The valley is moving back into a thunderstorm laced week. The temperatures will stay warm and the increased cloud cover should both, spark great insect activity, and at times put a damper on existing bug activity. It is also safe to say that some of our area waters are becoming morning / evening fisheries, while high country waters remain consistent throughout the afternoon.

Silver Creek

The Creek is definitely taking on the morning / evening characteristics of August fishing. When air temperatures hit 70 degrees the Tricos will begin to spin and the fish will rise shortly thereafter. Cloudy, calm mornings will seal the heat in after a warm night and fish will begin rising at first light. The crack of dawn is also a good time to catch the tail end of the Trico emergence. Most anglers miss this event as it is most common to try for the mornings spinner falls that occur from 7:30 am to around 11:00 am. Anglers willing to be fishing by 6:00 am can find a few nice sized rising fish and very few other anglers. As the morning progresses expect to see strong Baetis activity and you will also see the occasional P.M.D. and Callibaetis spinners floating by. It is very common for fish to switch to one of these other insects at the tail end of the Trico activity, so if the bite seems to stop on your Trico offerings, switch to the most prevalent of these bigger mayfly patterns.

In the afternoon hours look for the fish taking Damsel Flies off the backs of exposed weed beds and also look for good Callibaetis activity in the float tube sections of the Creek as well as the sloughs.

The evening fishing has been pretty sparse until the Caddis show up for the last 45 minutes of light. This usually happens as the sun sets on the horizon, but with increased cloud cover this week this event should pick up a little, and start a little sooner. A heavy cloud ceiling in the evening could produce strong P.M.D. and Baetis activity as well.

Keep in mind, with more clouds in the morning the fish will be less leader shy, so try 5X tippet and then switch to 6X if you have to, and remember 7X is a waist of your time and doesn’t do the fish any good whatsoever as they get decorated with flies and can’t be landed in a reasonable amount of time to preserve their health. If you can’t catch a fish on Silver Creek using 6X tippet, then it’s time to review your fly patterns or most likely, your PRESENTATION! There is NO fish in the Creek that can’t be fooled with 6X tippet.

Big Wood River

The Wood is also taking on morning / evening fishing characteristics. Mayfly spinner falls in the morning have been producing decent action for rising fish. Rusty Spinners in a variety of sizes should fool most of these fish. Don’t hesitate to also throw yellow bodied patterns in the morning, as the Caddis, Crane Flies, Little Yellow Stoneflies, and a few Mayflies all appear in a few different shades of yellow, with the fish apt to take most size 16 flies in this color scheme.

In the afternoon fish bigger dry flies like grasshoppers and stimulators. For a bit more action fish these flies with small beadhead droppers, like Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs or Green Drake Nymphs.

The evenings have produced strong Caddis activity as well as Mayfly spinner falls. Little Elk Hair Caddis and Rusty Spinners will catch most rising fish. Parachute Adams are also nice evening patterns, especially in the falling light.

Copper Basin / Trail Creek Summit Waters

If you haven’t had enough Green Drake action this season you can get a few more cracks at this hatch on the main stem of the Lost River, below the North Fork and East Fork confluences. Mornings are the best time to see this activity mixed with little Yellow Stoneflies, big Baetis flies and even Tricos and Caddis. The water in this area is still moving swift, so if you aren’t a very strong wader, perhaps fish upstream on the East Fork or Starhope Creek.

When the wind comes up on these waters in the afternoon try bigger searching patterns like Royal Trudes, Stimulators and Chernobyl Ants. Really look for pronounced foam lines for rising fish, and don’t neglect the heavy, but shallow waters in the middle of the river.

When fishing these waters you can plan on which species of fish you will catch, by the water type you are fishing. To catch Brook Trout, fish in the calmest, shady water you can find, especially little areas of seemingly non-moving water. To catch the Snake River Fine Spotted Cutthroat, fish in very defined foam lines that run under streamside branches or around good sized boulders. To catch Rainbow Trout and West Slope Cutthroat look to fish the riffles and the current seams closer to the middle of the river. To catch a whitefish, put on a nymph. Try to catch them all in the same day for the Copper Basin Slam!

