Synopsis

Fall is in the air as we transition between summer bugs and autumn bugs. This means be ready for just about anything on a daily basis. Fish are beginning to focus hard on the surface as cool nights tip them off to the smorgasbord of food that mother nature is about to provide. Good evening Caddis activity is still happening during the last hours of light, but bankers hours are going to become the norm in coming days and weeks.

Silver Creek

The Creek is still seeing a little bit of the Trico, and Baetis and Callibaetis are becoming the fly of choice for most of the Creeks denizens. Hoppers, Beetles and Ants are also still major players and the flying ant is out in force right now. A nice size 16 ant is a great choice these days, but Hoppers are still extremely effective as well. Look for the Baetis to hatch in the mornings and spin in the evenings, although plenty of them will reverse this order. Have plenty of small representations of this bug, all the way down to a size 24 for later this fall. Keep your fly floating high and change patterns as the bugs you see on the water change. Callibaetis is the focus in the afternoon with the slower waters near Kilpatrick Bridge taking front stage, as well as the sloughs! Try a size 16 or 18 Hackle Stackers, Quigley Cripple and the Callibaetis Floating Nymph in these areas.

Big Wood River

The Wood is still fishing well with Hoppers and Flying Ants are the masking hatch of the month right now, so if you are getting denied by the fish, try a nice size Ant with a parachute for visibility. If this doesn’t work, start thinking Micro-Caddis and Rusty Spinners for rising fish. When searching the water, a Hopper or big attractor is a good bet. Royal Wulffs, Gray Wullfs, Royal Stimulators and Trudes are all good choices. When in doubt, trail an ant behind one of these flies. Parachute Adams in a variety of sizes is also indispensable this time of year, as the parachute Adams will match just about any insect as long as you have a variety of sizes. Tricos and Baetis are still around most mornings, so little Silver Creek patterns are a good idea to keep with you on the water. Be ready for the Fall Baetis with plenty of tiny size 22 and 24 Baetis patterns. We’re not quite there yet, but this little bug will be showing in force very soon!

Lost River

It took the Lost 5 days to go from 500 CFS to 450 CFS. This means by the middle of next week we should have outstanding access to this great piece of water. Nymph rigs that have at least one fly that is red in color are the most effective. Baetis should come on very strong here in the coming weeks as well.

Upper Lost and Copper Basin

This area is seeing less and less anglers as we move toward the Fall, but the bite has also dropped off up here. Anglers with good casting skills, who can cover a lot of water in a short time are going to catch plenty of fish. Anglers that stand in a run and cast repeatedly over the same areas will find less luck. Hoppers, Ants and Attractors are all one needs. The fish aren’t fussy, just tricky to find and to get a cast over as they become structure oriented in the thinning water.

South Fork of the Boise

The fishing was starting to drop off this past week, but they have finally changed the outflow from the summer long 1650 CFS to 1,000 CFS. This may get the fish back on the bite as more holding water along the banks will open up for them. This is also a very boatable flow still, so don’t put the oars away yet! Pink Alberts, Hoppers and Ants are the fly of choice right now. Fall Baetis is on its way.

Synopsis

The August doldrums we normally see on our area waters have apparently come and gone already. This is due to last winter’s snow pack that has kept the rivers running cool and healthy. The one exception may be the Upper Lost and Copper Basin where the bite is a bit off, but still worth the trip. The rest of our area is fishing as well as one may expect for the peak months of the fly fishing season.

Silver Creek

Daily hatches and spinner falls remain strong, and like last week, the adaptive angler is going to be the successful angler. Stay in tune to the weather, the wind and the time of day and base your fishing on these conditions. Perfect days mean Tricos, Baetis and Terrestrial fishing in the morning, Callibaetis, Hoppers and Damsels in the afternoon, and Baetis again in the evening. The sloughs continue to fish really well with Callibaetis imitations and event he occasional Hopper put over an aggressive cruiser will draw a strike in this still-water environment.

