Expect that snow line to drop as we move into November!
Flow out of Palisades Dam was reduced yesterday: now about 2300 cfs at Irwin, 3700 cfs at Heise, and 1200 cfs at Lorenz. This action will concentrate fish in deeper water except during feeding activity on aquatic insect emergences. Unsettled weather predicted for the next several days should enhance BWO and mahogany activity (if wind is not very vigorous) and make streamer fishing pick up.
Mormon Girl, an almost forgotten streamer pattern from Jackson Hole
Flow out of Palisades Dam has been constant for a week: about 2800 cfs at Irwin, 3600 cfs at Heise, and 1500 cfs at Lorenzo. On a windy day, like today, expect a reduction in numbers of mayflies hatching. It makes no sense to do so if they are blown away before finishing the task of mating and laying eggs! So switch to such as rubber leg, fly rod jigs, and streamers until the wind dies down.
Flow throughout the river has been constant for about a week ( about 2800 cfs out of Palisades Dam). With high quality water and great dissolved oxygen concentrations, fish activity will be good. Mahogany duns, BWO and midges continue to make for good top water fishing. Streamers, fly rod jigs, woolly buggers and rubber leg patterns are good choices for fishing deep. The more frosty mornings that happen, the fewer terrestrial insects will be around.
No big changes since our last report. Even flows remain much the same. Palisades Reservoir is about 56% full with water storage by USBR beginning. Unsettled weather expected for the rest of the week should enhance top water fishing success and responses to streamer patterns presented to aggressive brown trout anywhere on the river. Better get out to enjoy what is left of the Fall colors: they won’t last much longer!
Low flow: tough on boats, but great for wading
Flow has dropped like a rock ( now 2750 cfs at Irwin, 3750 cfs at Heise, 1240 cfs at Lorenzo) in the last few days. What is coming out of the dam now is about half of what was going out earlier in the week and signals that water storage season has begun in the reservoir above. It’s great news for walk-in wade fishing, tough news for folks using hard sided boats and telling fish to concentrate in water providing best cover. Unsettled weather is expected during upcoming mid-week and should will improve top water ( mostly through BWO and mahogany dun activity) and streamer fishing.
No big changes since our last report except flow out of Palisades Reservoir continue to be reduced. But if you enjoy fishing with the fall colors around, you’d better hurry because they won’t be round much longer!
Flow was reduced a few days ago to about 5000 cfs at Irwin ( now about 5600 cfs at Heise, and 2500 cfs at Lorenzo). Reduced flow is great news for walk-in wade fishing but making it a bit tougher for navigating boats. Look for more flow reductions coming up in October. Unsettled weather for the next few days will enhance BWO and mahogany dun activity but reduce terrestrial insect activity. Streamer pattern enthusiasts will have much good time for presenting such throughout the next few days.
River in Swan Valley
Flow out of Palisades Dam is reduced to seasonally normal amounts (about 5000 cfs at Irwin, 6100 cfs at Heise, 3000 cfs at Lorenzo) with Palisades Reservoir not quite at 60% of capacity.
The photo above shows why visiting the South Fork this time of the season offers an unforgettable experience. Unsettled weather predicted to begin Friday means an uptick in fish taking BWOs and those chasing streamers. Enough terrestrial insects remain that hopper-dropper combos are still effective after surface waters warm up by afternoon
Fall Colors at Clark Hill
Flow out Palisades Dam has dropped enough to notice (about 5700 cfs at Irwin, 6500 cfs at Heise, and 3000 cfs at Lorenzo) and can drop further as irrigation season winds down and water storage season begins. These flow levels make for more walk-in wade locations (On request, we at the shop can help locate the best of these ) and means drift boats will leave more gel coat streaks on the river bottom. With cooling weather and fewer daylight hours coming on, the opposite ends of the fly fishing spectrum ( BWOs and midge life cycle patterns then over to streamer patterns and big woolly bugger variations) will offer the best ways to fishing success. In between these ends terrestrial insects will be diminishing and the same for most stone fly species because of killing frosts and less daylight. Fall colors will offer another reason for fishing the river for days to come. Thus the South Fork offers more than great fishing if you enjoy its natural beauty peak this time of the season.
South Fork Along the River Road
No significant changes in flow or water quality have taken place. Palisades Reservoir is about 60% of capacity, so irrigation water outlook for next year looks good. Unsettled weather coming up can only improve fly fishing whether it is top water ( mahoganies and BWO) or pitching streamers but slow terrestrial insect action. Such weather will also intensify fall colors which this year will peak a bit later because of the abundant ground water resulting from last winter’s great snowfall.