Little Wood River

Not many reports coming in from the Little Wood. The high water has made the fishing trickier than normal above the reservoir and the past few weeks have been too hot to fish the desert stretches. If the cloud cover stays with us this week, we suggest checking out this river in the afternoon after you are done fishing on Silver Creek. Try big dries with beadhead droppers in the desert stretch.

South Fork of the Boise

Flows remain high enough to float, and a few fish are still being caught on big rubber legged bugs that represent stoneflies, cicadas and hoppers. The fishing was spottier the last week as the river makes a transition from a big bug fishery to a little bug fishery. Midday Pink Albert action should keep increasing which means fishing the shallowest riffles with Harrop’s Short Winged Emerger a few inches under a Pink Albert dry fly will produce nice fish. Keep in mind the Pink Albert is a fair-weather insect that hatches in the middle of the day.

Warm Springs, Trail Creek, North Fork of the Big Wood, Penny and Dollar Lake, Lake Creek Lake

These fisheries are still producing for the junior anglers in the valley. Fish Parachute Adams and small Hoppers on the moving water.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 79%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 114%
Big Lost – 105%
Henry’s Fork – 87%

All our fisheries are on fire! If you’re in Sun Valley …get on the water. If you’re out of town get on a plane! Silver Creek is loaded with insects and rising fish every morning. The high country waters are dropping and also covered with hatches. Locally the Wood is fantastic both morning and night. No need to fish nymphs right now as we reap the benefit of two straight months of high water.

Silver Creek

It is Trico time on the Creek. Mix in nice Baetis hatches and spinner falls as well as P.M.D. and Callibaetis activity, followed immediately by massive Damsel fly activity and ending with evening Caddis emergences and you have THE recipe for great trout fishing. Get to the Creek early as the action starts up around 7:30 in the morning and lasts until almost 11:00 am. When this action quits switch to the Damsel and cast over the spots where you had seen big fish rising earlier. The fish have been so aggressive in the mornings all you need is 5X tippet. Forget the 6X and please don’t fish 7X (it’s really unfair to the fish and unnecessary.) With the Damsel, fish 4X. Plan to stay late for the Caddis as this show goes off right before dark. It is a great time to find huge stretches of water and no anglers. Remember, fish at a downstream angle to your target and keep your drift lengths to the bare minimum.

Big Wood River

The Wood is still fishing well if you are in the right place at the right time. The best action is probably the Caddis that are showing right before dark. These Caddis are small so fish little Elk Hairs and Hemingway Caddis. The morning spinner falls of Mayflies will also produce in the slower water. Try Rusty Spinners, and Parachute Adams to imitate these mayflies. Size 16 and 14 is perfect.

In the afternoons don’t hesitate to get your big dries out, like Cicadas and Stoneflies. Search lots of water and with these flies and be ready to switch to something smaller if a fish flashes the big dry, but won’t eat it.

Lost River

The Lost is still high with tough wading, but the flows have decreased a little. The access is still limited, but if you can find a few hundred yards of wadable, slower water you can nymph out plenty of nice fish. Better dry fly action can be found on other rivers.

Little Wood River

The Little Wood above the reservoir can be a fun little fishery on a week day. Very few people are around and it fishes like a miniature Big Wood. The fish are mostly in the 9 to 14 inch class, but this includes some good Brook Trout. The rainbows, though smaller, are great fighters as well. Fish from the campground downstream to the reservoir’s slack water. General attractor patterns are all you need.

South Fork of the Boise

The South Fork Salmon Fly hatches are well upriver. The dam stretch to Indian Rock is the place to be. Some Caddis activity at night is still around and the Pink Albert hatches are growing in strength. Remember the Pink Alberts emerge from the bottom as a winged insect, so fish Short Winged Emerger patterns in the shallow riffles to take advantage of the fish taking advantage of the insect.

