As we close in on the fall we can look back at the this as the summer without the August doldrums. Our heavy spring rains kept our fishing blue ribbon right through the hottest time of the year, when we generally see a drop-off in fish numbers getting caught. With September coming, expect more great fishing. We will begin seeing fall hatches of Baetis, Mahogany Duns and Western Red Quills in the coming weeks, so stuff your fly boxes with your favorites of these. In the meantime we are at the peak of the Grasshopper season and now is the time on all our area waters to pursue the biggest fish in the river with the biggest Hopper patterns you can find!

Silver Creek

Grasshoppers and Callibaetis are the bugs of choice for most of the Creeks residents these days. Early morning anglers will still find action on Trico, Baetis and P.M.D. once the temperatures have warmed. Once this action ends, grab some lunch and get ready for some quality Callibaetis action on the sloughs and the slower current lines. Fish Callibaetis Cripples, Spinners and Hackle Stackers for big cruisers. This fishing can be very effective in a light breeze. Make sure you study the water hard under these conditions, as big fish will sip discretely in and among the streamside vegetation. If you choose to Hopper fish in the afternoon your best bet is to take a float tube and blind fish the banks and channels between weed beds as you float by. Fish heavy 2X and 3X tippets and try to get the longest drifts possible. Fish the biggest Hopper patterns you can find to catch the biggest fish in the river!

Big Wood River

The Big Wood continues to fish great for a variety of size classes with one and two year old fish dominating the scene. A Dave’s Hopper is an excellent choice on the Wood and even though all the fish will eat it, it is big enough and leggy enough to keep the really little fish off the hook. Drop a nymph from it if you like, but in recent days they have preferred the Hopper anyway. Trico action can still be found in big pools and slicks up and down the river. Last week we found Trico’s in the headwaters of the river, attesting to the prolific nature of this insect. Caddis are still strong in areas of the river with a lot of shade and overhang. A size 14 parachute Adams will imitate this insect and a few random mayflies as well. Rusty Spinners in the morning and evening are still a great choice over rising fish. Expect to see a lot more baetis activity on the river in the coming weeks.

Lost River

The Lost River has o.k. Trico action as well as a size 14 baetis fly. The river is still more productive to fish with a nymph than a dry fly though, and the fast water is a good place to do this. Bead head combinations and San Juan Worms are always a good choice when nymphing below the reservoir. Kokanee are still in the river above the reservoir and egg stealing rainbows will be following them up river. Look carefully for these Green Backs lying in shallow riffles, then show them any red fly and hold on.

Upper Lost River and Copper Basin

This section continues to fish as well as any place has this summer with general attractor patterns being all one needs. It is simply a matter of finding the fish. Look for well formed foam lines and slow water that flows under overhanging brush. Trico are still around in the morning as well as a variety of Crane Flies, Hoppers, little Stoneflies and a variety of bigger mayflies that can show up one day and be gone the next. Try to fish early and late in this area as the bigger fish are getting shy in the afternoon hours. The low light levels in coming weeks should turn this area back into our best local fishery of the season.

Little Wood River

The Little Wood is fishing well with Hoppers. You don’t really need any other flies unless you want to catch a few smaller fish on attractor patterns. Cover plenty of water with your Hopper and enjoy the solitude of this little stream. Be aware, rattle snakes are still active, so it may be best to leave Fido at home when fishing here.

South Fork of the Boise

With the flows dropped from 1600 cfs to 600 cfs wade fisherman can again access a lot of the river. Hoppers are a great choice for those floaters that still want to scrape down the river. Bank anglers can also do well casting Hoppers into likely lanes, especially on runs with a steep embankment. Pink Alberts are still brining fish up and small bead head nymphs can be deadly in the riffles when the surface action is not happening. Fall Baetis will be starting here soon and often provides the best surface activity of the year on this river.

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

These waters remain stocked with catchable sized fish. With tourist season at an end next week and hunting season beginning for the locals, expect these little waters to become deserted by this time next week. The same can virtually be said for all our area streams.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 76%
Big Wood – 89%
Little Wood – 109%
Big Lost – 102%
Henry’s Fork – 88%

Cool nights and beautiful Sun Valley days are with us again after a week of unstable weather patterns. The cool nights have set the morning fishing back to late morning time frames, but when the activity starts it’s happening fast. The heat and wind have been coming up in the afternoon making the fishing spotty, but productive in certain locations that offer more wind protection than others.

