Snake River
It is definitely April on the Snake. Expect god action on dry flies and streamers and even better on nymph rigs fished in semi-shallow (call it five to seven feet from line/indicator to trailing fly). Time frame for action on streamers and surface flies is varying noticeably. At times it is wide – 10am until 4pm. Other times it is shorter – 11pm to 2:30pm. Either way, milk the action you are getting as much as you can.
Above South Park Bridge, The action has been in a wide variety of water. Riffle pools, eddies, seams, submerged structure and banks, and side channels are all offering good production at some time of the day. Below South Park, expect the best fishing to occur at the head of riffles, long runs of submerged structure with moderate current speeds, and riffle current margins.
Fish streamers of floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range with slower retrieves in slower currents and faster retrieves in faster currents. Chironomid and Capnia imitations are the name of the game on the surface, although BWO patterns can do the job on colder and wetter days (along with chironomid imitations). Double nymph rigs are working best when fished in riffle pools, along riffle current margins, and along submerged structure.
Dry flies – Parachute Adams, Parachute Extended Body BWOs and Mahogany Duns, Booty’s BWO Cripple, Booty’s BWO and Mahogany Dun Emerger, Film Critics, CDC Midge Emergers, Pheasant Tail Emergers, Griffith Gnats, and Copper Hazes.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle Jigs, Two Bit Hookers, Lightening Bugs, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa.
Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Kreelux, Zonkers, Trusty Bombones, Slump Busters.
South Fork
Flows from Palisades Reservoir stand at approximately 10,200cfs. These are pretty solid flows for this time of year and fly fishers are benefitting. Nymph rigs are producing in most water types with some of the best action coming in riffles, riffle pools, seams, side channels, inside turns in riffles, riffle current margins, and along banks and structure. Adjust your rigging depth with the water you are fishing, but concentrate on seven to nine feet.
Midges dominate the surface and a smattering of BWOs can be out there with some cloud cover and precipitation. The best dry fly fishing has been in riffles, riffle current margins, bankside troughs, and banks/submerged structure with slow to moderate current speeds. Focus on the 11am to 4pm timeframe. Flats can also produce after 1pm some days.
Streamers are producing throughout the system with moderately sized patterns taking the lion’s share of fish. Go with floating or intermediate sinking lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and slow to moderate retrieves. Target banks and bankside structure, eddy current margins, and seams.
Dry flies – Micro Peanuts, Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Parachute Extended Body BWOs and Mahogany Duns, Parachute Adams, Booty’s DL Cripple, Booty’s BWO Emerger, Film Critics, Parachute Midges, CDC Midge Emergers, and Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emerger.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Bitch Creek Nymphs, Duracells, Copper Johns in red or black, S&M BWO Nymphs, BWO Redemption Nymphs, Lightening Bugs, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa.
Streamers – Chez’s Baby Bunny, Chicklets, Kreelux, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon, Booty Call Minnows, J.J. Specials, Marabou Muddlers, Lite Brite Zonkers, and Krystal Buggers.