Copper Basin Area Waters

The Basin is getting better as the flows drop. Nice fish can be found from the main stem of the Lost, up through Starhope Creek. Look for very pronounced foam lines and rising fish. This has been a much more productive way to fish than blind fishing good looking water. Keep walking until you find flat water with lots of foam, then stop and look for actively rising fish. Green Drakes, big Stoneflies and Little Yellow Stones are numerous. Caddis activity is strong and growing stronger in the late evening.

Penny and Dollar Lake, Lake Creek Lake, North Fork of the Big Wood, Trail Creek and Warm Springs Creek

All of these are stocked and ready to fish. The flows have decreased granting more and easier access to the little rivers. Enjoy the scenery and solitude.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 79%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 114%
Big Lost – 105%
Henry’s Fork – 87%

Well, Mr. Traver may be right, but were going to keep trying anyway! Local rivers continue to dole out hatches and fishable water as the rivers come into shape ever so slowly. There have been two significant drops in water levels, one on the 9th of July and one on the 15th of July. This drop will provide more fishable water in the coming week and help bring high country rivers to a much more fishable flow. Our namesake, Silver Creek is about to begin its “second season” as water levels and insects begin to change.

Silver Creek

Last month, the caddis fly, which is normally a “secondary” insect on Silver Creek, took center stage as the best hatch on the river. Baetis and P.M.D. activity was strong and the Baetis continues to be, but that is normal. The Brown Drake was spread out over a month instead of a few days and generally speaking, the river has been tough to predict, but in any event it keeps producing outstanding fishing opportunities.

This months “secondary” insect is the Damsel Fly, and these blue bodied beauties are coming out in force and the fish are keying on them. This is normally an August occurrence in these numbers, but this year they are earlier and numerous and beginning to take center stage. To be successful with Damsel Flies, treat them as you would a hopper. In other words, stay on the move. The Damsel Fly is not a fly that you show repeatedly to a rising fish that is eating mayflies. It is a fly that you want to show to numbers of fish. This means float tubes are a big key, allowing you easy access to long stretches of water. The best place to target this fly is immediately downstream of any floating weed mass. Fish will collect in these spots to take the dying damsels that float off the back side of the weeds. While floating you can also blind fish damsel flies along the bank. The longer your drift, the better your chances. Do your best to float along at the same speed as your fly. If there are other anglers in the area this is probably a tactic best left for solitary days on the water. Don’t use 6X on Damsel Flies, you will lose your fly and decorate a fish. Try 4X with a little bit of Orvis Mud or Henry’s Sinket to hide your tippet in the surface film.

Callibaetis is another insect coming on stronger in the afternoon heat. Look for these insects in the slowest stretches of the river, and in the sloughs. Fish can get aggressive toward the bigger Callibaetis, especially if the morning hatches and spinner falls of other insects were meager.

Tricos are beginning to happen and although the activity is short lived, this morning rise will increase on a daily basis and soon be “THE” event on the Creek. Caddis activity is beginning to wane, but is still strong during low light periods.

Big Wood River

A virtual smorgasbord of insects cover the Wood these days. There is definitely a morning bite happening as well as a late afternoon bite. In between bites plenty of fish can be tempted to the top with big dry flies. There is a large amount of insect activity and in many instances anglers will see as many as 5 to 10 different kinds of insects all at once. Small yellow and pink mayflies seem to best hold the fish’s attention during the rise. Several sizes of stoneflies are prolific as are crane flies and cicadas. The Green Drake is still hatching in good numbers and can be the best action of the day if an angler is in the right spot.

With the hot days starting to stack up, expect the Wood to become a morning / evening fishery with the next big event being the evening Caddis. The Caddis nymphs are mature and on the move, so anglers willing to stay out until dark will soon see some incredible low light fishing.

