The “Flush” is finished and it looks like flow out of Palisades Dam will be in the 12000-13000 cfs range for much of the irrigation season. The next big fishing event on the river will be the big stoneflies emerging. Nothing significant with them yet, but when it begins we will post it here. For now, depend on rubber legs during daytime and your favorite streamer patterns especially for evenings and early hours. Watch the riffles because caddis activity can become important.
The flush is about over with flow out of Palisades Dam currently at 13800 cfs. In a few days fishing will be back to where it should be for the time of the season. Just around the corner in time the big stonefly activity will begin. We will post its progress here, so keep watching!
The flush is on with peak of around 18000 cfs already happening. About 17000 cfs is currently coming out of Palisades Dam. Looks like the flush will be decreased about 900 cfs per day and finished this weekend with flow out of Palisades Dam dropping to around 12500 cfs. Water temp below the dam is 51 deg. F which is good for things like the big bug hatch to happen. But consider other locations to fish for the next several days.
Water coming out of Palisades Dam was bumped up to 14000 cfs from 12000 cfs yesterday. Should not impact fishing all that much. If you are considering floating from Byington or above to Twin Bridges, you can get out of the river from the south channel at Twin Bridges. Big (#4-6) rubber leg nymph patterns remain the best way to find fishing success on the South Fork.
Flow out of Palisades Dam was bumped up to 12000 cfs from 10400 cfs this morning because of irrigation demands. This action should not impact fishing success very much.
Lots of folks fished the river this weekend, and results are good throughout. Rubberlegs patterns produced the best, and bead head nymph patterns were effective in the riffles and heads of runs. Dry fly fishing remains slow. Water coming out of Palisades Dam is at 49 deg. F. , and has been flowing there around 10400 cfs for weeks. At this time USBUREC plans no flush out of Palisades Dam until run-off characteristics are determined. If and when that flush takes place, we will post such information here. For now, the rising water temperature and constant flow means good fishing success.
The flow is up to 10,021 cfs from Palisades dam. Some of the tributaries are starting to rise with the beginning of spring runoff giving the water its customary green spring look. Continue using a rubber leg/glow bug combination for the rainbows. Streamers cast on a full sink or sink tip line will be a good technique in these water conditions.
The great feeder canal is still shut down for maintainance so the flow down to Lorenzo is high.
The flow increased today to 4331cfs from 3400 cfs. There will be additional increases of 900 cfs each day through Saturday. Generally increases slow the fishing but on some occasions the increases don’t bother the fish. If you are looking for the tagged rainbows these flow increases cause them to start moving onto the redds. Use egg patterns dropped below a weighted san juan worm or rubber legs for the rainbows. There are usually browns and cutthroats hanging around the redds too.
We have included some photos of the diversion above byington that was modified earlier this year. At lower flows there were some power boats that hit rocks at the diversion but the river is high enough now that there shouldn’t be problem for either power and non motorized boats.
The flow is now at 3,428 cfs at Irwin. With these increases it might take a day for the small amount of moss and debris that is dislodged to drift downstream. The overall water clarity will stay good until much higher flows come later in the Spring.
Just a quick note about the flows. The Post Register had an article in Thursday’s paper quoting the Bureau of Reclamation about flows on the South Fork. The Bureau said that the flows were increased several times this week with the last increase coming this morning. Today’s increase brings the river to 2130 cfs which is still a low level. Wading is still very easy.
The water will be very clear again in a day or so and the fishing should continue to be good. Just keep using the same patterns mentioned in the earlier posts.