Week of July 5, 2008
It is that time of year again, when hatches begin to explode and the dry fly makes fly fishing what many people want it to be. Now is the time you can target practice to the largest fish in the pool, or the big guy feeding under the willow tree. Water is still flushing hard in most rivers, but rising fish are becoming the norm.
South Fork of the Boise
The South Fork of the Boise at Featherville is dropping. Flows about 750 cfs. It will fish with large attractors and stimulators. Below Anderson damit is flowing at 993 cfs with normal flows about 1,600 cfs. It is a good time to float this stretch of river as the giant stonefly is hatching. Turks and sofa pillows on the banks are a good bet. If you want to wade, work the banks upstream with your caddis. This can take some patience as the caddis is thick and you frequently won’t get a grab without working a fish for some time.
Yellowstone Park
If you are headed for the park you will probably want to fish the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon right now. The Gallitan is still high, the Lamar is flowing at 5,430 cfs and the upper Yellowstone won’t open until July 15. Expect some yellow sallies and pmds with tricos beginning on the Firehole and Madison. Baetis on cloudy days. The Gibbon can be fun in the canyon stretch if you are not looking for a trophy and just want to feed a fish an attractor fly.
If you are interested in a trip to Yellowstone Park call the shop at 208-726-1706 or my cell number at 208-720-3813. These are 3-5 day trips and need to be planned well in advance. If you have never fished these famous trout waters we would be happy to give you an introduction. Best months are June, early July, and September, early October.
Mountain Lakes
It is a good time to start your hiking trips, with rod in hand. A bit of solitude mixed with a few trout. After ice out these guys are hungry and cruising the shorelines, and generally not that picky. Good fly is a weighted size 12 hare’s ear. Take some beetles, ants, and small hoppers with your royal wullf, adams assortment.
Big Wood River
The Big Wood is flowing at 874 cfs today with normal flows about 820 cfs. The green drake hatch has begun. Expect a spinner fall to begin about 9:30 in the morning with the emergence about noon to 1 pm on warm days.
The emergence should last about 3-4 hours. Green drakes are in the lower river right now and moving slowly toward Ketchum. As these fish get caught a couple of times on dry flies, switch to the sparkle emerger, size 10-12, or you may even stoop to a green drake nymph during the hatch. Trout find the nymph easier to feed on than the dry. Golden stones, caddis, and even a few giant stones are on the water now. Fish the shelves, next to the banks and the eddies, as most of the runs are still too washed out to spread out the fish. Wading and crossing the Big Wood is really not wise yet, it is still big water.
Big Lost River
The upper Big Lost is running at 873 cfs with normal flows about 750. It is clear, but not really very fishable. The river is still running very cold and having a confined, narrow channel makes it a bit fast for good dry fly fishing. The East Fork is a different story. The water is big, but wadeable. The caddis hatch is epic right now. Expect the best fishing in the afternoon/evening hours. Golden stones are out, giant stones are out, and the green drake (grandis grandis) is beginning to trickle. On windy days I have been fishing giant stonefly patterns, rubber legged orange turks taurantula is a good fly. When the wind drops in the evening and the caddis begin egg laying a size 16 elk hair is about all you need on 5x tippet. If you find yourself on the water without bugs, nymphing can work, but most of these fish seem to be waiting for the hatches to show. The upper Lost system is one of our most precious resources. It has rainbow, cut-bow, Wyoming fine spot cutthroat, west-slope cutthroat, brookies, whitefish, and the odd graying. With no restrictions on this water currently, treat it gently and please release your fish. There are many juveniles in the system now, which shows huge recovery from our whirling disease problems of the 1980’s and early 90’s.
The lower Lost is flowing at about 650 cfs right now. It is clear and very fishable. Wading difficult. The higher flows put many of the large fish on the edges of the river right now. They can be taken on a size 14 yellow stimulator, a pmd emerger, or even small nymphs with 6X flurocarbon. If you want to fish a big fly cast a giant stone to the eddies and banks. Evening caddis hatches are out and the dry fly action in the slow water is great.
Little Wood River (Desert)
Probably not. Snakey and hot.
Silver Creek
Silver Creek is flowing at 100 cfs with normal flows about 118 cfs. It is still low, probably due to heavy draw on the aquifers from irrigation. It should begin to rise as crops come off. Expect callibaetis hatches starting about noon, caddis in the evening, tricos any day now, baetis, and PMD on the cooler cloudy days. The spinner falls of PMD’s and tricos should begin about 8:30-9:00 in the morning. Typically tricos begin to spin when the air temperature reaches 68 degrees. After a warm night you want to be on the creek early. If you really don’t want to fish the tiny hatches, and not much is going on, try a dry damsel, beetle, or a parachute ant. The Creek has been fishing well this year and should only improve as the mosses grow and the trico hatch becomes a consistent player.
Salmon River
The Upper Salmon is flowing at 2,430 cfs with normal flows being about 1,700 cfs. It is still big to try for your salmon on a fly rod. As of yesterday, 7-4-08, one adult chinook, and two jacks had been checked through the Fish and Game Station in Stanley.
Closing Notes
We are looking forward to a busy fishing summer. Great water conditons, good hatches, and lots of good water close to home. Give your fellow angler plenty of room or ask how much water he or she would like.
Sign up for our kid’s fishing clinic by Friday as our classes are on Monday and Wednesday every week all summer long.
Our free casting clinic is Wednesday night with sign up by the Tuesday night prior.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
Lost River Outfitters