Week of July 31, 2007
It is still hot. Afternoon thundershowers have helped keep some of the waters cool and fresh. Cooling temps, 80’s instead of 90’s, for the rest of the week are predicted. Can’t hurt. Fishing still very good at the right time, right place.
South Fork of the Boise
Still dumping water. Look for the pink alberts and fish the riffles at the tops and edges of the deep pools. Pink trudes, size 16 pheasant tails for the alberts. Hopper time for the floaters. Remember the rattlers in the canyon. Good time to float rather than wade.
Yellowstone Park
Some waters in the Park have warmed to the point of closure until it cools. Check with the Park service if you want to fish a specific river. The Madison, Gibbon and Firehole and tributaries have had critical water temps. Take your float tube if you really want to fish. Some rivers may be closed. My last notice from Yellowstone reported Slough Creek closed. They have had thundershowers and conditions will cool by the end of August.
Mountain Lakes
Prime time. Stop by the store and check out the Trinity float tube by Outcast. 8 pounds with a pump and backpack. Grab your sinking line, a few buggers, some hoppers, beetles, a few nymphs and escape the crowds.
Big Wood River
The Big Wood is low. Showers last week put the flow at Hailey around 140 cfs. Easy to get around, and easy to wet wade. The rise is in the morning hours or evening. Rising water temps in the afternoon slow feeding. Move upriver if you want to continue to fish in the afternoon hours.
Hatches have slowed, except for some trico and pink albert in the morning, or Baetis, if there is a thunderstorm. A few caddis still around and some yellow sallies and yellow crane flies.
Suggested dries. Rusty spinners, small adams or purple haze, size 14 or 16 light hendrickson or PMD patters on 6x tippets. For specific hatches a trico spinner or hi vis baetis. Some hopper fishing and now is a good time to break out the ant and beetle patterns.
For the dark side. Try copper johns, zebra midges, thorax bead pheasant tails. Nothing larger than a 14 and more in size 16-20 on flurocarbon 6X tippets.
The waters should begin to cool as the nights grow longer in August.
Big Lost River
The Upper Lost and tributaries are still fishing well. Thunderstorms have hit the Pioneer Mountains most cloudy days and keep water temps reasonable and the streams looking healthy. Most of the hatches have gone. A few residual caddis and yellow sallies are about. The most consistent action has been with a hopper dropper combo. Use your favorite madam X or large dry fly and hang a small weighted nymph on 5X or 6X two or three feet under the dry. For dry fly purists try an adams, purple haze, or madam X with a 14 foot 5X leader. Largest fish of the year in Copper Basin a 21 1/2 inch fine spot cutthroat. Pretty nice for small water.
Has anyone caught a grayling up there this year? If so we would like to know.
The Lower Lost is about 350 cfs. Close to the dam the fish are pretty nymphy. Around Mackay and below they know hoppers and larger flies. The Crane flies are out, so for the skating steelhead types that method is working.
Little Wood River (Desert)
Scary hot. Maybe for smallmouth?
Silver Creek
Silver Creek is coming into it’s prime. The moss has grown up, the fish have spread out, and the water temperatures have cooled. Trico is in full swing. Callibaetis by noon. Dry damsel action after the hatch. Baetis nearly every day at some time. Hopper season beginning. It will only improve through August, Sept. into October.
Our fly boxes at the shop are stocked for your Silver Creek trek. Now is a good time to see the Creek at its finest.
Salmon River
Now is the time the remaining Chinooks begin to show up. If you are hucking a humpy around the upper Salmon keep your eyes out for a Salmon.
Steelhead are coming over Lower Granite!!
Closing Notes
With the warm water temperatures land them fast and let them breath before release. It has been pretty good out there, and standing in the water is more comfortable than any other option.
Dry conditions have put wildlife in the river valleys. Momma Bear and her two cubs made one of our guide trips relocate last week. Just be aware. Enjoy.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
Lost River Outfitters