South Fork

South Fork 8-22-2011

Flow out of Palisades Dam (8560 cfs) is just where it should be considering annual averages, and dry fly fishing success is beginning to be the same with respect to using terrestrial patterns and such as chubby chernobyls.  Look for great September dry fly fishing coming up with success from terrestrial patterns continuing.  Mahogany duns and BWOs will be coming on later in the month to add variety in top water fishing.

South Fork 8-19-2011

Flow out of Palisades Dam was dropped to 8500 cfs early this AM.  That is the normal flow for this time of year.  Look at Tim’s South Fork report on 8-16 for strategies up and down the river.  If he has been on the river for that many days, he is a first hand source for information.  The only thing I would add is that with decreasing flows likely coming up, dry fly fishing will improve.

South Fork 8/16

Hi all Tim here, checking in from the river. I wanted to write up the fishing report for today because I have been on the river almost everyday for the last month, and I think I have some insight you might want to hear.

Flows seem to be holding well at 9,000 cfs. There are lots of good riffles and banks to fish. Yesterday was the first day I didn’t tie on a strike indicator! We fished chenobyls with beadhead droppers against the banks and we fished streamers. The streamer fishing is really good this summer. I have had my best success on Olive and White streamers. Nymphing is still the best of way to get into a lot of fish but if your sick of looking at thingamabobbers (like I am) you can fish dries. Its not red hot but fish are eating them. Not many fish up in the riffles eating mayflies but I have found a few every once in awhile.

Most sections seem to be fishing the same. Fish hard and fish at different times of the day, like early morning and late into the evening. As the flows drop look for the mutant stoneflies to start hatching and the hoppers should be turning on anytime now.

South Fork 8-15-2011

Flow out of Palisades Dam is where it should be for the time of year—9000 cfs.  With lower flows, the river below is clearing and not scouring banks & bottom to release annelids, nymphs, grubs, etc. as in weeks past. That means fish will go to the surface more often to seek food.  So dry fly fishing is finally improving with caddisflies and mayflies emerging and stream side terrestrial insects present in abundance.    Chubby chernobyls, Berrett’s golden stone, your favorite ant, beetle and hopper patterns, PMD and caddisfly life cycle patterns should be in your fly box.  If you plan to take out of the river at the Twin Bridges south channel site be prepared to push your boat over an upstream gravel bar that has emerged from the dropping flows.  This gravel bar should be visible in the clear water.

South Fork 08-11-11

The South Fork has  dropped  to 9,000 cfs and has been steady for a couple of days. The water clarity has also improved a lot from last week.. We have been having better success on the surface with bigger attractors like chubby chernobyls. Its important to twitch   these flies instead of dead drifting them. The most consistent fishing is still  with nymphs either under an indicator or dry.  Streamer action has been good from daylight till around 8:00 am and then again when the shadows fall in the evening. The Pale Morning Dun emergence is still spotty but they are appearing in more riffles with each day.

One note about the Lorenzo ramp. The Bureau of Land Management will be removing the large rocks in front the ramp as soon as flows permit.

South Fork 8-8-2011

Flow out of Palisades Dam is down to 11000 cfs which is approaching normal for this time of year and is very close to current Palisades Reservoir inflow.  Temperature of water coming out of dam is around 57 Deg. F.  Nevertheless best fishing continues to be with nymphs, wet flies, and streamers.  Plenty of submerged food remains in the river, so fish have little need to come to the surface to feed.   Looking into the future, there will be more drops in the flow out of Palisades Dam as summer passes by. With these drops in flow fish will tend to come to the surface more often.   Keep in touch with this report as we will post dry fly action as it is bound to improve over the second half of summer.

Tim went down the Lower river this morning and has a report about the Lorenzo boat ramp. Check it out on Today at Jimmy’s or just click here.

South Fork 8-05-2011

Flow out of Palisades Dam dropped to 12500 cfs yesterday.   The USGS reports a water temp at 4PM yesterday  56 Deg. F.  just below the dam.  So warming water and lower flows mean we are headed in the right direction for improving dry fly fishing.   Currently the best way to find action remains nymphing and presenting streamers, but dry fly fishing is coming on.  See Jimmy’s report for 8/3/2011 for dry and wet fly recommendations.

South Fork 8-3-11

We are getting a lot of calls and questions as to when the dry fly fishing will finally turn on the South Fork. So here is our take on the situation. The river flow is very fishable at the present flow of 13,400 cfs.  There are plenty of riffles, drop offs and structure to fish around. Water clarity is slowly improving but what we really need is for the water to warm up so that the hatches start earlier in the day and last longer. We are catching some fish on dries in the afternoons on Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies and Chubby Chernobyls.

Nymphing and Streamer fishing has been excellent. We have been using a size 6 or 8 dark rubber leg with a smaller golden stone or yellow sally nymph below it. For streamers we have fishing the slower banks and drop offs with a sink-tip. Brighter colored streamers that have some flash have been the best.

South Fork 7-27-11

The flow dropped another 900 cfs to 15,500 this afternoon………….