Snake River
Flows from Jackson Lake Dam have ramped up to 2000cfs and this has put the fishing into a bit of a challenging situation for the next couple of days. When it stabilizes, things might get back into what we had for the prior two weeks, which include diverse emergences of Calinuria golden stones, the smaller Aloperla stones, green drakes, yellow sallies, caddis, and PMDs. Dry and tandem dry rigs are producing along banks and parallel drop-offs in the morning and in riffles, seams, and eddies in the afternoon. Larger stonefly/attractor patterns are outperforming smaller caddis and mayfly imitations. The hot time period is roughly 10:30am until 3pm.
Nymphs are producing best as part of a dry-dropper rig with tippet length in the three to five foot range. Soft hackle attractor, caddis, drake, and PMD patterns are working better than larger stonefly imitations. Target the same water as you are with your dry flies obviously, but particularly work the head of riffles (including the shelves). You can also get action well off of banks with slow to moderate currents.
Streamer fishing is happening but it takes focus on specific water types to make it work. The head of riffles (literally on the shelf edges), bank edges, and the margin of seams and eddies are producing best. Fish your patterns on floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and go with slow and even retrieves. Trolling will work well in riffle pools and along seams. Hesitations are working well in slower water. Lean towards moderately sized baitfish imitations. Fish in the 16” to 18” range can be brought in a few times each outing. Nevertheless, 13” to 15” range are numerous and well over a dozen can be caught each outing.
Dry flies – Mary Kays, Circus Peanuts, Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Purple Bruces, Rubber Legged Double Humpies, Bugmiesters, Elk Hair Caddis, Tent-Wing Caddis, Peking Caddis, Quad-Wing Drakes, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Booty’s DL Cripple, and Film Critics.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Duracells, Brillion’s Lcent Jig, Keller’s Peach Fuzz, Mercer’s Woven Caddis, Glass Tail Caddis, Mathew’s Sparkle Caddis, Gremlin Drake Nymphs, Kyle’s CN Super Flash, Panty Droppers, Psycho Princes, Lightening Bugs, Copper Johns in all colors, and Batmen.
Streamers – Galloup’s Micro Peanut, Silvey Sculpins, Mojo Minnows, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Beldar Buggers, Booty Call Minnows, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Craft Fur Clousers, and Kreelux.
South Fork
A literal 180 from a couple weeks ago. Good, diverse hatches are FINALLY starting to pop on the lower reaches from Cottonwood down to Lorenzo. PMDs and drakes have been consistent after 12pm and we are now seeing salmon flies on these lower reaches as well, the latter of which are now in the Dry Canyon reach of the river. Smaller mayfly imitations work best in riffles, eddies, and seams. Larger stonefly and attractor patterns are doing the trick along banks and structure, in troughs, and in side channels with heavy vegetation.
Nymphs are working throughout the system and are one of the best games in town from the Dam down to Cottonwood. Stonefly imitations dominate the action by mayfly and caddis are coming on strong in riffles, on seams, confluences, and troughs. Stonefly/attractors have been producing with seven to nine feet of leader from trailing fly to line/suspension device. Mayfly/caddis imitations can work with consistency with everything from two to six feet of leader/tippet.
Streamers have turned on in a big way and are working on the lower reaches from Cottonwood down to Lorenzo and beyond. The best action has been on moderately sized streamers fished on floating or hover lines and sinking tips in the INT to 6ips range. Vary your retrieves but focus on moderate line strips and downstream presentations. Target banks, structure, bankside troughs, the inside corner of seams, and drop-offs running parallel with currents.
Dry flies – Snake River Water Walkers, HF Stones, Circus Peanuts, Melon Bellies, Purple Bruces, G’s Super Fly, Parachute Adams, AuSable Wulffs, Thorax Drakes, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Chez’s Bi-Viz PMDs, Comparaduns Pink Sulfur Emergers, Booty’s DL Cripple, and Film Critics.
Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Kaufmann’s Black Stone, San Juan Worms, Duracells, Brush Hogs, Brillion’s Lucent Jig, Psycho Princes, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Midges, and Perdigons.
Streamers – Galloup’s Dungeon, Silvey Sculpins, Geisha Girls, Goldilocks, Rustics, Craven’s Swim Coach, Lynch Mobs, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow and Arum’s Kim.
Green River
Water temps are warming on the Green but not enough to endanger fish or limit action, thanks in large part to a significant amount of water still in the system. Dry flies are working well but are really hammering it home on high gradient sections on the upper reaches. Submerged structure, troughs, seams, and eddies are key waters to target.
Nymphs are producing on all reaches and can be fished with short tippet/leader lengths of two to five feet from trailing fly to line/suspension device. The same water you target with surface patterns will work with nymphs, but also focus on undercut bank edges, riffles, and confluences.
Dry flies and nymphs are producing best from approximately 9am until 2pm, after which there is a noticeable slowdown.
Streamers continue to do the job on all reaches. Both large and moderately sized patterns are producing. Action is best from roughly 8AM until around 2pm when there is a slowdown. Go with floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range with line strips of moderate speed and target banks, submerged structure, seams, and eddy current margins.
Dry flies – Circus Peanuts, Rubber Legged Double Humpies, Chubby Chernobyls, Mary Kays, Turcks Tarantulas, Stimulators, Hackle Stacker Sallies, Elk Hair Caddis, Quad Wing Drakes, Parachute Adams, Galloup’s Ant Acid, and Chez’s Mega Beetles.
Nymphs – 20-Inchers, Rubber Legged Flashback Hares Ear Nymphs, Nymph Formerly Known as Prince, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns in red or olive, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, and Lightening Bugs.
Streamers – Galloup’s Boogieman, Strolis’ Headbanger Sculpin, Galloup’s Mini Peanut Envy, Mojo Minnows, Booty Call Minnows, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Lite Brite Zonkers, and Kreelux,