Lost River

The lost below the dam in Mackay is still pumping along and is in fact higher than last week. Serious wading skills are a must this week if you want to nymph the seams and buckets. There is some surface activity in a few areas but many of these places can be hard to reach. This should be an unreal fall fishery this year, but for now we can only wait for the waters to drop.

Copper Basin and Area Waters

The upper end of the Lost River system keeps pumping large volumes of water downstream, but this heavy flow has been cut way back in the last 48 hours. Not to long ago this area was considered primarily a fall fishery, then with the drought, we all got used to low flows and great summer fun in this area. This year we’re back to higher flows and headwater areas are fishing o.k.; while down stream, on the East Fork of the Lost, wading and flows still make the fishing pretty tough. With the Wood dropping a lot recently, we can expect the same over the pass and these waters should really turn on this week. Throw big dry flies or general attractor patterns if you go.

Little Wood River

The Little Wood is fishing o.k. with no reports of huge fish, but also no reports of crowds or other anglers. Look for fish to hit attractor patterns and small bead head nymphs. If you head for the desert stretches try to get there at the crack of dawn to beat the heat. Once the temperatures begin to rise, keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. By late morning it’s probably time to head for the shade of the Big Wood anyway.

Warm Springs, Trail Creek, North Fork of the Big Wood, Lake Creek Lake, Penny and Dollar Lakes
All are stocked and fishing pretty well. Try standard dry flies like Parachute Adams and elk hair caddis. For kids that are used to fishing these areas with worms, try fishing a fly bubble on a spin rod with a small dry fly attached. The guys in the shop can show you how to rig this. All the ease of the spin rod, but with the excitement of the surface strike! The kids will love it.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 79%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 114%
Big Lost – 105%
Henry’s Fork – 87%

It is finally summer time in Sun Valley! From a daily storm pattern we have emerged into 85 degree days and bright sunny skies. Local rivers remain relatively high for this point in the season, but these flows are making a healthy fishery and keeping reservoirs full. We can expect more of the same conditions this week, meaning excellent surface activity in the afternoons and more strong flows as we finish up our clear water runoff.

Big Wood River

The Wood continues to fish better as more water becomes accessible down river. High flows still make wading slightly dangerous and just because you “crossed here last year” at this time, doesn’t mean you can this year. Choose your spots CAREFULLY! Better yet, fish with an experienced guide who can keep you safe and put you over plenty of fish. We can expect at least one more week of clear, but high flows.

Green Drakes and Stoneflies are still the bug of choice, which means we get to keep casting huge dries to hungry fish. Cicadas are everywhere this year and are also a good choice. Basically if you have a huge orange bodied fly and keep moving you can catch a lot of nice fish off the surface. Just remember these big dry flies are “one and done” if the fish doesn’t come get it the first time he sees it, he’s probably not going to come for it. Hence the need to stay on the move. If you encounter fish actively rising to the Green Drake, be sure to have a few different patterns. Start with the big high floaters and eventually show them cripple patterns as they wise up to your offerings.

Silver Creek

The Creek is still fishing great. With the warm temperatures and still a few weeks to go before the Creek recharges with higher flows, it will become imperative to handle the fish carefully and to fight and land them quickly. Mornings are still producing decent bug activity with P.M.D. and Baetis flies. Good amounts of big fish are being caught late morning and afternoon using damsel flies. This is normally more of an August occurrence, but nothing about this season has been “normal.” Fish Damsel flies on 4X or 5X depending on what kind of wind chop you may or may not have on the water. It is easy to tell if fish are taking damsels; look for their backs to roll high out of the water and almost always perpendicular to the current flow. Our guides often call this behavior, “sharking”, and it can also be seen during hopper season.

