Small Streams

Small Streams 9-21-10

Fishing the Blackfoot River above and below the dam is picking up. Flows below are around 270 cfs, above around 60 cfs.  Above the dam terrestrial insect patterns and streamers provide the best action. Below the dam where gradients are higher, caddisfly life cycle patterns, traditional attractor patterns and streamer patterns bring action.  The lower Teton River is another great location to consider.  Hopper and other terrestrial patterns work just fine with streamer patterns presented in the evening a good bet to bring action.   Robinson Creek hosts good fishing with caddisfly life cycle, traditional attractors, and terrestrial patterns bringing action.  Warm River BWOs and caddisflies provide action from the spring down to the Henry’s Fork confluence.   The Birch Creek family area, Beaver Creek above Spencer, and the Little Lost River remain great places to enjoy lightweight gear and a great early day trico emergence.  There are several more small streams to visit before frosts become severe, so get in touch with us to get information on these.

Small Streams 9-10-10

South Fork tribs, Bear Creek, and Big Elk Creek remains good fishing with afternoon caddis and terrestrial insects bringing action.  It’s pretty much the same on the Salt River tribs. Terrestrial patterns are working well on the lower Teton River and Warm River where BWOs are coming on strong.  The upper  Blackfoot River, especially the wildlife management area is a great choice for fishing terrestrial and streamer patterns, and the flows on the river below the dam are dropping to stable levels.  Look for terrestrial, traditional attractor, caddis life cycle and streamer patterns to be effective there.  Birch Creek remains one of the best for action where any dry pattern in size 12 or smaller will draw attention from family fishing area trout which, by the way, are all wild fish.    Beaver, Medicine Lodge, Sawmill creeks and Little Lost River will also offer action for those using traditional attractor and caddis life cycle patterns.

Small Streams 9-02-10

This is a great time of year to begin fishing the Blackfoot River below the dam and through the canyon at such places as around Corral Creek, Graves Creek and Trail Creek Campground. Flows will stabilize as irrigation demands for stored water decrease.  With more consistent flows action will increase.   Caddis life cycle and terrestrial patterns will be best bets for action with some isolated BWO hatches.   Don’t overlook pitching streamer patterns as there are some very large cutts & bows in this part of the river.

Look for good terrestrial pattern fishing on such streams as the lower Teton River, the Salt River tribs, Little Lost River, Sawmill Creek,  Birch Creek and  South Fork tribs.  Kokanee are thick in Big Elk Creek but do not interfere with cutts taking PM caddis and terrestrial patterns.  Caddis life cycle and attractor patterns will work on all of these waters.

Small Streams 8-25-10

Want an experience that combines good fishing and gentle water with spectacular scenery?   Float the Teton River in Teton Valley. There are several public boat launch sites along the river here, so you can plan a trip based on how much time is available for you.  Terrestrial and PMD life cycle patterns will get you into fish throughout.  Don’t forget a camera!

The Blackfoot River above the reservoir is producing now, especially for those presenting terrestrial patterns. The river is at base flow, and slower moving water warms up most quickly.  Also slower water here tends to hold more weeds making wet fly fishing a bit tricky.  So concentrate your efforts along riffles and runs where trout have better oxygenated water.  Chances are the larger trout will be holding here.

Want to get that youngster into some fast fishing before going back to school?  Birch Creek in the family area above Lone Pine is the ideal place to try.  Traditional attractors and dry caddis patterns in sizes 10-16 will bring action for sure.

Small Streams 8-21-10

This is a great time to try the South Fork and Salt River tribs.   The flav hatch seems to be erratic on these so far but terrestrial patterns, particularly foam beetle and hopper patterns, work on all of these.     On all of these best fishing is afternoon when waters have warmed to allow aquatic insect activity.   Start with the terrestrial patterns presented around overhead cover, then watch for rises to afternoon caddis activity.   And the chance for solitude is great on all of these, especially if you get away from roads and habitation.   Some others away from the South Fork and Salt River are Bitch Creek, Teton River, Warm River, and the upper Blackfoot River.  Get in touch with us to get information on which of these streams are best at any given time.

