Snake River

Much cooler weather over the holidays resulted in some uncomfortable fishing for about a week, but it has warmed up significantly and you won’t be freezing your butt off while trying to bust ice out of your guides. It is more than worth it to be out there during the tight sweet spot for activity – currently between 12pm and 4pm. Expect a wider window during those days when daytime temps get close to or exceed 40 degrees. Nymphing can be good in riffle pools and along seam margins. The heads of these features have had some surprising action. Surface feeding is lasting for about two to three hours in the afternoon and in the same water features as where you will be fishing nymphs.

Streamer action is there in bits-and-pieces. Allow your offering some time to get down in the water column a bit and work on slow to moderate retrieves.

Dry Flies – Griffith Gnats, Renegades, Parachute Midges, and Mating Midges.

Nymphs – Prince Nymphs, Biot Bugs, Lightening Bugs, Robins, Copper Johns in red or black, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Ice Cream Cone Midges, Brassies, and Zebra Midges.

Streamers – Sparkle Minnows, Chickletts, Kreelux, J.J. Specials, and Krystal Buggers.

South Fork

It’s been warmer over the past few days, and there has been action all along the South Fork in the afternoon hours. There is nothing off-the-charts in terms of hookups, but there is that period – call it 11pm until 3pm – when you can rack up satisfying numbers. As on the Snake, riffles pools and seams are the best water types to target. Late in the afternoon there can also be good activity on flats. Nymphing is the way to go. We have been using double rigs that are lightly weighted and between four and six feet in length. Trout are rising to chironomids on flats and at the tail of riffles. It does not last too long – maybe one to three hours – so stay on the surface until rises stop.

Dry Flies – Parachute Midges, Parachute Midge Emergers, Air-Flo Tricos, Pheasant Tail Emergers, Furimsky BDEs, Griffith Gnats, Renegades, and Mosquitos.

Nymphs – Biot Bugs, Zug Bugs, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Copper Johns in red, olive, or black, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Zebra Midges.