Big Wood River

The Wood is fishing really well with a variety of flies. The Rusty Spinner is the fly of choice most mornings and evenings. With a variety of sizes an angler can cover just about all the rivers insects. The Rusty Spinner is a spent mayfly pattern. Most mayflies will turn a rust color after they die and the fact that they are dead keys the fish to them, as the fish want a meal they know will not fly away the moment they decide to rise up and grab it. Hoppers are a great choic’e anytime of day, especially first thing in the morning. Search a Hopper through the shallows at the crack of dawn and you will be pleasantly surprised by the where you will find the fish if they haven’t been disturbed yet that day. This means try casting into the ankle deep water you normally might think you should be standing in!

Lost River

Still no change from 500 CFS, but there is one coming, we promise! Anglers have been fishing the river successfully at this flow, but this lower section of river will really show it’s colors in the coming months. For now, wade with caution and wade where ever it is you feel most safe. Prince Nymphs and San Juan Worms fished under an indicator are effective, and also look for rising fish in the softer, glassier waters in the morning. A Hopper or Crane Fly are good choices for searching the water with big dries. Don’t forget to look good and hard at the shallow riffles above the deep buckets, for nice sized Rainbows lying up.

Upper Lost and Copper Basin

Tougher fishing is the name of the game up top these days, but only comparatively speaking. It was such a great fishery in the early season that it seems harder now, but the fact is, even now it is a great fishery. You can find plenty of privacy and good surface action as long as you stay on the move. Hoppers and general attractor patterns are all one needs in the afternoon. In the morning have a few Tricos in case you find some fish rising on the flat water stretches.

South Fork of the Boise

Still at a great flow for boaters, the SF of the B is fishing great for anglers that can place Hoppers right where they want them with one good cast while floating by prime Hopper banks! The majority of the anglers floating the river seem to be determined to only fish a nymph rig and indicator, so even if you are the last boat down the river, you still have an excellent chance for a great day of Hopper fishing as the subsurface anglers don’t or can’t concentrate on the prime bank lies of the trout down there. Keep the faith and cast your Hopper with precision!

5 Reasons we are going to have incredible fall fishing

1) When the water drops to fall flows, we will see rivers full of beautiful green buckets full of fish, and no one knows exactly where they will be.
2) Springs are running nice and high, providing fish with lot’s of cover and cooler temperatures which will get the fish through the remainder of our summer heat in good health.
3) Last winters snow pack bodes well for an excellent hunting season, meaning fewer anglers on the water, and with good flows there is already more fishable water than we’ve seen in years
4) Our Autumn hatches have been our most consistent hatches over the past few seasons
5) With higher flows we will be fishing the Fall Baetis and Western Red Quill hatches over more turbulent waters. In years past we have been fishing these insects in the almost Spring Creek like conditions on flat water due to low flows. The more riffles and rapids we have, the easier it will be to fool our targets.

Silver Creek

The Creek is fishing really well for the adaptive angler. Meaning, if you like to fish the same water over and over again, and expect the same conditions every day, then you are in for some tough days. The anglers that are willing to move to specific areas of the Creek based on the conditions will find excellent success. For example, anglers that fished the river in the Conservancy last week, complained of a drop in the fishing action, while anglers that fished in the Sloughs, and through the Willows reported excellent fishing. Look at the weather, the wind, the temperatures and the hatches and make and educated choice on where the action will be best. Keep a journal of these conditions and you’ll be one step ahead of the game next season! Tricos remain strong as well as small Baetis, Hoppers and Callibaetis in the afternoon.

Big Wood River

The Wood is going through Hopper Madness right now. A large Dave’s Hopper or Parachute Hopper is the ticket. Crane flies are also active and the color yellow to represent small Mayflies as well as the small Crane Fly will provide good action in the mornings and evenings. Try little yellow Humpies, Stimulators and P.M.D. patterns, or just throw a Hopper all day and cover lots of water. One or two cast in a fishes lane is plenty with a Hopper. If they don’t come up, move to the next likely spot!

