Snake River
Topsy-turvy temperatures over the past couple of weeks but the past few days have offered fairly warm weather and the fishing has been both comfortable and improving. Midges continue to dominate with ledge rock pools and eddies producing best. Going no deeper than four feet in the water column will work in most holding water with nymph rigs. Surface action has been good enough after 12pm most days that tandem dries and dry-dropper rigs with short tippet lengths might be all you need.
Streamers have started to produce better than the past couple of months. Small baitfish imitations are working best when in the same water as you are targeting with dries and nymphs. Go with two-foot long line strips and slow retrieves.
Dry flies – Furimsky BDEs, Mating Midges, Parachute Midges, Ritt’s ARF Midge Adult, CDC Midge Emergers, and Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emerger.
Nymphs – Duracells, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Lightening Bugs, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.
Streamers – Krystal Buggers, Slump Busters, Fruit Roll-Ups, Pine Squirrel Zonkers, and Rickard’s Seal Buggers.
South Fork
The South Fork has been fishing pretty good for this time of year over the past week or so. And it has been warmer and comfy. The upper reach in Swan Valley and the lower reaches from Wolf Eddy down to Menan are producing equally well. Eddies, seams, backwater channels, and seams are the best water to target. Going deep with double/triple nymph rigs will work best in the morning hours until around 1pm, when being in the top two feet of the water column pays off.
Streamer fishing has been good from Wolf Eddy down to Lorenzo with small to moderately sized baitfish imitations. Target seams primarily. Eddies and riffle pools are a good second choice. Slow retrieves are key. An INT to 3ips tip can produce better in the morning.
Dry Flies – Griffith Gnats, Renegades, Mating Midges, Parachute Midges, Ritt’s ARF Midge Adult, CDC Midge Emergers, and Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emerger.
Nymphs – Durcells, Brush Hogs, Rainbow Warriors, Lightening Bugs, Military Mayflies, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, and Stallcup’s RS-2.
Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon, Kreelux, Slump Busters, and Pine Squirrel Zonkers.