Snake River

Fishing is decent on the surface with chironomid imitations with ledge rock pools and slow current riffle pools producing best from approximately 11am to around 3pm.  The head of riffles can also produce on warmer days for about one to one and a half hours on warmer days.  Keep in mind that there is a lot of flux regarding prime surface time.  Look for action anytime between 10am and 4pm.

Nymph rigs and dry-dropper rigs are a good choice when fish are not keying in on your surface patterns.  At times there can be substantial top water feeding without eats on your offering, yet a shallow dropper nymph can bring home the bacon.  Deep holding water “might” require going down to the four to six foot level in the water column.  Regardless, turn to nymph rigs when fish are not on the surface or when they are not keying in on your top-water patterns.

Streamers tend to be only producing in slow and deep water targets with floating lines or hover lines.  Go small with your imitations and use slow retrieves.

Dry flies – Furimsky BDEs, Griffith Gnats, Parachute Midges, Klinkhammers, Parachute Trico Emergers, and CDC Midge Emergers.

Nymphs – Peach Fuzz Jigs, Duracells, Lil’ Foams in gray or chartreuse, RS-2’s, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Slump Busters, and Rickard’s Seal Bugger.

South Fork

The surface midge scene is still in good shape (although not quite what it was a couple weeks ago) with the best action coming around noon some days and at least by 2pm other days and all of it last for around two to three hours.  Riffle pool, eddies at the tail of seams, and banks with slow to moderate currents are your best target choices.

Nymphs are working decent in the morning and kicks into gear after 11am.  It really kicks into gear after 12:30 pm most days.  Go with lightly to moderately weighted dry-dropper rigs with tippet in the three to four and a half foot range or double nymph rigs with leader in the four to six foot range.  Target riffles, riffle pools, seams, and eddy current margins.

Streamers are a bit more hit-or-miss throughout the day but is worth doing when the bite is on.  Go with smaller baitfish imitations and target banks with moderate currents, seams margins separating backwater channels from main channel currents, and riffle pools.  Tandem rigs can produce better some days.  Go with floating or intermediate sinking lines and slow to moderate retrieves.  

Dry flies – Parachute Adams, Renegades, Mating Midges, Snowshoe Tricos, and Parachute Midges.

Nymphs – Brush Hogs, Duracells, Rainbow Warriors, RS-2s, Zebra Midges, Copper Johns in black or red, Brassies, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty’s Tri-Bunny, Craft Fur Clousers,  Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Baby Bunnies, Slump Busters.