Silver Creek

The Creek is a perfect example of “be in the right place” a little wind screen goes along way these days on the Creek. Whether it is a hillside or a row of willow bushes, bug activity can be prolonged in these areas, so if you think you should be seeing more insects than you are, get on the move and look in other areas than your old “stand by.”

Trico, Baetis, Callibaetis and Pale Morning Dun activity remains strong for a short, but intense morning window. Fish are still rising to late emerging Trico Duns as soon as it’s light enough to see. Then after a brief morning lull, fish are again rising to the spinner fall that happens when the air temperature hits 70 degrees.

Hopper action is good in some area. The only way to be productive with a Hopper on the Creek is to stay on the move and fish very heavy tippets like 3X. Set the hook hard after a brief pause. (Silver Creek fish are not leader shy when eating Hoppers.)

Big Wood River

The Wood continues to fish good, although small fish seem to be the norm. This is pretty typical in August as lower flows, bright days, and angler pressure puts the bigger fish on guard until the fall hatches begin.

Anglers that continue to fish into low light levels will find bigger fish, as well as anglers that fish Hoppers in skinny, fast moving waters and cover long beats on the river.

Mayfly spinner falls, including some Tricos seems to be the primary meal for the fish these days, but don’t hesitate to fish Caddis and Ant patterns.

Lost River

The Lost below the reservoir is beginning to see some Kokanee spill through. This makes your Red dropper fly that much more important as we approach the fall. Whether it’s imitating an egg, or flesh from on of these dying landlocked salmon, big Lost River Rainbows get locked in on this daily. Check the river above the reservoir for this same opportunity to pull a big Greenback out of a sea of Redbacks. Good polarized glasses are worth their weight in gold when fishing in this style!

Copper Basin and Area Waters

Good, morning insect activity can be found in the Basin and Area waters from 8:30 am until the wind and heat come up around noon. Lower down in the system Stoneflies are still active and fish are looking up, but being careful about what they eat under the bright August skies.

Upstream, small attractor patterns and some nymphing will move fish that are being slightly stressed by falling water conditions.

Expect a lot of fish movement in the coming weeks up here as falling water, and warming water gets the fish thinking as much about survival as food. A pool may fish great for a short time and days later be void of fish, on the flip side, pools that seem devoid of fish one day, may be loaded the next. Just don’t count on “usual haunts” to produce every time for you.

South Fork of the Boise

Pink Alberts and Grasshoppers are still the main attractions on the South Fork. Fishing big Parachute Adams from a drift boat, or your favorite Hopper Fly is producing the most action. Midday Alberts action is strong one day and weak the next, but have some good patterns and keep your eye on the riffles. The river continues to flow at 1600 cfs offering some, but limited wade fishing.

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

Fish the deepest water you can find, but don’t ignore shady nooks along overhanging brush on any of these streams. Small Stimulators and Elk Hair Caddis are a fine choice. These are excellent places to fish and stay cool on hot summer days.

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 78%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 111%
Big Lost – 104%
Henry’s Fork – 86%

It seems safe to say that more women in Sun Valley are fly fishing this year than at any time in the past. With a rich history in this sport, women have always participated, but now seem to be “getting out there” in numbers and with high skill levels. How long until men become the minority on our local waters?

Great weather is expected through the weekend, then expect some rain early in the week, with a switch back into the nice weather patterns at the end of the week. If you’re focused on Silver Creek it might be wise to try and fish under the clouds Monday and Tuesday morning until thunder activity begins. So far the fish have been aggressive this summer and the cloudy mornings have provided banner days for anglers. The Wood and the Lost have dropped into shape from top to bottom and excellent fishing can be found on both.

Silver Creek

The Creek has been fishing as good as we’ve seen it in a lot of years. The insect population is obviously in a strong cycle this year and the fish are responding to these enormous hatches and spinner falls by being gluttonous. They are so eager to eat well presented flies that traditional wisdom about tippet choice and fly choice on the Creek can be tossed out for the time being. Continue to fish stout tippets like 5X when you get started and 6X for the bright times of the morning. Fish will eat oversized flies as well. Throw a Callibaetis during the morning spinner falls, even when there are no Callibaetis on the water and most fish will take them when well presented.

