Week of June 22, 2008
Still a bunch of water in many of our rivers. There are some places to cast. Don’t be shy, stop in the shop and ask what is working and where.
South Fork of the Boise
Giant stones began to hatch as well as caddis and the water is on the rise. If you want both sides of the river it is a float trip now for sure.
Yellowstone Park
I just returned from a 6 day trip to the Park. If you hurry you can get the Stoneflies on the Madison and Firehole Canyon. The fish on the Madison keyed to the dry stone the last afternoon of our trip. There was a lot of nymphing, with good success. The caddis tried and the PMD’s trickled as well, golden stones crawling, but not fluttering. This would be a good week to visit as most of the waters were a couple of weeks behind schedule. The Firehole was big and cold, the Gibbon big and a bit off color. All waters are dropping now and warming. Duck creek was a sleeper with small streamers and nymphs. Forget about the Lamar and Slough side. The Lamar hit 9,000 cfs a couple of days ago and the Yellowstone won’t open until July 15. The park looks great with all the buffalo babes, green meadows, and lots of water. It needed the flush. We are looking forward to September.
Mountain Lakes
No reports, but they should be iced out soon. Email me with any reports you are willing to share. Baker would probably be the first to try.
Big Wood River
The Big Wood is on it’s second peak as of today. Flowing at over 1,400 cfs. Too big to fish in a normal sense, but it will work if you have some secret channels or eddy waters. Green drake nymphs, stonefly nymphs, and green or black wooley buggers will work. Don’t worry about fishing small. Size 10 or larger in all patterns.
The lower Big Wood, below Magic is fishing with nymphs if you know where and how to. Once again there is no need to fish small bugs. Size 12 black rubber leg flashbacks, size 12 bubble back emergers under an indicator is fine. These fish are looking for food after spawn. There are a few rises to PMDs, but probably not enough to cast a dry in that big water. Water color is a bit milky, but fishing well.
Big Lost River
The upper Big Lost hit 1,300 today with the last couple of days of heat. The North Fork is dark, East Fork is dark, the upper Main is moving some rock. Try the beaver pods and Summit creek for brookies and the occasional small rainbow. It is beautifully clear and pretty. Stimulators, adams, hare’s ears, medium sized prince nymphs. It would be a nice outing with a picnic in the meadows.
The lower Lost is also big water at 700 cfs. It is running clear and cold. PMD’s and golden stones are beginning to hatch. Look for the giant stoneflies soon. The fish are on the shelves in the clear water now. They are spooky, but if you put a small weighted nymph in front of them on 6x fluorcarbon tippet they are suckers. We had a great trip there today hooking 30-40 of those strong rainbows.
Little Wood River (Desert)
Probably not. It is hot and the snakes are out. Wait for a cloudy day.
Silver Creek
The Brown drakes sure took their time coming this year. When they did, it was with gusto. There were many nice fish hooked in the mid creek area. Some were so fat they looked like bass. It is pretty much over, but on a cloudy afternoon in the next few days you might find a fish interested. Look more toward the callibaetis and midge hatches on the preserve. Hope for some PMD’s if there is cloud cover. The green drakes on the preserve actually happened before the brown drakes on the mid creek this year, there may still be a few to hatch on the upper Preserve water. We are back to size 16 and smaller dries and nymphs on the Creek headed to 20-24’s soon. Expect tricos by the first week of July. If you want to fish something larger it is time to break out the damsels, ants, and beetles. All I can say is thanks for 7X G-Max flurocarbon on the creek right now, unless you are into night fishing.
Salmon River
Salmon season opened on the upper Salmon a few days ago. No reports in yet, but the river is big. Could be tough with a fly for a while. Will follow up on this. My daughter is getting married at Redfish Lake this coming weekend. I probably won’t sneak away. Nah.
Closing Notes
Our Wood River Legacy Project has 10 cfs donated. There is hope. With $5.00 gas just around the corner it is so important to keep our close waters healthy. Chem free lawns, no spray, native plant landscaping, water your vegetables, and the rest is for the fish.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
Lost River Outfitters