Snake River Angler Fly Fishing Report for May 20th, 2017

Snake River

Runoff continues and the tailwater reach from Jackson Lake Dam down to Pacific Creek remains the section of the Snake with most substantial clarity. Still not a lot of surface action despite good hatches of midges, but there is decent action on nymphs and some good stuff on streamers.  Target your nymphs in deep channel troughs and eddy seams.  Streamers are working best on the lower part of this tailwater reach but can get action higher up towards the dam.  Target banks, structure and seams with hover lines, intermediate sinking lines, and 3ips tips.  Vary your retrieves, but lean towards moderate speed of eight to fifteen inches in length.

Nymphs – Pats Rubber Leg, San Juan Worms, Lightening Bugs, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Chicklets, Beldar Buggers, Galloup’s Mini-Sex Dungoen, and Jointed Urchins.

 

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir have been reduced to 14,000cfs but the South Fork is still off color from the dam down to the confluence with the Henry’s Fork. The most consistent fishing remains on the upper reach from the Dam down to Irwin.  It is almost exclusively a nymphing game on seams and riffles as well as along banks, particularly in those features with slower currents.  The rainbow spawn is starting to rev up and egg patterns are producing on certain bed on the upper reach.  Streamers will also have some action in the same water types on full run intermediate lines, 3 to 6ips tips, and 10 to 15 feet of T-11 or T-8.

Some of the tributaries are starting to clear and the confluences can be fished with success. Sometimes it is worth sitting on them for a while and sight casting to individual fish, primarily with nymphs.

Don’t expect great fishing, but there can be some action from time to time if you fish as hard as you can.

Nymphs – Pats Rubber Leg, Bitch Creek Nymphs, San Juan Worms, Copper Johhns in red or black, Otter’s Soft Milking Eggs, and Yarn Eggs..

Streamers – Dali Llamas, Silvey Sculpins, Sex Dungeons, Booty’s Quad Bunny, Sundell’s Moss Fire, Sundell’s Night Fire, and Teller’s Nightmare.