Snake River
The Snake is dropping and clearing by the day and there is more fishing to be had on more reaches than we have had since runoff began. We are still a ways from being totally there, but we are getting closer by the day.
Dam to Pacific is crystal clear and fishing well with dry flies and dry-dropper rigs in seams and eddies and on banks with slower currents (including well off the banks). Double nymph rigs can also produce in the same water. Keep the length from indicator to trailing fly in the six to seven feet length range.
Pacific Creek to Deadmans Bar is coming on strong on the upper half where there is substantial clarity. Riffles are fishing well and side channels are fishing well with tandem dries and dry-dropper rigs. Once past the confluence with the Osprey Channel, clear water mixes with the off-color water from the Buffalo Fork. Nymphing becomes the name of the game. Target riffles and seams and bankside troughs.
From Deadman’s Bar down to the confluence with the Hoback, Nymphing is most productive when targeting riffles, seams, and banks with slow to moderate currents. Dry flies are producing well at the confluence of tributaries and spring creeks. The clear water lines and pools are widening and getting larger as the Snake continues to clear, so you can work your dries in a much larger target area than what we had a week and a half ago.
Dry Flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Melon Bellies, Circus Peanuts, Mary Kays, Stimulators Xs, Stimulators, Turck’s Tarantulas, Hackle Stacker Sallies, Red But Sallies, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Booty’s PMD emerger, and Film Critics.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Legs, San Juan Worms, Copper Johns in red, olive, or black, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Robins, Pinky Jigs, Psycho Princes, Lightening Bugs, and Prince Nymphs.
South Fork
Flows from Palisades Reservoir have come down considerably and currently stand at 13,000cfs. There is also significant clearing compared to a week and a half ago. Fishing has come on a little stronger over the past week and has been getting a little bit better with each passing day. The Canyon reach is fishing best. The Swan Valley reach has also been getting better with the exposure of more fishable holding water. Riffles are now the prime water type to target. Eddies are a close second. Banks and submerged structure are producing in the afternoon. And don’t forget to hit up the slow water on the margin of currents and seams. These are still fishing productively.
Streamer fishing is showing noticeably signs of an uptick, particularly in the lower Canyon and the lower reach from Byington to Lorenzo. Target slow currents along banks and structure and seams and riffle pools with 3ips to 6ips tips. You can get away with six to eight feet of T-8 in a lot of spots as well. Go with slower retrieves in slower holding water.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, San Juan Worms, Copper Johns in red, Poxystones, Nymph Formerly Known as Prince, and Psycho Princes.
Streamers – B-Yotch Buggers, J.J. Specials, Hog Hunters, Booty Call Minnows, Sundell’s Night Fire, Sundell’s Moss Fire, Keller’s Nightmare, Galloup’s Sex Dungeon, Booty’s Quad Bunny, and Galloup’s Boogeyman.
Green River
The green is dropping but, more importantly, it is clearing and there is an easy four feet of visibility on almost every reach of the stream. Flows at Warren bridge are at approximately 1,900cfs. Lots of bugs emerging – gray drakes take the cake. There are also a plethora of PMDs, caddis, yellows sallies, and acroneuria golden stones. Ther are also a bunch of damsel flies about.
The one perplexing part of fishing the Green is the time period when feeding trout are most active. Most days it is from 10am to 1pm. Other days it is square in the morning from 8am until 11am. Cloudy, wetter weather can extended the action into the afternoon, but some days it can seem like a graveyard with those conditions. The best one can do is fish hard and target the water that is producing. Its still good to target everything. Pay special attention to banks, eddies, and especially troughs squeezed between riffle shelves and banks with dries and dry-dropper rigs.
Streamer fishing has picked up with the clearing water and is really good along banks, seams, and bankside troughs. Go with hover and intermediate sinking lines or intermediate to 3ips tips. Rapid retrieves are working best, but slower water types – especially eddies – can produce with slow retrieves.
Dry Flies – Winged Peanuts, Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Chubby Cherobyls, Rubber Legged Double Humpies, Stimulators, Hackle Stacker Yellow Sallies, Parachute Adams, Booty’s Drake Emerger, and Sulfur Cripples.
Nymphs – Kaufman’s Black Stone, San Juan Worms, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Lightening Bugs, Copper Johns in red or copper, Psycho Mays, and Prince Nymphs.
Streamers – Galloup’s Sex Dungeon, Silvey Sculpins, Booty’s Quad Bunny, Sundell’s Sun Fire, Chicklets, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty Call Minnows, and Bow River Buggers.
Salt River
Flows at McCoy Bridge are approximately 950cfs. The Salt is still fishing well from Grover down to Palisades Reservoir. There is a considerable amount of inconsistency, with some days having most of the action before 1pm and others not starting until noon and lasting into the early evening hours. We still have PMDs, yellow sallies, caddis, and the smaller golden stones emerging each day, although not at the numbers they were a week ago. Gray drakes have waned considerably. Nonetheless, it is still worth being on the surface with imitations of each. Keep targeting eddies and slow banks for the most production. Riffles are also starting to come on strong.
If a slowing period occurs, you needn’t do anything more than turn to a dry dropper rig and target the same water as you would with single and tandem dry rigs. Dropper tippet does not have to be long – go with two feet at most. Swinging a dry-dropper rig through the tail of rifles is producing, especially in the afternoon.
Dry Flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Winged Peanuts, Circus Peanuts, Hackle Stacker Sallies, Red Butt Sallies, Stimulators, X-Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Booty’s PMD Emerger, and Quigly Cripples.
Nymphs – Copper John’s in red or olive, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Lightening Bugs, Flashback Hare’s Ears, Poxystones, and Foxy Sallie Nymphs.