Snake River

Solid spring weather has created more comfortable fishing opportunities in the region.  Midges are still popping, but we also have more winter stones on the Snake along with a smattering of BWOs.  The most consistent surface action is occurring from around 1pm and lasting until around 4pm despite cooling water temps some days.  Although it is kind of early, some guides have been seeing one or two skwalas, so it is not surprising that there have been eats and hookups on moderately sized stonefly imitations in the afternoon.  The most productive targets have been eddies, ledge rock pools, slow current margins along seams and riffles, the inside corner at the head of riffles, and slow currents along banks and submerged structure.  Do expect a fair amount of inconsistency, with some days being very good on the surface and other days being downright dead.

Streamers have been inconsistent but there are days when they have produced in solid fashion.  Moderately sized patterns – either bright, dark, or neutral –  are working best when fished on floating lines or short sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range.  While slow retrieves have been the best way to go, varying up your retrieves in the afternoon  – or flat out speeding them up – can be important.  Target slow current banks and structure, troughs, eddies, seams margins, and backwater side channels with minimal currents. There are some days when the action occurs well after noon.  When this occurs start to target faster currents, particularly in conflunces and the tail of seams

South Fork

The lower river below Byington is fishing well with streamers and nymph rigs throughout most of the day and surface action has been good from around 12:30pm until 5pm or so.  The upper reaches from Palisades Reservoir to Conant is producing OK at best but larger browns and cutthroats are being caught in the afternoon, primarily after 2pm.  Small midge and BWO imitations are doing the trick in terms of dry flies.  The consistent production is occurring in eddies, seams and backwater side channels.  Troughs and bank with slow currents pick up in intensity after 3pm.  Midge cluster/mating patterns can out perform solo adult and emergent patterns some days.  BWO emergers are outperforming adult patterns for the most part.  Don’t expect over-the-top action, but milk the activity as much as you can when it is occurring.

Streamers have produced best along when targeting seams, backwater side channels, troughs, and banks.  Focus on moderately sized patterns primarily and match bright days with bright flies and vise-versa (although be prepared to vary this up if only chases and eats are occurring).  Slow to moderate retrieves that are steady in tempo is key (but again, be prepared to change this if need be).  Go with floating or hover lines or sinking tips in the INT range.  Brighter and neutral-colored streamers are outperforming darker varieties.

Henry’s Fork

The Henry’s Fork continues to fish well going into April with decent emergences of midges and BWOS and caddis now being added to the mix.  There is surface action from around noon until 4pm most days, but the sweet spot is shifting with it being early at time and much later on other days.  Nymphing is good throughout and entire session, although the sweet spot has been from around 10:30am until 3pm.  Expect slow currents to fish better early and faster currents and current margins to pick up later.  The most productive targets for both dries and nymphs has been eddies, riffle current margins, and banks/structure with slow currents.

Streamer fishing is also decent but can be good if one is comfortable with changing their idea of numbers and concentrate on the water they target.  Production is coming almost exclusively in current margins, particularly seams and eddies.  Riffles with steep drop-offs at the tail or mid-sections are also worth hitting.  Go with floating lines or mid-length sinking tips in the INT to 6ips range and slow to moderate retrieves.  Both large and moderately sized patterns are working equally well.  The lower reaches from Warm River down to Chester are outperforming the reaches upstream of Mesa Falls.