Snake River
The tailwater reach below Jackson Lake Dam continues to have the most reliable fishing, and this past week displayed a major uptick in action. Clarity is pretty much 100% and we are starting to see more and more surface activity as trout feed on Chironomids, blue-winged olives, and Callibaetis. We are also seeing some caddis and some little brown stoneflies. Best action has been in eddies, seams, and deep riffles and troughs. Dry-dropper rigs are producing best. And we are getting trout come to the surface for bigger #10 and #12 dry attractors. Tandem dry rigs are working where trout are actively rising, but you will need a solid dead drift.
Effective dry flies – Furimsky BDE’s, Air-Flo Tricos, Parachute Extended Body BWOs, Booty’s BWO Emerger, Film Critics, Pheasant Tail Emergers, Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Circus Peanuts, and Snake River Water Walkers.
Effective nymphs – Flashback Soft Hackle Prince Nymphs, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Copper Johns in red, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa.
Effective streamers – Light Brite Zonkers, Kiwi Muddlers, J.J. Specials, Baby Bunnies, and Silvey Sculpins.
NOTE – Flows from Jackson Lake Dam are projected to increase to 4,000 cfs over an eight day period in the coming week.
South Fork
After a week and a half of stable flows at 12,300 cfs, releases from Palisades Dam have been on the increase. They recently dropped from 17,000cfs to 16,300 cfs but are expected to increase to 19,000cfs for approximately one day before dropping to 12,000cfs. Fishing is a little tough with the upward movement of flows, but fish are still being caught on the upper reaches from the Dam down to Byington with nymphs and streamers. As flows begin to stabilize, fishing should once again be pretty solid. Riffles, including the bars and shelves forming the riffle, are the best types of water to target. Seams are also producing, as are banks and submerged structure.
Effective nymphs – Yarn Eggs, San Juan Worms, Pat’s Rubber Legs, Zug Bugs, Soft Hackle Prince Nymphs, and 20-Inchers.
Effective streamers – Galloup’s Sex Dungeons, Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Booty’s Quad Bunny Leech, SRA Double Bunnies, Silvey Sculpins, Galloup’s Boogeyman, and Cheech’s Leech.
Green River
Flows dropped from 1000cfs to around 650cfs, but recent rains have brought flows up to almost 800cfs. There is still about two feet of visibility. Nymphs and streamers are still the way to go, but we are experiencing a little more surface action, especially on the upper reaches from the Forest Boundary down to Daniel Bridge. Submerged structure is the key holding water to target. There is also some good action in smaller bankside troughs and in seams. Eddies are producing, but only with streamers it seems at the moment.
Streamers fishing has been best with intermediate lines and 3ips to 6ips sinking tips. Productive retrieves have been those that incorporate moderate speed strips with rod lifts every few seconds. Don’t be afraid to switch it up and perform longer and faster retrieves.
Effective nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Legs, Bitch Creek Nymphs, San Juan Worms, Lightening Bugs, Copper Johns in red or olive, Batmen, Bubbleback Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Zug Bugs, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, and Mercer’s Glasstail Caddis.
Effective Streamers – Booty’s Quad Bunny Leech, Galloup’s Sex Dungeons, Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Chickletts, SRA Double Bunnies, Silvey Sculpins, Galloup’s Boogeyman, Marabou Muddlers, and Cheech’s Leech.