Lost River

With flows just above 500 CFS the river is fishable, but any day now there is going to be a significant drop in these flows and the entire river will become accessible. Keep your eyes on our web site to check the flows, and when you see it drop, give the fish a day or two to adjust and then get over there. Take Crane Flies, Tricos, Parachute Adams and Gulper Specials to fish the surface, and have a few big bead head nymphs and some smaller nymphs to trail when fishing with a strike indicator sub surface.

Upper Lost and Copper Basin

This area has become a little tougher the past few weeks. Down stream flows are wadable and fishable, but an angler needs to cover plenty of water to do well and anglers also need to fish way up under the overhanging branches. Some days the mornings are outstanding with a drop off in the afternoon, while other days the afternoons are producing better. All we can suggest is go early, take a big lunch and stay late. Take your favorite attractor patterns and some Hoppers.

South Fork of the Boise

The SF of the B is still at a good boating flow, and Hoppers are the fly of choice when fishing from the boat. Parachute Adams, and very small Stimulators are also good choices. Nymphing the riffles when nothing will take a fly off the surface is also a great idea.

5 Reasons we are going to have incredible fall fishing

1) When the water drops to fall flows, we will see rivers full of beautiful green buckets full of fish, and no one knows exactly where they will be.
2) Springs are running nice and high, providing fish with lot’s of cover and cooler temperatures which will get the fish through the remainder of our summer heat in good health.
3) Last winters snow pack bodes well for an excellent hunting season, meaning fewer anglers on the water, and with good flows there is already more fishable water than we’ve seen in years
4) Our Autumn hatches have been our most consistent hatches over the past few seasons
5) With higher flows we will be fishing the Fall Baetis and Western Red Quill hatches over more turbulent waters. In years past we have been fishing these insects in the almost Spring Creek like conditions on flat water due to low flows. The more riffles and rapids we have, the easier it will be to fool our targets.

Silver Creek

The Creek is fishing really well for the adaptive angler. Meaning, if you like to fish the same water over and over again, and expect the same conditions every day, then you are in for some tough days. The anglers that are willing to move to specific areas of the Creek based on the conditions will find excellent success. For example, anglers that fished the river in the Conservancy last week, complained of a drop in the fishing action, while anglers that fished in the Sloughs, and through the Willows reported excellent fishing. Look at the weather, the wind, the temperatures and the hatches and make and educated choice on where the action will be best. Keep a journal of these conditions and you’ll be one step ahead of the game next season! Tricos remain strong as well as small Baetis, Hoppers and Callibaetis in the afternoon.

Big Wood River

The Wood is going through Hopper Madness right now. A large Dave’s Hopper or Parachute Hopper is the ticket. Crane flies are also active and the color yellow to represent small Mayflies as well as the small Crane Fly will provide good action in the mornings and evenings. Try little yellow Humpies, Stimulators and P.M.D. patterns, or just throw a Hopper all day and cover lots of water. One or two cast in a fishes lane is plenty with a Hopper. If they don’t come up, move to the next likely spot!

Lost River

With flows just above 500 CFS the river is fishable, but any day now there is going to be a significant drop in these flows and the entire river will become accessible. Keep your eyes on our web site to check the flows, and when you see it drop, give the fish a day or two to adjust and then get over there. Take Crane Flies, Tricos, Parachute Adams and Gulper Specials to fish the surface, and have a few big bead head nymphs and some smaller nymphs to trail when fishing with a strike indicator sub surface.

Upper Lost and Copper Basin

This area has become a little tougher the past few weeks. Down stream flows are wadable and fishable, but an angler needs to cover plenty of water to do well and anglers also need to fish way up under the overhanging branches. Some days the mornings are outstanding with a drop off in the afternoon, while other days the afternoons are producing better. All we can suggest is go early, take a big lunch and stay late. Take your favorite attractor patterns and some Hoppers.

