Looks like stormy weather will prevail almost everywhere this weekend. Such weather will put terrestrial insects down relative to their activity on bright, sunlit days. Switching to wet attractor patterns is worth considering. Try nymph patterns such as two bit hookers, copper johns, hare’s ears, princes, and zebras, all with or without beads. If the stream you visit is discolored, do not overlook such as San Juan worm and small woolly bugger types as well as small streamer patterns.
BWOs could make an appearance ( with peak autumn activity yet to come) on certain places if you favor top water fishing. Warm River just below Warm River Spring would be a better location than by the crowded major campground at Three Rivers. Consider the Teton River in the Hog Hollow area and in the Basin as well as Buffalo River. Bring a raincoat wherever you go!
Good mayfly activity will begin on many streams as we begin the fall emergence peak. Gone are such as brown, gray and green drakes, flavs, and march browns. Only a few smaller PMDs are around on some waters. Tricos are diminishing, but speckled duns will remain in good numbers for weeks especially on still waters..The fall BWO hatch will begin any day now and carry on until winter sets in with such as tiny BWOs included. Pink alberts, also know as snowflake duns, will remain for a while. Mahogany dun hatches will be important and widespread. The Hecuba may fly hatch, more scattered and less consistent will appear on relatively soft bottomed streams. Mistakenly called green drake because of its size, it is famed for consistency on such as Slough Creek, but is less abundant on most Fall River Basin streams having a similar substrate.
A single track bypass road has been opened around the damaged section of the road to Bear Creek. The bypass road is suitable only for single vehicles, but not for those with a trailer. More information on the bypass can be obtained from the Caribou-Targhee Palisades District Ranger Station. Reconstruction of the main road will not be completed this year.
Electroshocking for trout population studies will be undertaken by Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists on the Teton River in the Basin. Here is their schedule and locations:
September 6th and 13th, South Bates to Bates.
September 7th and 14th, Packsaddle to Harrop’s ( State Highway 33) Bridge.
Medicine Lodge Creek
Most of our small streams are in great summer shape. They radiate heat during night time, so early AMs are at their lowest water temperature. Give them time to warm up to the level that makes fish and aquatic and terrestrial insects most active (usually by late morning), and they will offer great fishing.
Visiting many of our small streams means traveling to relatively remote places. While “hustle and bustle” reigns on many of our icon waters, tranquility reigns around the remote places and is a major attraction for many of us. On visiting these special places, it is good to remember that with respect to resident wildlife, we are the invaders. Thus measures to minimize contact with them are in ours and their best interests. Yes, we carry bear spray and perhaps a claxon horn in areas of high bear populations, but being aware that any wildlife can be stressed by our presence is appropriate. So when visiting any of our numerous back country waters be ready to provide any nearby bear, moose, elk, deer and others a comfortable distance for continuing their tranquility.
Bitch Creek Slide to Reach the Bitch Creek Confluence With the Teton River
As with the South Fork, many smaller waters are in top fishing shape these days. Where smaller waters beat the much deserved popularity of that river is in tranquility. For example, you may fish in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area with seven miles of meandering meadow stream and encounter a fewer number of anglers than fingers on one hand. The Palisades Reservoir tribs offer a variety of fishing with McCoy Creek and its bank side terrestrial insect population attracting Snake River fine spotted cutthroat and a scattering of brown trout into action. The Big Elk Creek western green drake hatch is on going to offer some of the best afternoon fishing in the area. If you can hike several miles, Bear Creek is essentially untouched by anglers so far this season. Palisades Creek offers great riffle and run fishing for cutthroat trout ranging to trophy sizes. Use traditional dry fly and caddis life cycle patterns. Few places offer the physical beauty that the Teton River in the Basin offers along with great top water fishing with PMD, caddis and terrestrial insects convincing trout to rise. Morning and evening visits here minimize recreational boating activity. And if you are sturdy enough to descend to the where Bitch Creek converges to the Teton River in the canyon you could be the lone fly fisher present. Warm River Spring maintains high quality cool, clear water to the the river on downstream with its caddis and terrestrial inset population making for an active brook, brown and rainbow trout population. With its stair-step beaver ponds hosting numerous cutthroat trout, the South Fork of Tincup Creek beckons a visit.
Are you looking for some solitude, great scenery and relief from the crowds and boats on our larger streams? Consider the river in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area. The river here is a classic meadow stream hosting Yellowstone cutthroat trout, ranging to over twenty inches, with a few brookies coming in from above. The IDF&G has recently improved habitat here by placing log and snag jams along banks to improve overhead cover and help remove some silt from underneath. The result is an apparent increase in trout population. This time of the season terrestrial insects are the major trout food with some PM caddis activity ongoing along the river. Hoppers are particularly abundant. A small number of PMDs and speckled duns are present. The river here is a slightly smaller version of such as Bechler River and Slough Creek in their meadow sections making a stealthy approach and long, drag free floats necessary. Five and six weight systems are appropriate, and floating lines are best as weed growth thickens as summer advances. Wading gear is not required, but lightweight rain gear and sunlight protection should be possessed. Regulations include barbless hooks and no bait. Bring a camera!
