Week of June 19, 2009
We are still experiencing one of our wettest June months in memory. Flash flood warnings, rivers bank full, reservoirs full and spilling have been the norm this past month. Mayflies like overcast days to hatch, so it is not all bad. You just need to find clear waters to fish. Silver Creek remains pretty much the go to right now, with the Little Wood in the desert also an option. Magic reservoir and Anderson reservoir are also options. It would have been a good June to head for Yellowstone. The Madison, Gibbon, and Firehole Rivers are flowing at near normal levels with good hatches of mayflies in the afternoon, according to the Blue Ribbon fishing report. It is not too late and with the cool weather the West has experienced the stoneflies should start emerging now. It looks like three more days of thundershowers this weekend, then warming and maybe we will begin with summer. No complaints, as we can always use the water. This will make our summer and fall fishing better than usual.
South Fork of the Boise
The South Fork has been flowing over 3,000 cfs. Anderson Reservoir is full and there is water coming off the top of the reservoir. This will help water temperatures in the river below the dam. Expect giant stones and caddis to begin this week. Fishing the edge water will be most productive at these flows.
Anderson Reservoir is a nice float tube trip for some good smallies if you want a change of pace.
Yellowstone Park
Worth the trip. The Madison, Firehole, Gibbon, Gallitan and many of the smaller tributary streams are clear and hatching. If you are totally unfamiliar, we can set up a three to five day adventure fishing trip for you, your family or your fishing buddies. Our fall in the Lamar Valley is filling, but we have openings there as well. Inquire at the shop if you are interested.
Mountain Lakes
Not yet. If you have a report, I would be interested to know.
Big Wood River
The Big Wood is flowing at 1,710 cfs. It is not even close to wadeable. Don’t try. Floating is is also dangerous and not recommended. As the thunderstorms put mud into Warm Springs creek from the runoff of the Castle Rock fire, the clearest water is above Ketchum. There is some fishing to be had, but it is a long way between side channels and eddy water right now. You can spend an hour or two and find some fish, but I would not try to make a day of it yet. Large stonefly nymphs and green drake nymphs are the best producers right now. With the cold water conditions don’t expect much dry fly even in the softer side channels. Hopefully the Wood will clear and drop in time for the Green Drake hatch. The drakes usually hatch when the cotton is peaking with the annual seed drop of our cottonwood forest. The cotton is flying and the Big Wood is still rolling. Much of the high elevation snow is gone, so when it does quit raining, we should have a significant river drop.
The lower Big Wood was shut off for a week as the water calls below Magic Resevoir were not needed. We had a week of good nymphing on rainbows and browns to 19 inches last week. The reservoir picked up some much needed water and filled considerably during that week. The population of fish in the Canyon is good, even after some fish kills from the shut off last year. Weighted copper johns, beaded pheasant tails, and feather dusters or sink tips with streamers should produce right now.
Big Lost River
The upper Big Lost is flowing at 1,480 cfs right now. Summit Creek is about the only water where might find a few fish. Copper Basin is the same unless you go right to the headwaters. The cold water temperatures right now will make it difficult to entice much. I would wait for this system to calm down.
The lower Lost flowing at 1,170 cfs and coming over the spillway at the dam on Mackay Reservoir. Similar to the Big Wood conditions right now. Difficult to get around, impossible to cross. Look for the lower Lost to start fishing when water levels drop about 300 cfs, to the 600 to 800 cfs level.to
The best fishing on the Big Lost River system right now would be to float tube or boat the upper end of Makay Reservoir. Fly choice would be a size 10 hares ear nymph to imitate the grey drake nymph under an indicator or large Wulff adams. In the deeper channels strip a brown or olive bugger, beaded if fishing a floating line.
Little Wood River (Desert)
The upper Little Wood is flowing at 630 cfs, it needs to come down about 450 cfs to work. The Little Wood Reservoir is full, Carey farmers don’t need the water right now, so the Little Wood is making the confluence with Silver Creek. The Little Wood in the desert is full and turbid as of June 18. Visibility is about a foot. These conditions should change in the next few days and the desert river should come back into shape fairly quickly. It is fishing for small rainbows and some nice browns. Try a girdle bug or prince hung about two feet under a very large indicator fly. The nymph will take more fish, but the few slashing takes on the large dry are quite spectacular.
Silver Creek
Silver Creek has benefited from all of our moisture. Hay cutting began yesterday in the Silver Creek area and was grown with almost no irrigation. Without the pumps running Silver Creek has been flowing at over 200 cfs the past couple of weeks. That is great flow with normal flows at about 110 cfs. The water is cold and clear and moss growth is good. The cloudy weather made the brown drake emergence and spinner falls nearly impossible to predict. We never did have the monster emergence or spinner falls of some years. There were still some bugs around two days ago, so if you are in the mid creek area you may still want to fish the size 10 dun. Green Drakes have started on the conservancy water. The hatch is never very heavy, but the fish will key on them. If you see one natural, fish the emerger or the size 10 dun. Look for baetis, enermis, and pmd emergences and spinner falls mid day on the conservancy water. Callibaetis in the afternoons. Damsel flies, beetles and ants are always an option when rises are sparce.
Carey Lake
Carey Lake???
Any one tried it recently??
Salmon River
The Salmon season starts tomorrow, June 20, on the Upper Salmon. It will run from the town of Salmon to the Sawtooth hatchery. Limit is two per day over 24 inches. The water level at Yankee Fork is 3,500 cfs with normal flows 2,600 cfs. This is big water for fly fishing. The quota has not been set as far as I know. I would wait a while before attempting this with the fly rod.
Closing Notes
Look for us in our new space July 1. We will be moving the shop two blocks north, next to Bank of America, in the old Images of Nature space, across main street from Sturtevants and the Pioneer. Bear with us, it will take a bit to get organized, but we will be able to give you much better service in the new store.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
Lost River Outfitters