Snake River

Good, diverse, broad hatches at the moment of Hecuba, PMDs, Claassenia, caddis, and craneflies. Look for the latter two in the morning, the former two in the afternoon (after 11am), and Claassenia throughout the day.  You might even see some tricos sporadically during the mid-morning hours and mahogany duns in the afternoon.  Just about all holding water types are producing throughout the day.  Dry-dropper rigs are producing everywhere as well, although there are numerous times when surface action completely outpaces action on dropper nymphs.  You can go long with three to four feet of dropper tippet in the morning, but after 11am, go shorter with 18” to 24”.

Streamers are producing in bits and pieces but much of the action is happening on sinking tips in the 3ips to 6ips range or a heavily weighted streamer in deep – but slow – currents.  Moderately sized imitations are working best, although there can be production on larger patterns, particularly in faster currents along banks and confluences.  Moderately sized patterns producing along banks and seams with currents of moderate speed, along eddy current margins, and in troughs and riffles.

Dry flies – Circus Peanuts, Chubby Chernobyls, Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Mary Kays, Snake River Water Walkers, Rubber Legged Double Humpies, Parachute Ants, Parachute Hares Ears, Hares Ear Wulff, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Elk Hair Caddis, Mathew’s X-Caddis, Parachute Extended Body PMD and Mahogany Dun, Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Comparaduns, Booty’s DL Cripple, Cole’s Split-Wing Cripple, Film Critics, and Booty’s PMD Emerger.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Duracells, Keller’s Peach Fuzz, Hares Ear Nymph, Psycho Princes, Panty Droppers, Prince Nymphs, CN Super Flash, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Copper Johns in red or olive, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Galloup’s Dungeon, Silvey Sculpins, Dali Llamas, McKnight’s Home Invader, Mojo Minnows, Craven’s Swim Coach, Booty Call Minnows,  Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Beldar Buggers, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Kreelux.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir are at approximately 8,600cfs. Fishing has been good on all reaches with the upper sections from the Dam to Cottonwood slightly taking the cake.  Mutant stones are out in strong numbers making early starts definitely worthwhile if a fly fisher is interested in surface action with large attractor patterns (particularly along banks, structure, throughs, the head of seams, and recirculating currents along banks.  PMDs are around throughout the day but become the main show from around 11am on.  The best action has been in riffles and side channels, as well as on flats and seams.  Tandem rigs composed of adult, emerger, or spinner imitations is definitely the best way to go.

Streamers are producing in decent fashion everywhere but more so on the lower reaches from Wolverine down to Lorenzo.  Moderately sized patterns are the name of the game.  Fish these on floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and target banks, structure, seams, bankside troughs, confluences, and drop-offs running parallel with the main current.  Swimming your patterns is working as well as line strips on seams and drop-offs when currents are slow.

Dry flies – Burky’s Bear Back Rider, Casey’s Creature, Snake River Water Walkers, G’s Super Fly, Barrett’s Ant, Parachute Hoppers, Elk Hair Caddis, Peking Caddis, Mathew’s X-Caddis, Snowshoe Caddis, Au Sable Wulffs, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Pink Alberts, Comparaduns, Booty’s DL Cripple, Film Critics, and Rusty Spinners, 

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Duracells, Cyclops, Mopscicles, Syl’s Soft Hackle, Glass-Tail Caddis, Blowtorch, Psycho Princes, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Devil Jigs, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Rustics, Goldilocks, Geisha Girls, Craven’s Swim Coach, Booty Call Minnows, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Marabou Muddlers, Galloup’s Stacked Blonde, and Kreelux.

Salt River

The Salt continues to fish well particularly on the lower reaches from Tin Cup down to the Reservoir. A hodge-podge of aquatic invertebrates and terrestrials are emerging most days with none dominating the other.  Caddis, PMDs, and tricos are the main water bugs on the surface, with caddis in the morning and tricos and PMDs occurring after 11:30am.  Carpenter Ants and grasshoppers will start to appear after 1pm most days.  Expect a few beetles from time to time.  Target eddies and seams throughout the day.  Riffles, troughs, confluences, and banks generally start to fish after 12pm.

Dry flies – Micro Peanuts, Micro Peanuts, Parachute Hoppers, Whitlock Hoppers, Grand Hoppers, Galloup’s Ant Acid, Sparkle Ants, Foam Beetles, Stimulators, Mathew’s X-Caddis, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Parachute Adams, Pink Sulfur Emergers, CDC Trico Emergers, Air-Flo Tricos, Quigley Cripples, and Rusty Spinners.

Nymphs – Psycho Princes, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Robins, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, GT’s CN Super Flash, Military Mayflies, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, and Ice Cream Cone Midges. 

Flat Creek

Precipitation and cooler temps have kept Flat Creek active on the surface longer than the typical early morning/dusk patrol routine.  Tricos continue to pop with micro caddis and infrequen PMDs coming on strong on wetter days.  Damsel and dragonflies are also active more so now than the past couple of weeks.  Look for craneflies larva to be active throughout the day.  Eddies and undercut banks are worth targeting throughout the day.  Riffles and seams are key targets when mayflies and caddis are emerging.

Dry flies – Will’s Crane Fly Perfection, Comaraduns, Thorax PMDs, Parachute Extended Body Mahogany Duns, Booty’s DL Cripple, Film Critics, Trico Emergers, Rusty Spinners, Parachute Midges, and CDC Midge Emergers.

Nymphs – Mopscicles, Lucent Crane Larva, Simple’s Dragon Nymph, Fuzzy Wuzzy Dragonfly Nymphs, Swimming Damsels, Hula Damsels, Keller’s Peach Fuzz, Psycho Princes, CN Super Flash, Lightening Bugs, Zebra Midges, and Perdigons.