Baetis and P.M.D. activity remains strong in the mornings. The afternoon Callibaetis activity is picking up, but the big events of this insect are still to come. Damsel flies are still prevalent and this seasons first hopper fishing is beginning. Evenings have been o.k. with short bug events, but few anglers. Fish right up to dark for the best activity. Plan on seeing any or all of Baetis, P.M.D., Callibaetis, and Caddis.

The recharge on the Creek will be coming soon, making water levels higher and water temperatures much cooler. Keep some long johns or fleece pants handy as they will be needed under your waders in order for you to spend significant amounts of time wading or float tubing in coming weeks.

Big Wood River

Good amounts of fish are being caught on the Wood, although a lot of them in the younger age classes. The bigger fish are holding to the bottom during the middle of the day. A good windy day and a big Dave’s Hopper can tempt a few of these bigger fish up as will most big floating rubber legged patterns. The mornings and evenings provide some opportunities to fish at rising fish using Mayfly Spinner patterns and Micro Caddis. When this activity wanes, run a small nymph through the areas where you were seeing rising fish.

Keep in mind, this time of year many big fish on the Wood will move into super skinny, fast moving water to eat and hide. Anglers that move slowly and search the less likely water will be pleasantly surprised at what they can find in places most anglers walk through, or stand in, while casting toward deep water. Summer is a time for trout to eat and get fat, they don’t want to sulk in the bottoms of deep pools even during times of non-hatch activity. Expect to find them on shallow shelves and gravel bars looking for whatever floats by this time of the year.

For an eye opening experience, go out on the Wood and cover several runs, but with the mind-set of only casting into 10 inches of water, or less. Really work the edges of the river especially in the mornings when you know no one has walked through. Big fish will move very close to the bank at night and in the early morning hours, and if not disturbed they will be there in the morning waiting for your fly. Try the fast, shallow currents at the heads of the runs in the afternoon. If you try this technique, fish Royal Trudes, Royal Stimulators or big Parachute Adams as your searching patterns.

Lost River

The Lost below the dam in Mackay is finally at a reasonable level to fish and wade around in. This isn’t to say they won’t raise the levels back up, but for now things are running at 479cfs, which is a wadable flow.

Smaller fish are being caught on the surface using Crane Flies skated across the current. The bigger fish can be nymphed and even better, sight-nymphed off the shallows in the heads of pools and around bigger rocks on the submerged gravel bars. Try basic bead head patterns like Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns and Hares Ears. Fish these in tandem with a bigger fly up front and a smaller version trailing behind it.

Copper Basin and Area Waters

The main Lost River is fishing well in certain areas of slower water. Anglers that have fished this area before have an advantage of knowing which runs to try and which runs to skip. Once above the East Fork and North Fork confluence the fish can be found pretty much anywhere that looks fishy. The East Fork is very wadable now and has seen little pressure thus far this season.

Copper Basin waters are low and fishing well where fish can find a little depth and a little shade. Standard attractor patterns are all one needs on any of these waters. Humpies, Hoppers, Trudes, Stimulators, and your favorite parachute patterns tied in bigger sizes will all produce fish.

Little Wood River

The Little Wood is producing smaller fish, with attractor patterns and bead head droppers being the ticket to catching them. With hopper season progressing there will soon be a limited opportunity to search the river for bigger Browns and Rainbows.

South Fork of the Boise

Pink Alberts are the main game on the South Fork of the Boise. Fish will still take big stoneflies off the surface still, but this fishing has slowed a lot. Cold water temperatures have the Pink Alberts coming off late in the afternoon. With flows at 1600 cfs the river is still primarily a drift boat fishery. Anglers getting a later start will do better than the early morning angler.

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

Warm Springs is fishing well for good numbers of fish and a few that will surprise you with their size! All waters are stocked and fishing well. Take a kid and a picnic and you’ll, at the very least, catch some laughs!

WATER CONDITIONS
Basin Precip. Averages
Salmon – 78%
Big Wood – 91%
Little Wood – 111%
Big Lost – 104%
Henry’s Fork – 86%