Callibaetis activity is still periodic in the sloughs and falling water levels have made this fishing tougher the last few weeks. The best bet on the Creek may still be the Caddis activity found in the waning hours of daylight, especially on the Creek’s lower reaches. No matter where you fish on the Creek, bring bug spray and your mosquito patterns.

Hopper and Trico season are almost upon us. If you haven’t stocked your fly box with these patterns yet, now is the time. Big hoppers and easy to see Trico patterns, are tough to keep supplied in the shop due to huge demand when these hatches occur, so get your summer’s worth now. We’ll be fishing these flies in the next two weeks.

Little Wood River

Big attractor patterns and small bead head droppers are the best way to ply these desert waters below Carey. If you want some shade try the waters above the Little Wood Reservoir near the Little Wood campground with big dry flies. Keep in mind though, there is a lot of private property in this area, so know where you are before going through gates or over fences.

South Fork of the Boise

This is still a drift boaters dream as it flows along at 1600 cfs and Stonefly and Cicada action is in full swing. If you have a boat or have a friend that does, this is our number one choice for playing hooky for a day! Also known as “Trout Truancy.”

Lost River

The Lost below Mackay is still moving along as irrigators get their water from the reservoir. Strong wading and fishing skills are mandatory to be successful before the water drops. If you can find some seams and slow water you can nymph out good numbers of fish, but access is still somewhat limited by the strong currents.

Copper Basin and Area Waters

Copper Basin and nearby streams are clear and fishing well with attractor patterns. Cast the same flies you would for the Big Wood and enjoy the high country quiet this area offers. For a nice local challenge try for the Copper Basin Slam and catch a Rainbow, Cutthroat, Brookie and Snake River Fine Spotted Cutthroat all in the same day. The more the water drops the better this area will fish. We are expecting an exceptional August fishery on these high country streams.

Lake Creek Lake, Dollar and Penny Lake, Warm Springs Creek, the North fork of the Big Wood

These little waters are stocked and ready to fish. Try Parachute Adams and Royal Wulffs in the bigger sizes. Ants, Beetles and Elk Hair Caddis are always great flies on little streams as well.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 79%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 115%
Big Lost – 106%
Henry’s Fork – 88%

A river in reverse is what we are seeing on many of our freestone streams. Hatches that we normally see on lower reaches of the rivers are beginning on the upper half first. The water is more clear and coming into better shape up high, while water in the lower reaches remains high, cold and tinted by tributaries. By mid-week, expect all the rivers to take shape and for hatches to begin exploding from top to bottom.

Big Wood River

What a treat this river has been the last few days as we cast big dries to hungry trout. The coming week should make last week pale in comparison. Insects are beginning to show up all at once and you better have a very complete fly box to take advantage of the coming surface activity.

Stonefly nymphs are lining the banks only inches from the shore, expect a huge emergence of this extra large insect all week. Fish are already keying in on the big artificial. Use Stimulators, Sofa Pillows, Chernobyl Salmon Flies, Madam X, or any of your favorite Salmon Fly patterns. The bigger the fly the better. Fish these on 3X tippets. Smaller diameter tippets will get spun and tangled by the action of the big winged flies through the air.

Little Yellow Sally, the small size 14 stoneflies, are coming out and may be imitated with any small yellow fly, including yellow humpies, small yellow bodied stimulators or any oversized P.M.D. patterns. Look for this fly in the morning and in shady runs during the afternoon hours.

The rain has brought out more Carpenter Ants than we’ve seen in years. All the streamside logs are covered with them and the more the water drops, the more the fish will take these morsels. Few bugs drive trout as crazy as ants do! Big parachute ants or foam bodied varieties are the best choice to imitate this bug. Keep this pattern in mind on the windiest of days.

Cicadas are out in very good numbers this year. This is also a great windy day fly to throw. Royal stimulators and general Cicada patterns are the flies to cast. Just make sure there is a lot of black and orange on your imitation. Fish have already keyed on this insect especially where you find aspens and cottonwoods tight to the bank.

