drakes have been sparse to non-existent.

Henry’s Fork 6-19-09

With the South Fork at “High Tide” this river offers some great float fishing alternatives for this weekend. Here’s what’s going on if you like dry fly fishing and need to get that boat out.  First, the river is in great shape.  From Riverside to Hatchery Ford look for caddis, PMD’s, a few golden stoneflies, and even a few green drakes. From Warm River to Ashton look for big time PMDs, afternoon green drakes, evening caddis and some gray drakes.  From Ora Bridge to Chester Backwaters look for PMDs big time, afternoon green drakes and evening caddis and lots’a gray drakes.   Predicted cool rainy weahter won’t hurt the fishing a bit.  You can even do well through walk-in wade fishing on all of these.  With respect to the river below Chester and the Fall River confluence, you can almost float a battleship.  Fall River and Teton River are making very generous contributions.  But don’t forget the Henry’s Fork Days event at the Last Chance rest area.  Stop in for breakfast, to hear incredible fishing tales, and meet folks. Who knows; maybe some upper river green drakes and PMDs will appear to enhance that event.

Henry’s Fork 6-18-09

We have been hearing rumors of Drakes hatching on the lower river. Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Golden Stones, and Yellow Sallies are producing fish on the surface. With the South Fork flows really high expect to see a lot of people on the Henry’s Fork for the next few weeks. Nymphing and streamer fishing still continue to produce fish under the surface. For an up to minute report call the shop.

The Henrys Fork days are this weekend in Island Park. This is a great time they will be lots to do up in Island Park this weekend. For more information on the Henrys’ Fork days call the shop.

Henry’s Fork 6-15-09

The lower river is coming alive with insects and fish are responding. Here’s the menu:  PMDs, sallys, caddis, golden stones and midges ongoing and attracting fish throughout.  Just beginning to emerge are green and gray drakes. The greens are beginning mainly on the Warm River to Ashton reach where the canyon walls hold daytime heat longer. The grays are beginning to appear mainly from Chester backwaters to Ashton Dam.  Give both of these some more time and warming weather to  attract fish big time.