Snake River

A fair amount of ice flow earlier in the month due to freezing overnight temps but overnights are noticeably warmer now allowing for decent to good action from around 10am until 4pm.  Surface action is in a three hour window (noon until 3pm) and best in slow current riffles and in side channels at times.  Nymphing has been working consistent throughout most of the day and are working best in slow current eddies and riffles.

Streamers fished on floating and hover lines are producing in slow current side channels with moderate depths and on eddy current margins.  Slow current riffles with moderate depths are also producing with streamers on the swing (and not necessarily the retrieve) .Go with small imitations that are between two and three inches in length.

Dry flies – Film Critics, Furimsky’s BDEs, Morgan’s Para Midge, Ritt’s ARF Midge, CDC Wing Midge Emergers, and Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emerger.

Nymphs – Lightening Bugs, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Rojo Midges, Miracle Midges, and Sunken Serendipities.

Streamers – Kreelux, Montana Intruders, Slump Busters, Pine Squirrel Zonkers, Rickards’ Seal Bugger, Fruit Roll-Ups, and Baby Clousers.

South Fork

Slushy flow in bits and pieces on colder mornings but it is generally melting off by 11am.  Midges dominate and hit their stride around noon.  The best surface action has been in riffle pools and riffle current margins and in slow backwater side channels.  This is also good water to target with nymphs and nymph rigs, although nymphs are also producing in eddies and along seams.  Go with four to six feet of leader from line/suspension device to trailing fly.

Streamers are doing it in bits and pieces but are definitely working best on the lower reaches from Wolf Eddy down to Menan.  Small-ish baitfish imitations are working best but there are times where moderately sized patters are working, particularly along riffle and seam current margins. Floating, hover, and INT sinking tips are the way to go.

Dry Flies – Furimsky BDEs, Griffith Gnats, Renegades, Parachute Midges, and CDC Winge Midge Emergers,

Nymphs – Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, Rojo Midges, Mercury Midges, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty Call Minnows, Krystal Buggers, Kreelux, and Slump Busters.