The Yellow Crane Fly is beginning to show and is probably the best pattern to use over fast, heavy water. This insect really likes to spin over the riffles and rapids and when enough of them start doing this in the a.m. fish will splash about the white water trying to grab them.

Big size 14 Blue Winged Olives (Baetis), are hatching in good numbers north of Ketchum, but as the water falls this action should begin to happen throughout the river corridor. Expect to see many other random mayflies as well. You will see yellow, pink and grey mayflies at any hour of the day. A good selection of Parachute Adams will cover all these mayflies.

The Green Drake is a fair-weather insect that likes to emerge on bright, warm sunny days. The weather forecast for the week is just that, warm and sunny. Normally this hatch moves upstream, but expect to see this bug river wide this week. Silver Creek has a huge selection of Green Drake imitations, stop by and get several varieties so you can switch patterns over groups of rising fish.

This river is still going to be high and tough to wade this week, so please use a wading belt and fish with a friend.

Silver Creek

Who would have thought that the best hatches on the Creek these days would be Caddis. At least three different varieties of these little tent winged minions can be found at different times of the day. Most of the Caddis are a size 16 to 14 and are found in white and tan. There is also a small brown micro-caddis that has become “THE” masking hatch on the Creek. (A masking hatch is a tiny insect that the fish take, even though there are bigger bugs on the water. It is called a “masking hatch” because many anglers won’t know it’s happening without very careful observation.) The best flies for the caddis are light color bodied Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis and most flies that are white and size 16.

To make things even weirder, the Brown Drake came back for an encore performance last week, which just means ANYTHING goes this summer! With crazy weather and water flows, be prepared for it all. The weather should stabilize this week and set the Creek into a more traditional morning / evening fishery. The afternoons are the time to look for Callibaetis activity in the sloughs and slow stretches of the Creek.

Green Drake action has been picking up and should continue into the week. This isn’t a long lived hatch on the Creek, so don’t expect to see much of this bug beyond this week.

If you decide to fish the Willows, dress like it was Alaska as far as mosquitoes are concerned. If you hate being bitten, don’t even drive into this area. If you don’t mind putting bug spray on every half hour you may find yourself alone and with some great fishing opportunities.

Little Wood River

The Little Wood is, as always, hardly being fished. The desert water is higher than on normal years, but is fishable. Big dries and bead head droppers are the way to go out here. Watch for rattlesnakes as the weather warms this week. If you want solitude over a busy holiday, this is the place for you.

South Fork of the Boise

The Salmon Flies are moving up the river and should be all the way to the dam by the end of the week. In the meantime boaters that concentrate on the Indian Rock area and slightly down stream will find good action. The South Fork will be very busy over the holiday, but by Wednesday or Thursday the fishing could be spectacular with few crowds, a river full of Salmon Flies and all of it topped off with nice weather.

Lost River

The Lost is coming into shape and the flows are becoming more fishable and wadable by the day, although it is still high enough to be tough wading and a bit dangerous. Nymphing the slow seams and buckets can be productive with a strike indicator and a two nymph rig.

Copper Basin / East Fork of the Lost River

The high country water has cleared, but it is still moving along. The higher in the system you are the easier the wading and fishing. There is some limited bug activity, but by the end of the week these should be great fisheries. You may want to give the East Fork one more week to become buggier and more wadable, but it can be fished now by strong waders with good casting skills.

Warm Spring / Trail Creek / Lake Creek Lake / Penny and Dollar Lake

All of these are fishing well except Trail Creek which remains tinted with silt. Take the kids or novice anglers to any of these other areas for great fishing, rock skipping, and dog swimming! Pack a picnic and enjoy. (Don’t forget a little mosquito repellant)

Enjoy the next two weeks! The fishing just keeps getting better, and better and better…

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 80%
Big Wood – 92%
Little Wood – 117%
Big Lost – 108%
Henry’s Fork – 88%