South Fork

South Fork 03-27-09

Fishing on the South Fork had been picking up. You best approach is to nymph until you see midges hatching. No reports of Blue Wing Olives yet.  Rubberlegs, and small bead head nymphs will produce fish. Put you strike indicator 6-8 feet above your first nymph.  Streamers have been working but remember to slow down that presentation. The Spring Creek boat ramp is NOT OPEN!!! There is still 3-4 feet of snow blocking the boat ramp and parking lot. Drift boats will need to float to Conant boat ramp. There is still 30 feet of the ramp at Pallisades Dam covered with snow. You can get a boat in at Huskies, Irwin, Conant, Wolf, and Byington. Cottonwood is still closed for wintering wildlife.

The Bureau of Reclemation has informed us that they will be raising the flows on the river to make room for spring runoff. Starting Sunday of Monday flows will be increased every few days until they reach 7,000 cfs. The plan is to reach 7,000cfs by mid April. This doesn’t mean that fishing on the South Fork out of the question. Usually a day or two after the increase the fishing will turn back on and start eating again.

South Fork 03-20-09

There is no new information to share except for reports that there are some  Blue Wing Olives hatching on the lower river from Twin Bridges down to Menan. The water gets a chance to warm up by the time it gets down there which explains why we see them on the lower river and not as much closer to Palisades Dam.

One other feature of the lower river are some of the sloughs that are connected to the river. Some of them are worth rowing into and looking for trout feeding on midges. We use a number 12 or 14 beadhead midge Pupa suspended under an indicator.

South Fork 03-16-2009

Today undoubtably has been the warmest day of the year for Eastern Idaho for 2009. For the next 3 weeks we should see midge hatches everyday and only brief periods during the day where your rod guides freeze!

The ramps at Palisades Dam and Huskey’s are now usable. The take at Spring Creek is still pretty messy so take out 2 miles below Spring Creek at Conant. I’m still having my best success wading so do keep in mind that with these low seasonal flows you really don’t need a boat. A boat will just get you away from the ramps and bridges.

I’ve mentioned before that March is becoming my favorite month of the year on the South Fork. Pack a thermous of soup and get out there at least once this month before the irrigation season brings us higher flows.

South Fork 03-11-2009

On warmer days we have been seeing good hatches of midges in the afternoons with exception of yesterday when the high was 28 with wind gusts to 40mph! The weather will return to a more typical March by this weekend.

For the next 30 days  flows will be stable, low and clear. In addition to midges on the surface you will want to fish some streamers in the deeper pools. We like to use a fast sinking tip line or even a full sink when fishing streramers.  If its early in the day and no midges are hatching we’ll try a pair of tunsten zebra midges underneath a small foam indicator. Again we are looking for slow deep pools and we fish the midges up to 12 feet beneath the indicators.

At 1000 cfs the river is very wadeable so a boat really isn’t helpful. If you do decide to take a boat be aware of the ice on the ramps as you put in and take out. A set of chains or a long rope will come handy. As of yesterday the ramps at Palisades Dam , Husky and Spring Creek are still snowed shut. You can slide a boat in at the Irwin slide and take out Conant but again be prepared to chain or rope the boat out. The ramp at Cottonwood is closed until at least April 15th so the next place you can put in is at Wolf. (I would really advise against floating the canyon due to the slow current which would not leave any time to fish.) From Wolf  you can float to Byington and again really think about what you need to do to safely take your boat out. The  channel to Twin Bridges is dry and will be until later this year so the next take out is Loenzo. At Lorenzo you drive down the concrete ramp and onto a gravel bar so a 4 wheel drive is a necessity.

March is becoming my favorite time of year to fish the South Fork because of the low water, no crowds and your rod guides stop freezing up!

South Fork 02/24

Fishing on the South Fork is really starting to pick up. Midges have started hatching on the river in the afternoon. Size 18 and smaller will get those fish to take on top. Nymphing still is the best technique to catch fish, the rubberleg has been the hot fly  If you want to strip streamers we suggest smaller streamers like a clouser minnow or a CFO lite bright clouser. You will want to slow down the presentation of your streamers. The water is still cold and the fish are very larthagic so slow things down. Floating is still not a good option right now. We suggest that you leave the boat at home and wade fish. If you need an up to date report please feel free to call us here at the shop.

