Snake River
Some cooler weather has returned to the areas with highs reaching the mid to high 30s most days. We are now getting boats on the water with accesses at Wilson, South Park, and Pritchard Landing now open. While midges continue to dominate, we are starting to see our first winter stones of the season and have been since around March 7th. Ledge rock pools and eddies remain the key targets to focus on with nymph rigs fished in depths between 6 and 7 ft in the water column taking the cake. Ere on the side of shallower if not getting eats. Surface action is SLOWLY picking up. As with nymph rigs, eddies and ledge rock pools are most productive. However, we are starting to see production at the inside turn of riffles (particularly at the head) and along submerged structure. Both of these holding water types should contain depths of at least two and a half ft and have slower currents. Surface activity has been most consistent between 12:30pm and 3pm.
More streamer production is occurring in slow water targets like those mentioned above with that action occurring in the afternoon from around noon until 2:30pm. Small to moderately sized patterns fished on floating lines or short INT tips is working best. Keep these moving slow and initiate some hesitations and expect eats to occur on the first one or two line strips after a pause in retrieves.
South Fork
The lower reaches from Wolf Eddy down to Menan have been fishing best with the most consistent action occurring on double/triple nymph rigs fished in four to six feet of depth in eddies, riffle pools, and seams. Midge patterns are producing best, as chironomids are the most active bug on the water. There can be production on larger soft hackle and moderately to small sized stonefly imitation, but don’t expect much by way of consistency. Surface activity has been best between noon and 3:30pm in eddies, seams, and the tail and mid sections of riffle pools.
Streamer fishing continues to take an uptick with good things happening on the lower reaches mentioned above and on the upper reach immediately below Palisades Dam. Moderately sized streamers are starting to outperform smaller counterparts. Darker patterns are outperforming lighter ones no matter the visibility or the weather. Fish these on floating lines or short INT tips. Target slow currents along banks and structure, eddies, and seam current margins. You can also find action in riffle pools, riffle current margins, and backwater side channels, although these are playing second fiddle compared to the formerly mentioned water types.
Henry’s Fork
Decent fishing on the lower river with both nymphs and surface patterns imitating midges and winter stones working well. The most productive waters include riffle current margins, seams, and eddies. At times, submerged structure can also be worth targeting, particularly with nymphs. 12:30pm to 4pm seems to be the sweet spot on the surface, which is a wider window than most streams in the area. Streamers have been getting action, but in a much narrower window from around 12:30pm until 2:30pm. Go with small to moderately sized patterns and SLOW retrieves. Let your streamers settle for several seconds after your final cast.