Snake River
The Snake is still offering some very good fishing but, with warming water temperatures and continued dry weather, there is inconsistency from day to day on each reach. You can still get into good numbers and size, just be prepared to change up your game plan and don’t get two focused on solely fishing dry flies, nymphs, or streamers. And be ready to fish a variety of holding water with a variety of tactics.
We are still seeing a good number of Claassenia stoneflies but, like our fishing in general, they are popping inconsistently from day-to-day. Caddis and PMDs are out in an inconsistent fashion as well. Hecubas are starting to get added to mix. You will find a decent amount of terrestrials. Don’t expect any hatch to be close to prolific (except for the tricos that are emerging in force on the tailwater reach below Jackson Lake Dam). Instead, expect the typical intermittent but broad hatches we get this time of year.
Fishing is good in the morning with surface attractors, terrestrials, and PMD/caddis patterns in the tail of riffle pools, along banks, bankside troughs, and the head of seams. Adding a dropper – one to two feet in length – can increase you production. Streamers are also working best at this time of the day. Go large to moderate in size and fish them on floating or intermediate lines or with intermediate to 3ips sinking tips.
The early afternoon period – from about 11;30am to 3pm – has been offering the best action on surface with the same patterns mentioned above. The same water is producing as well, but focus more on the head and middle of riffles, seams, and tight to banks. Also, wading side channels can offer good fishing on mayfly duns and emerger patterns at this time of day.
When the weather cools and precipitation is in the cards, be prepared for better action on PMD imitations in the afternoon, and it will last later into the day.
Dry flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Chubby Chernobyl, Bart’s Lipstick, Snake River Water Walker, Pavlovich’s Yellowstone Hopper, Morrish Hoppers, Turck’s Power Ants, Furimsky’s Foam Caddis, Sparkle Caddis, Tent-Wing Caddis, Parachute Adams, Parachute Hares Ears, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Quigley Cripples, Booty’s PMD Emerger, Film Critics.
Nymphs – Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Copper Johns in red, Kyle’s C-N Superflash, Robins, Pennington’s Stuffed Coffee, Kyle’s Lime Pupa, Flashback Princes, and Zug Bugs.
Streamers – Kreelux, Sparkle Minnows, Chickletts, Baby Bunnies, Muddy Buddies, Cheech’s Leech, Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Booty’s Quad Bunny Leech, Carleton’s Gulpin’ Sculpn, and SRA Double Bunnies,
South Fork
Flows from Palisades Reservoir are stable at 9,500cfs. The South Fork is almost a mirror image of the Snake right now in all categories – good fishing but inconsistent from day to day, stable dry air and warming water temps, and moderate emergences for mutant stones, caddis, and PMDs, with some terrestrials added to the mix. As has been the case over the past few weeks, work for your fish and good things will happen.
The morning is fish best with dry-dropper rigs along banks, flats and riffles. Giving your attractor patterns some movement can generate strikes as much now as it did during the salmon fly hatch from about six weeks ago. You can thank the mutant stone emergence for that. Droppers have been producing best with two to four feet of tippet. Fishing double droppers in riffles will add to your numbers.
Decent hatches of PMDs are still occurring, but not to the same strength as they have been over the past month (although some days they can still be quite strong). Riffles and flats are the prime target. If you find a piece of water that is alive with feeding fish, stay on it and work it for a while. You may want to go just under the surface – one to two inches – with a lightly weighted nymph or a slightly submerged emerger. Such patterns are actually producing better than duns and surface emergers.
Dry flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Chubby Chernobyl, J-Slams, Snake River Water Walkers, Barrett’s Ant, Bean’s Orange Crush, Grande Hoppers, Morrish Hoppers, Sparkle Ants, CDC Caddis, Sparkle Caddis, Tent-Wing Caddis, Parachute Adams, AuSable Wolffs, Quigley Cripples, Booty’s PMD Emerger, Film Critics, Pheasant Tail Emergers, Halo Emergers.
Nymphs – Flashback Princes, Pat’s Rubber Leg, San Juan Worms, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Psycho Mays, Bruised Mays, Twisted Mays, Peeping Caddis Pupa, Tungsten Breadcrust, LeBugs, Duracell Jigs, Copper Johns in red or olive.
Streamers – Kreelux, Chickletts, Marabou Muddlers, Krystal Buggers, Miracle Mile Peanut, J.J. Specials, Keller’s Dreamcatcher, Chain-Reaction Leeches, Gongas, and B-Yotch Buggers.