Small Streams 8-17-10

Whether you float the Teton River, walk in to the Blackfoot River on the Wildlife Management area or try streams of equivalent character, terrestrial insect patterns are your best bet for  action this time of year. In Teton River canyon chernobyl types work well, and on the Blackfoot River with its slower flowing waters, traditional hopper patterns would be best.  Some of the smaller streams now at base levels (Robinson Creek) or having significant diversion for irrigation (Fall River) are warm, and action on them can slow.  There are some good exceptions to this warming.   Birch Creek (try attractor and terrestrial patterns) in the family area stays cools because of springs above and within the area.  Warm River (try attractor, PMD life cycle, sally, and terrestrial patterns)  below the spring will remain good fishing to the end of the season because the spring provides cool water in abundance. The same happens with Palisades Creek  (Try flav, terrestrial and attractor patterns) which receives cooler water from subsurface flows from the upper lake.  The lower lake also has an subsurface component to flow coming out.  Both these keep Palisades Creek water temps at best levels for trout and insect activity.

Small Streams 8-07-10

Many are at their best fishing shape right now.  The Teton River is fishing great throughout its length. In Teton Basin, PMDs are providing action with terrestrial populations coming on. In the canyon, terrestrial patterns and chernobyl types provide the best action.  Fall River is slow because of irrigation draw down. The upper Blackfoot River is providing good action in the Wildlife Management area. Flows in the river below the reservoir vary enough to make for spotty fishing.  Terrestrial patterns, bead head nymphs, and sometimes PMD life cycle patterns bring action.  South Fork and Salt River tribs are excellent fishing now with flav life cycle and terrestrial patterns making for great action. Small bead head nymphs bring early in the day action on all of these.  Robinson Creek continues to produce with caddis, terrestrial and attractor patterns making for action.   Same goes for Birch, Beaver and Medicine lodge creeks.  Another choice is Warm River for a mile or two below the spring.  Here caddis, sallys, PMDs, terrestrials, and a few BWOs make for action.

Small Streams 7-31-10

Some of our smaller streams dropping to base levels are warming  to point where fish move out to bigger, cooler water or feed only early or late in the day when water is cooler.  Most other small streams are fishing very well. They will continue to do so as terrestrial insects become more important in trout’s diet.   Terrestrial insects are  a reason why meadow streams are so much fun to fish. Streams that hold meadow reaches  famed for terrestrial insect populations are numerous around our area. Some of the best include the Teton River in the Basin, The Blackfoot River in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management  Area, Lower McCoy Creek, Lower Jackknife Creek,  Birch Creek, Medicine Lodge Creek, Stump Creek, Crow Creek and Camas Creek. With grasshopper populations beginning to build fishing waters such as these should be considered.  Stop at the shop to see our selection of terrestrial insect patterns and to pick up ” where and how to” information on these waters.

Small Streams 7-22-10

Reports come in almost every day about the great fishing on such as Robinson Creek, Teton River, the upper Blackfoot River, Tincup Creek, the upper Portneuf River. Golden stones, PMDs, sallys, caddis, beetles and ants, even craneflies are food forms, so patterns for each as well as traditional attractors are making for action. Even smallest streams such as Sawmill, Beaver, Medicine Lodge, Conant, Jackknife,  Birch and other creeks are producing. All this, and the hopper season has not really started.  So many places to try, and so much information is available.  Get in touch with us to help make a choice from the many small streams we have in the region.

Small Streams 7-19-10

Again, with all these currently in top conditions, it is tough to pass on details for each.   Suffice it to say that traditional attractor patterns in sizes  like #12 -#18 will catch fish in all places. Where flows are slower it becomes more important to simulate the insects that are available.  For most of these waters at this time of year that means PMD, yellow sally and caddis life cycle patterns.  Many of these waters also have a few golden stoneflies around, and terrestrials such as ants and beetles.  Streams with slower reaches  also have damselflies.  Flavs are showing up on a few streams. The hopper season is just around the corner, so begin adding small hopper patterns to your fly box, and be sure that the color of these matches that of the vegetation where you will use them.  Fishing particularly good right now are the Blackfoot River above the reservoir, Robinson Creek, Teton River in the Basin and around the Hog Hollow Bridge, Sinks streams (Beaver, Medicine Lodge, Sawmill Creek-Little Lost River), Warm River below the spring, Tincup Creek, Jackknife Creek, and Stump Creek.  For specific information on these and other streams, get in touch with us.