South Fork 02/18

Lots of people have been getting out in the warmer weather and fishing the South Fork. Rubberlegs, midges, and small nymphs have been the most effective. Still no word about any significant midge hatches yet. The trout are eating underwater insects and nymphing is the most effective way to catch fish right now.

You can get a boat in at Wolf and take out at Byington. If you decide to take out at Byington you will need a lot of rope, or chains on your tires to pull out of the ramp. The ramp is very icy and slick. Remember there is no snow maintance on the boat ramps during the winter. If you want to float remember that short floats will take the majority the day. Float during the warmest time of the day. Always be prepared for something to happen you don’t plan on. Bring extra clothes, and I would bring extra food and other essential gear. Common sense will go a long way on the river. This rule applies year round, but in the winter when accidents happen they can esscilate into an emergency very quickly. Have fun and be safe.

South Fork 02/10

The South Fork has been fishing really good this past week. Many anglers have had success nymphing. No reports of midges hatching on a regular basis. The general concenses is that even on the warm days the water tempurature is still not warm enough to get the midges to start popping.  As we move into March during the next few weeks’ the longer and warmer days will allow the midges to get busy and do there thing. Nymphing has been really good with Zebra Midges and other midge pupas. The good ol’ Pat’s rubberleg has been working the best. Look for fish to be in slower water than what you would expect in the summer time. If you need and up to date report feel free to call us here at the shop.

South Fork 02/03

Watch the weather report. Warm days on the South Fork will greatly increase your chance to catch trout. Rubberlegs have been working really well. The fish are hanging out in the tailouts of riffles and deep holes. Be sure to bring your midge patterns and use them when you see noses on the surface.

During the winter the boat ramps do not get maintained for snow. It is easier to leave the boat at home and  wade the South Fork during this time of the year. Acces is really good for wading this time of year. Consider Hiese Bridge, Twinn Bridges, Spring Creek Boat Ramp, Byington Boat Ramp, Wolf Flats and the Great Feader Canal. All of these locations offer pucblic acces to the river, and you can wade and fish the river very easily from these locations. Remember to use common sense and be extra cautious while fishing during the winter.

South Fork 01/10

Jimmy went to the river yesterday afternoon to take a drive and have a look at the river. Despite the wind, making it almost impossible to fish the river looked very good. As of right now you can put a boat in at Wolf Flats and take out at Byington. The road is very muddy. Expect to get your boat and vehicle dirty. Also these boat ramps could close at any time, it all depends on the weather and how much more snow we get. The boat ramps do not receive snow removal in the winter.

We have had a few customers ask why we don’t update the winter fishing report as often as we do in the spring, summer, and fall. The short answer is the fishing doesn’t really change that much. Now the long answer. During the majority of the winter most days can be too cold to fish. What is too cold? We consider below freezing to be too cold. This doesn’t mean that you can’t fish, it just means that the fishing is going to be tougher and not optimal. Many people love to fish in the winter and that is great! When you decide to fish in the winter choosing your day is key to your success. Warm days in the afternoon will give you the best chance to catch fish. Nymphing is usually the best technique to catch fish. Use a size 8 rubberleg, with a zebra midge. You can also use a small mayfly nymph size 18 or 20.If you see fish rising they will be eating dry fly midges.

Always be prepared when fishing in the winter. Don’t take your safety lightly. Accidents happen and problems can become emergancies very quickly in the winter time. Use caution and common sense.

South Fork 12/19

Fishing during the winter months can be very productive, or can be a nice visit to the river. Much of your success is great determined by the day you choose to go fishing. With the cold weather, snow, and wind you will want to choose a day to fish with tempatures over 32 degrees. On these warm days you will find midges working on top for dry flies, and nymphing will work underwater. Focus your fishing to the warmest part of the day. This is when the fish are the most active. Winter fishing is a great time to experience the river and be the only one out there. Remeber if you intend to float check the boats ramps first. They do not receive snow maintence during the winter.