Most of our small streams are currently in great fishing shape. One of these, being special in our area, is in prime condition right now. That stream is Grey’s River. It dumps into the Snake River just above the US highway 26-89 bridge on approaching Alpine, Wyoming from the west. One thing that places it above all other western Wyoming rivers with respect to access is that it flows mostly through public land
( Bridger-Teton National Forest). Its neighbors, Hoback and Salt Rivers are much paralleled by major highways and mostly locked up on banks and stream beds through Wyoming’s private property laws. Other than the Box Y Hunting Lodge-Renegade Ranch property, the Grey’s is about totally approachable. Another great situation on the Grey’s is that above the Murphy Creek Bridge, no bait fishing is allowed and boating is pretty much limited. So fishing visits diminish rapidly there. Below the bridge recreational boating, kayaks in particular, abound and empty bait cans and strips of discarded spinning line are common. The forest road following the river, “washboardy” in places, is well enough maintained that the State of Utah is well represented. Natural beauty of the surrounding countryside makes bringing a camera almost a must. Summertime thundershowers are abundant and can cloud portions of its flows. Wyoming fishing licenses can be purchased in Alpine.
Being mostly an upland river of abundant riffle and run character, the Grey’s hosts mainly caddis and stone fly populations. PMDs and a few other mayfly species occupy quieter waters, but now terrestrial insect are major food items for resident Snake River fine spotted cutthroat trout, the only trout present excepting some brown trout in lower sections. Five and six weight tackle and moderately sized tippets (3X-4X) are appropriate for playing hooked trout which range up to trophy size. Put the Grey’s River on your “must visit” list. When you visit, you will not be disappointed.
Summer is time for a fish fry, and we have several small streams that host the main ingredient for such. Without a doubt the best trout for a fish fry is the eastern brook trout. These were introduced to area waters over 120 years ago, and have eliminated native salmonids from many waters though being aggressive and able to out produce the native “cutty.” Where are the best streams to find these “brookies?”
Look for small streams that are easily approached because catching enough for that fish fry can be a family activity. Almost any small sized fly will work to fool these aggressive little devils. IDF&G allows a personal limit of 25 brookies per day in most streams. Let the number of your fish fry attendees decide how many brookies to harvest. Certainly after being cleaned, store them in a cooler while traveling home to retain their wonderful flavor.
Here are some candidate small streams that host numerous brookies. Elk Creek at the east end of Buffalo River Campground is a great candidate. So is nearby Tom’s Creek and other upstream Buffalo River tributaries. Not far from these, Little Warm River and Partridge Creek are great candidates. Above Kilgore, West Camas Creek and Cottonwood Creeks, although brushy in places host great populations. So does equally brushy Modoc Creek flowing out of Pauls Reservoir. In the Lost River area Copper Basin streams such as nearby Cherry Creek with stair step beaver ponds and upstream Antelope Creek are good places to try.
Recipes for preparing brookies and other fish abound on the internet. One way of tradition is coated with cornmeal and fried which brings great eating results. What accompanies your brookies? Such as slaw, baked beans, fried okra, corn on the cob, and hush puppies are leading candidates. No matter what you choose the results will make for a fish fry ” fit for a king!”
Most small streams are in great shape and access is good. The exception is Bear Creek where the road is open only to Calamity area.This means boating or hiking are the only means for getting to this creek which offers great fishing for cutthroat. Consult with the Palisades District Office to see if biking is appropriate along the closed section. Although caddis, PMDs and sallys remain, terrestrial insects are building everywhere, especially in meadow areas, where these are becoming a primary food source.
The Teton River in the Basin is rounding into good shape with aquatic insect hatches ( PMD, sallys, caddis, a few golden stones) going on and terrestrial insect populations building ( and so is recreational boating activity). The same can said for the upper Blackfoot River where recent stream habitation improvements appear to have increased resident cutthroat trout populations in the Blackfoot River Wildlife Management Area where there is little if any recreational boating. Warm River just below hits spring offers an escape from the nearby, but relatively crowded Henry’s Fork. The same can be said for the Palisades Reservoir Tribs and Palisades Creek compared to the nearby South Fork.
Want to have some real fun and satisfaction in helping someone learn how to fish? Take a kid fishing. Especially if a youngster asks to go, there are many safe waters hosting aggressive trout. First, it is a good idea to preface a visit with some time of instruction on how to prepare and use a fly rod. So for now, let’s discuss a first time visit, with more details later. Action is the big enjoyment for youngsters, and it is sure to keep their attention. So in a first time visit one could begin by hooking a fish, then letting them play, retrieve, and then land it. Point out to the young one where the fish occupy the water visited and be sure to show an approach that minimizes startling.
Big water can be intimidating and overwhelming to a youngster. So a best first time visit would be to a small, easily approached stream or still water holding readily aggressive fish. These waters are usually physically safer and have all necessary features within easy sight. It’s a bit like comparing a laboratory situation to a production size situation. So what are some good locations to consider? For this purpose, It is hard to find any better than the Birch Creek Family area a few miles above Lone Pine on State Highway 28. The creek here is a meadow signed stream with abundant open areas. It holds a great population of brook and rainbow trout that are always hungry. Middle of the day is the best time for a visit, and it leaves time to end that a visit with time for an ice cream treat or something like it. We will offer more information later, but the above discussion is “just to get the ball rolling.”
We at Fly Fish Food have all appropriate equipment for the interested youngster, and we are more than willing to assemble such and begin the process of how to use such. We also welcome visits to scope out equipment and to obtain more information.
