Snake River
Fishing has been best on the middle reaches from Moose down to South Park and on the lower reaches in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Midges dominate the surface, but we are starting to see our first winter black stoneflies on the water (another indicator of a warm winter). Riffle and seam tailouts are the most productive targets, but we are seeing more and more action at the heads of these types of holding water.
Effective nymphs – Ice Cream Cone Midges, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Zebra Midges, Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Copper Johns in red, black, or olive, Lightening Bugs, Soft Hackle Prince Nymphs, RL Flashback Hares Ear Nymphs, and Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph.
Effective streamers – Galloup’s Boogeymen, Booty’s Quad Bunny Leech, Sanchez’s Baby Bunny, Lite Brite Zonkers, and Beldar Buggers.
Effective dry flies – Griffith Gnats, Mating Midges, and Furimsky BDEs .
South Fork
Temperatures will be in the 40s in Swan Valley later this week. Fishing has been quite a bit more consistent on the South Fork over the past two weeks with the best action on the upper reach above Conant and on the lower reaches below Wolf Eddy. We are also seeing better activity in the Canyon. Riffles and seams are fishing best, but flats have increasing action on warm afternoons from approximately 2pm until 4:30pm. While midges are the primary hatch at the moment, we are starting to see a few blue-winged olives (just a few, but it is getting us excited).
Without question, the most productive patterns have been San Juan Worms and Lightening Bugs.
Effective nymphs – Zebra Midges, Rojo Midges, San Juan Worms, Pat’s Rubber Leg, Lightening Bugs, Egan’s Rainbow Warriors, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Hickey’s Auto Nymph, Dorsey’s Mercury Baetis, Bubbleback Pheasant Tails, and Foxy Stone Nymphs.
Effective streamers – Peanut Envy, Marabou Muddlers, Sanchez’s Baby Bunnies, Galloup’s Zoo Cougars, Flesh Flies, and Beldar Buggers.
Effective dry flies – Griffith Gnats, Sanchez’s Krystal Wing Midge, Furimsky BDEs, and Parachute Extended Body BWOs.