Snake River

Midges are everywhere at the moment and some days emergences can be solid from around 10am until mid-afternoon. BWOs are emerging squarely in the afternoon hours, but are not near as strong as what we are seeing with midges. Surface action has been sporatic but when it does happen it is after 11:30pm. Target riffles, seams, ledge rock pools, and submerged structure.

Nymphing has been the most consistent approach for getting into numbers. Lightly weighted rigs with five to seven feet of leader from trailing fly to suspension device is the way to go. Target riffles and riffle pools, seams, eddies, and structure. Some takes are occurring as rigs swing into the dangle.

Streamers have been hit or miss but when they are on it has been during the mid-day hours from around 10:30am until around 3pm. When there is action, small to moderately sized baitfish imitations fished on floating, hover, and intermediate sinking lines seems to outperform other tackle options. Use slow to moderate retrieves, although consider using hesitations after every four to five line strips and vary up the retrieval cadence and speed every now and then. Target riffle pools, ledge rock pools, and submerged structure.

Dry Flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Mary Kays, Parachute Adams, Parachute Extended Body BWO and Mahogany Duns, Copper Hazes, Booty’s BWO Emerger, Booty’s DL Cripple, CDC Midge Emergers, Parachute Midges, and Furimsky BDEs.

Nymphs – Peach Fuzz Jigs, Duracells, Lightening Bugs, S&M BWO Nymphs, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Yarn Eggs, and Veiled Eggs.

Streamers – Slump Busters, Lite Brite Zonkers, Kreelux, Arum’s Lil’ Kim and Galloup’s Mini Sex Dungeon.

South Fork

More blue-winged olives at the moment than midges most days, and they are coming off just before noon and intensify around 2pm. “Intensify” is a relative term and will depend on cloud cover and precipitation. Nonetheless, this if offering some decent surface action on the upper reaches from Palisades Dam down to Wolf Eddy. Current margins are the name of the game, so target riffle current margins and seam current margins primarily. Slow currents over visible submerged structure along deeper banks are also worthy targets, especially after 2pm.

Nymphing is inconsistent but is more consistent than anything else in the pre-noon hours. BWO and midge patterns are working best. Fish these in the same water as you would above (think riffle and seam current margins). Eggs patterns are also a good choice. With these, target riffle currents primarily.

Dry Flies – Micro Peanuts, Stimulators, Carlson’s Purple Haze, Parachute Extended Body BWO and Mahogany Duns, Booty’s DL Cripple, Film Critics, CDC Midge Emergers, Parachute Midges, and Furimsky BDEs.

Nymphs – Duracells, Brush Hog Jigs, Copper Johns in red or olive, Redemption BWO Nymphs, S&M BWO Nymph, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, Yarn Eggs, and Nuclear Eggs.