Snake River Angler Fly Fishing Report for August 10th, 2021

Snake River

Flows from Jackson Lake Dam stand are dropping ever so slightly this week. Still higher than normal but fishing is getting into shape with each passing day, especially with the recent round of wet weather we have had.  Claassenia stones continue to emerge during the overnight hours, making large dry attractors a good way to go in both heavy and slower currents.  Caddis are around in the morning and PMDs are making an appearance most days after 12pm.  The big news is that Hecuba is starting to appear (a good two weeks ahead of schedule) on wetter days, making side channels really worth targeting from Pacific Creek down to South Park.

Nymph rigs are working best on the lower reaches from South Park down to Sheep Gulch.  Double nymphs rigs are doing well in deeper and faster water types, but don’t ignore dry-dropper rigs in shallower riffle pools and seams as well as in side channels.

Streamers have come on strong and are working best from Deadman’s Bar down to South Park and from Astoria down to Sheep Gulch.  Floating lines are doing well with sufficiently weighted flies as are intermediate sinking lines and sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range.  Expect action to be better at the top of the water column on overcast days with precipitation.  Best to go deeper (two feet to four feet) on brighter days.  Target banks and structure with slow to moderate currents, riffles, troughs, seams, and side channels.  Both larger articulate patterns and more moderately sized imitations are working equally well.  Vary up your retrieves, although going with moderate line strip speed and “up-and-down” rod jig movements can really hammer it home.

Dry flies – Circus Peanuts, Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Purple Bruces, Melon Bellies, Snake River Water Walkers, Stimulators, Parachute Hares Ears, Hares Ear Wulffs, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Quigley Cripples, and Film Critics.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Duracells, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Pheasant Tail Jigs in purple, Copper Johns in red or olive, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Lightening Bugs, Panty Droppers, Psycho Princes, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Galloup’s Boogeyman, SRA Bunnies, Silvey Sculpins, Rustic Trombones, Galloup’s Mini Dungeons, J.J. Specials, Arum’s Lil Kim, Booty’s Tri Bunny, Chicklets, Booty Call Minnows, and Kreelux.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Dam are nudging down a bit and the reservoir is at approximately 40% capacity.  Releases have been reduced noticeably over the past two weeks or so and, although still quite a bit of water in the system for this time of year, riffles and flats are starting to shape up the best they have since pre-runoff.  Production remains very good on all reaches with the most consistent surface action occurring from the dam down to Cottonwood.  Caddis and chironomids are present in the morning hours until around noon.  PMD hatches are prevalent from around 11am until 4pm.  Yellow sallies and a smattering of golden stones round out the mix.  Grasshoppers are also becoming more active on all reaches.  Banks, troughs, and submerged structure are key targets in the morning. Riffles, seams, and side channels are go-to water types from around 12:30 until after 4pm.

Nymph rigs are producing throughout the day but are really doing the trip in the morning hours in riffles, riffle pools and seams.  In the afternoon, dry-dropper rigs are working almost as well as double/triple rigs in riffles, seams, and on flats. 

Streamers are working best on the lower reaches from approximately Dry Canyon down to Lorenzo, although below Byington side channels are producing better than main channels.  Target banks, the heads of submerged structure, seams, and troughs.  Floating lines, INT tips, and 3ips tips are working best in side channels, riffle pools and banks and structure with slow to moderate currents.  6ips tips and short (five to seven feet) lengths of T-8 and T-11 are working best in faster currents.  Go with moderate retrieves for the most part with hesitations between line strips every now and then.  Moderately sized baitfish imitations have been most productive.

Dry Flies – Barrett’s Ant, Snake River Water Walkers, Chubby Chernobyls, Morrish Hoppers, Parachute Hoppers, Club Sandwiches, Dry Muddler Minnows, Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, Chez’s Foam Wing Caddis, Stimulators, Red Butt Sallie, Quigley’s Stacker Sallie, Sparkle Ants, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Comparaduns, Pink Alberts, Booty’s PMD Emerger,  Quiglet Cripples, and Film Critics.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Duracells, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Mercer’s Woven Caddis Pupa, Bruised Mays, Psycho Mays, Psycho Princes, Panty Droppers, Robins, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Nymph Formerly Known as Prince, Lightening Bugs, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Silvey Sculpins, Galloup’s Boogeyman, Stolis’ Masked Avenger, McKnight’s Home Invader, Goldilocks, Rusty Trombones, Booty Call Minnows, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Kreelux, Craft Fur Clousers, and Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow.

Salt River

Still well below average flows but cool water temps ranging from 57 degrees in the morning to 65 degrees around 2pm.  A good number of boats on the water as well, so think strategically.  Trico emergences have been decent on most reaches, especially those with low gradient sections and a smattering of PMDs appear from about 11am until around 3pm. Fishing has been decent to good until after 11am.  Actions slows some after 2pm.  Dry flies are working best in eddies and seams.  Secondary choices are the inside turns of riffles and along banks and submerged structure.  Nymphs are best fished as part of a dry-dropper rig with tippet adjustments being made for the water you are targeting (anywhere from two to four feet).  Seams and eddies are prime targets.  Go with light to moderate weight with your nymphs.

Streamer fishing has been hit of miss but are working best on the upper reaches from the Narrows down to Freedom/Tin Cup.  Go with small to moderately sized patterns and target banks, structure, eddies current margins, and the tail of seams.  Floating lines and INT tips are go-to.

Dry flies – Will’s Micro Chernobyl, Micro Peanuts, Turck’s Power Ant, Galloup’s Ant Acid, Stimulators, Cole’s U-Con, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, and Parachute Tricos.

Nymphs – Flashback Rubber Leg Hares Ear Nymphs, Copper Johns in red, olive, or black, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Hickey’s Auto Nymph, Psycho Princes, Lightening Bugs, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty’s Tri-Bunny, Baby Clousers, J.J. Specials, Booty Call Minnows, Beldar Buggers, Kreelux, and Pine Squirrel Zonkers.  

Flat Creek

Chironimids continue to dominate the scene as they have since opening day on Aug. 1st.  A smattering of caddis (in specific pockets) and infrequen PMDs (also in pockets) are making inconsistent appearances at different times of the day.  Craneflies are rather numerous more than they have been at this time of year.  Dawn to noon has been the most active time of the day for both surface and subsurface feeding.  Riffles, seams, and eddies are prime targets with midge, caddis, and PMD imitations.  Nymph rigs will work in the same water as well as along undercut banks and submerged structure.

Dry flies – Will’s Crane Fly Perfection, Cole’s U-Con Caddis, Mathews’ X-Caddis, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Booty’s DL Cripple, Film Critics, Snowshoe Duns, Parachute Midges, and Chez’s Krystal Midge Emerger, CDC Midge Emergers.

Nymphs – MopScicles, Translucent Crane Fly Nymph, Mathews’ Sparkle Caddis Pupa, Duracells, Mercer’s Woven Caddis Pupa, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Zebra Midges, Brassies, and Perdigons.