Snake River
The Buffalo Fork is receding fast and this has allowed the Snake to clear substantially over the past week. Fishing is still best from Jackson Lake Dam down to the Osprey Channel, but fishing on the surface has improved greatly from Pacific Creek down to Hoback Junction. It is still more productive with streamers and nymphs on these lower reaches, but it is worthwhile to fish on the surface in the afternoon with attractors and other patterns in the #8 to #10 range. Yellow sallies and PMDs are evident just about everywhere, but there is also a smattering of caddis, small golden stones, and drakes. Riffles confluence points and seams are producing with nymphs through most of the day and with dry flies after 1pm. Larger surface attractors are effective in the same water, but also in tight along banks and structure. Streamers are working just about everywhere and on every reach from the Buffalo Fork and on downstream to South Park. The Snake is coming along fast, and it will only get better from here.
Effective dry flies – Circus Peanuts (#8 to #10), Grape Magic (#8 to #10), Chubby Chernobyls (#8 to #10), Rubber Legged Double Humpies (#8), Will’s Winged Chernobyls (#8 to #10), Amy’s Ant (#8), Simulators (#10), Parachute Extended Body PMDs (#12 to #14), Comparaduns (#12 to #14), Booty’s PMD Emerger (#12 to #14), Parachute Hares Ear (#10 to #12), Booty’s Green Drake Emerger (#10 to #12) and Film Critics (#12 to #14).
Effective nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Legs (#8 to #10), 20-Inches (#8 to #10), Zug Bugs (#10 to #12), Copper Johns (#10 to #12) in red or olive, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph (#10 to #12), Lightening Bugs (#10 to #12), San Juan Worms, Robins (#10 to #12), and Bead Tail Caddis Nymphs (#12).
Effective streamers – Booty’s Quad Bunny Leech, Sex Dungeons, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Bow River Buggers, Clouser Minnows, Silvey Sculpins, SRA Bunnies, and Kiwi Muddlers.

South Fork
Still fishing very well on the surface on most sections. Productivity is best on the upper reaches from Palisades Reservoir downstream to Wolverine. The salmon flies have moved to the far upper reach above Irwin but this hatch is starting to wane and now the dominant hatches are PMDs and yellow sallies. Added to these are caddis and golden stones, and we are starting to see terrestrials about, particularly grasshoppers and carpenter ants. All of this together means a smorgasbord for trout. Where action is best depends on what water you target and what patterns you are using. PMDs and yellow sallies are working just about everywhere but especially in riffles, seams, and eddies. Terrestrial and golden stone patterns are producing along banks and structure as well as seams and flats. Caddis patterns are getting action on banks, structure, riffles, seams, and eddies.
Tandem dry fly rigs is the best way to go, fishing either small dun and emerger patterns together or a dun in combo with larger terrestrial, attractor, or stonefly imitations. In the afternoon, trout in some riffles and seams begin to shift their feeding from top water to subsurface. This is an ideal time to go with a dry-dropper rig or a short-line nymphing rig.
Effective dry flies – J-Slams (#8 to #10), Chubby Chernobyls (#8 to #10), Barrett’s Red Ant (#8 to #10), Will’s Winged Chernobyls (#8 to #10), Rubber Legged Double Humpies (#8), Dave’s Hopper (#8), Parachute Hopper (#8 to #10), Power Ant (#10), Lawson’s Yellow Sallies (#10 to #12), Stimulators (#10 to #12), X-Caddis (#12 to #14), Parachute Extended Body PMDs (#12 to #16), Comparaduns (#12 to #16), Snowshoe Dun (#14), Booty’s PMD Emerger (#12 to #14), Quigley Cripples (#12 to #14), and Pink Sulfur Emergers (#14 to #16).
Effective nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Legs (#8 to #10), BH Hares Ear Nymphs (#10), Lightening Bugs (#10 to #16), Rainbow Warriors (#12 to #16), Copper Johns (#10 to #14) in red or olive, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph (#10 to #14), Biot Bugs (#10 to #14), and Soft Hackles (#10 to #14).

Green River
The Green is receding fast now with flows at Warren Bridge standing at approximately 1400 cfs. Fishing is good in the morning on all sections with streamers and large attractors. In the afternoon, gray drakes emerge in abundance and are joined by moderate hatches of caddis and PMDs, as well as some golden stones. We are also seeing more grasshoppers about. While large attractors will continue to work in the afternoon, gray drake imitations are far more productive. And don’t be afraid to use streamers in the afternoon. While productivity is inconsistent, they are bringing in the larger brown trout and rainbows. Banks and structure are the key pieces of water to target with streamers, large attractors, and gray drake imitations. Riffles and seams are producing in the afternoon with these pattern types as well. Take into consideration that water temperatures are warming significantly in late afternoon, and surface action is slowing noticeably.
Effective dry flies – Circus Peanuts (#8 to #10), Egg Laying Golden Stones (#8 to #10) Grape Magic (#8), Rubber Legged Double Humpies (#8), Turck’s Tarantulas (#8 to #10), Stimulators (#10 to #12), X-Caddis (#12), Tilt-Wing Caddis (#10 to #12), Booty’s Gray Drake Emerger (#10), Parachute Extended Body PMDs and Cahills (#10 to #14), and Comparaduns (#12).
Effective nymphs – BH Hare’s Ear Nymphs (#10), Flashback Pheasant Tails (#10), 20-Inchers (#8 to #10), Lightening Bugs (#10 to #14), Biot Bugs (#10 to #12), and Batmen (#12).
Effective streamers – SRA Double Bunnies, Quad Bunny Leeches, Sex Dungeons, Silvey Sculpins, Angel Eye Sculpins, Bow River Buggers, J.J. Specials, Tequilleys, Zoo Cougars, and Swimmin’ Jimmies.

Salt River
The Salt River has come down significantly and flows at Etna currently stand at approximately 700cfs. Visibility in the morning is much better than it has been over the past few weeks, while the clarity in the afternoon remains the same. We are still experiencing strong hatches of yellow sallies, caddis, and PMDs, and we still have a smattering of drakes and small golden stones. Fishing can still be temperamental despite lower flows and increased morning clarity, but productivity is more consistent than it has been. Morning hours are good with large attractors and dropper nymphs. In the afternoon, these same rigs will produce, as will smaller, more imitative patterns fished as part of tandem or single fly rigs. Riffles, seams, banks, and eddies are where most of the action is. Eddies in particular are fishing best with PMD and yellow sallie imitations.
Effective dry flies – Circus Peanuts (#8 to #10), Chubby Chernobyls (#10), Will’s Winged Chernobyls (#10), Fat Franks (#8 to #10), Tara Xs (#10), Stimulators (#10 to #12), Elk Hair Caddis (#12 to #14), X-Caddis (#10 to #14), Parachute Extended Body PMDs (#10 to #16), Comparaduns (#10 to #16), Booty’s Gray Drake Emerger (#10 to #12), Booty’s PMD Emerger (#12 to #14), Quigley Cripples (#12 to #14), and Film Critics (#12 to #16).
Effective nymphs – Lightening Bugs (#10 to #14), Rainbow Warriors (#10 to #14), Copper Johns (#10 to #14) in red, olive, or black, Psycho Princes (#12), Flashback Hares Ears (#12 to #14), and Soft Hackles (#10 to #14).