Small Streams

Small Streams, August 24th, 2021

Two of the best small streams to try during this low water year are Big Elk and Palisades Creek. Big Elk features a PM western green drake emergence to compliment fish rising to terrestrial insect patterns that time of day. Spawning kokanee are now in the creek but do not impact cutthroat trout from feeding. You may encounter an IDF&G conservation officer asking to see your terminal gear because of illegal snagging activities ongoing for the kokanee. Input from numerous springs keep the creek at good water temps for trout activity. Palisades Creek, brushy in places, features trout rising to caddis, terrestrial insect and traditional attractor patterns. Subsurface input from Upper and Lower Palisades Lakes keeps water temps at levels good for trout activity. Both creeks are paralleled by well maintained trails.

Warm River below the spring is another good small stream choice this time of year. AM tricos, later in the day caddis life cycle and traditional attractor patterns bring fish to respond anywhere on the river below the spring. The best chance for solitude on the river can be found by walking down the railroad grade crossing from the Warm River Spring Road. Brook, brown and rainbow trout populate the river.

Small Streams, August 7th, 2021

Our recent rains have helped bring a number of our small streams up to being more hospitable for resident trout. This could be temporary depending on upcoming weather, so let’s keep hoping for more rain!

Good News from The Nature Conservancy

Greetings from Silver Creek.

We are excited to announce that effective August 11, access to fishing will be allowed daily from 9am – sunset at the Silver Creek Preserve. Morning access closures will remain in place.

Due to sustained improvements in stream conditions at the Preserve, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is reopening access to fishing on our property during limited hours. Partial access restrictions remain in place to protect the health of the fishery during times of day when natural stressors are greatest. As always, TNC appreciates anglers’ cooperation in limiting handling and minimizing stress when fishing at Silver Creek Preserve. Whenever possible, please release fish quickly and limit your fishing activity when air temperatures get hot.

We also want to remind everyone of our new designated fishing access points implemented in May 2021. The map of access points at the Preserve and a list of FAQs is attached.  If you have questions about this policy or need more info, please email us [email protected] or call the Preserve Office (208) 788-7910.

Erika Green Phillips

Watershed Manager

[email protected]

+1 208 578-4049 (office)

+1 208 721-8112 (personal cell)

nature.org

Small Streams, July 17th, 2021

Presently Warm River is likely the top small stream in our area for fishing success. It’s best waters for finding this begin at Warm River Spring and continue on downstream to the head of the cascades. This quality resumes from the base of the cascades down to Warm River campground. Caddis flies are the predominant the aquatic insect throughout with scattered PMDs, but terrestrial insect are becoming more important for trout every day. Brown, brook and rainbow trout are hosted. Traditional attractor patterns (renegade, Wulff series, humpy, stimulator) also work well. The best route to the portion below the spring is the Warm River Spring Road that heads east from the Mesa Falls Scenic Highway near the Upper Mesa Falls access. Parking places are nearby the spring but a way to find fewer anglers is to walk or bike the old railroad grade downstream from where it crosses the road. Access is off the railroad grade for the section below the cascades.

Small Streams, July 13th, 2021

Many of these are at base level and therefore offer slow fishing. Some exceptions include Warm River below Warm River Spring, Big Elk, Birch, and Palisades Creeks, Terrestrial insect, yellow sally, caddis fly and traditional attractor patterns will produce on each of these,

Small Streams, July 3rd, 2021

Drought conditions are beginning to impact most of our small streams. In fact, the Nature Conservancy has closed fishing on its Silver Creek property. Along with the low water conditions in the Big Wood River, this action is sure to increase fishing pressure on the Big Lost River drainage especially in the Copper Basin where Sun Valley-Hailey area anglers will seek better fishing.

Small Streams, June 26th, 2021

A similar thing is happening on these waters as is happening on our still waters. Many small streams have dropped to near base flow. For example, run-off water has pretty much left the Teton River drainage and flow (356 cfs near Leigh Creek in the basin) is at mid-summer amounts throughout the river. Consider that now is a dangerous time in the canyon because of the rattlesnake populatarion being active.

Streams with near seasonal water flows are become rare. Warm River below the springs is an exception and is worth a try. Caddis flies make up the bulk of aquatic insect available to trout.here PMDs, sallys, and a few golden stones are also present.

Small Streams, June 22nd, 2021

You’d Better Hurry! This suggestion applies to fishing nearly all small streams in our area and will soon include Teton River drainage waters as run-off there recedes. Because of lower snow accumulation in nearly all water sheds, small streams will soon drop to base level and trout will begin to move to deeper, cooler water or out to bigger waters. Flow in Fall River remains low because of diversion for irrigation. Exceptions will be such as Palisades Creek where underground flow from lakes keeps water level up and in spring-fed streams such as Big Elk and Birch Creeks and Teton River..

Small Streams, June 15th, 2021

This is the time to fish small streams that are open in the general season fishing. Some that are not open in this area include South Fork tributaries below Palisades Dam,Willow Creek tributaries and the Blackfoot River drainage above the Blackfoot River Reservoir. Consult with IDF&G’s regulations for other closures. Nearly all forest service and BLM roads are open( the Ashton-Flagg Road opens July 1st). Wet flies will likely bring the most successful fishing for a while on most, however our hot and dry weather means many streams will soon be dropping which will signal a switch to presenting more top water patterns. We will offer information on specific waters as this report goes into the future. Currently the Palisades Reservoir and Salt River tributaries, Buffalo River and tributaries, Birch and Robinson Creeks and Warm River are good candidates for visits. Teton River drainage has a run-off component which should begin decreasing.

Small Streams, May 4th, 2021

Flow out of Blackfoot River Reservoir was essentially doubled to 193 cfs a few days ago. Look for more increases in flow here as we get further into the irrigation season. This month run-off will begin in our small streams draining high country, and back country roads will begin to open.  We will get information on these events and place such in our fishing report to help with decisions on where to fish such waters.

Small Streams, November 10th, 2020

Any stream with a reservoir is seeing flows cut back to begin storage for the next agricultural season. For example, the flow out of Blackfoot River Reservoir is reduced to 73 cfs, out of Henry’s Lake reduced to 3 cfs, out of Mackay Reservoir reduced to 57 cfs.  Of course the problem with fishing many small waters now is getting there. Maintenance on many back country roads has or will soon cease, and there will be times when highways will offer difficult passage.  All this means less information coming into the shop with respect to fishing, so look for our fishing reports being reduced accordingly.