South Fork of the Boise

The SF of the B is still at a good boating flow, and Hoppers are the fly of choice when fishing from the boat. Parachute Adams, and very small Stimulators are also good choices. Nymphing the riffles when nothing will take a fly off the surface is also a great idea.

Synopsis

August is the time to get up early and stay up late for the best fishing. A siesta during the afternoon is not a bad idea, unless you are dedicated to casting Grasshoppers while looking for that one big fish. Most waters are fishable by sunrise or shortly there after this month, and fishing until it’s to dark to see your fly in the evening is also the norm in August. Morning anglers can look to fish Mayfly patterns, while evening anglers need to be thinking about Caddis and attractors. It seems odd to write about falling water with the fall approaching, but we are still seeing more and more fishable water opening up, and those willing to explore long stretches of any of our rivers just may find some fish and runs that haven’t seen an angler yet this season!

Silver Creek

Tricos remain out in force, with the bulk of the Spinner Fall landing about mid-river, although the fish can be found rising from Point of Rocks up to the Stalker and Grove Creek confluence on the Nature Conservancy. Smaller, more precise patterns may be needed to draw strikes, as the fish have seen plenty of flies this season. Be attentive to your Floatant and keep your fly riding nice and high on the surface. This is also important when fishing the Callibaetis in mid to late afternoon. The random storm clouds we have been seeing bring off the Baetis in waves, so keep those patterns handy all the time. In the evening expect a regular smorgasbord of insects to be present and be prepared to see all of the Creeks major insect players. When there are no bugs out, try searching long stretches of water with a Grasshopper fly and stick with it. You may not draw a lot of strikes, but you will bring up the Creeks biggest fish on occasion. Anglers who insist that the Creeks biggest fish won’t take dry flies, have not put enough time in behind a well placed and well tied hopper pattern! Don’t forget to fish your Hoppers on 1X tippet, leader shy is never an issue once a fish decides it wants to eat a Hopper.

Big Wood River

The Wood is still dropping and changing all the time. Fish can be found rising most mornings and evenings, and a small arsenal of flies may be necessary to find one that they like. Attractor patterns and Hoppers are still working in the afternoons, but the biggest fish that get caught this month will be by anglers that stay out until dark and target the biggest risers they can find. Small Caddis and Rusty Spinners are a good bet to catch these late risers. If you can only fish in the middle of the day, then make sure you are fishing the soft water you find adjacent to the fastest water at the head of the pools. The fish love to spend the afternoon hiding in the whitewater and often in less than a foot of water. Don’t be fooled into believing that big fish go and sulk at the bottom of the deep pools all day, when in fact the opposite is happening and they are going to the shallows to forage, hide and breathe the oxygenated water near the heads of these pools. Anglers with good high sticking and mending skills will find these big fish relatively easy to catch once they have locked on to where they hide during the day! There are very few fish this time of year that sit and do nothing. This is prime time for them and everyday counts for putting on essential winter weight.

Lost River

It is historically about this exact time of the summer when flows are greatly reduced from the Mackay Dam. We can probably expect these flows to drop slightly later than most years, but it should be happening soon. As of now, there is some fishing to be had, but also some tougher wading. Look for fish feeding on the gravel shelves just above the pools. There can be great sight nymphing opportunities here when the big fish adopt this behavior, which is most of the time on the Lost. Crane Flies, Trico and Baetis are also insects to be ready for as well. Use our web site to keep your eyes on the flows there, and when you see them approach 400 CFS, pack your gear and go!

Upper Lost and Copper Basin

This area is still fishing well up above the North Fork / East Fork confluence all the way to the headwaters. There are many, many miles of fishable water and with the flows continuing to drop, the main lost below the North and East confluences will begin to fish as the end of the month approaches. Grasshoppers are the name of the game up there right now, and attractor patterns fished in size a 14 will also catch plenty of fish. Don’t forget to try for the Copper Basin slam while your up there! We would love to see your pictures of a Rainbow, Brookie, West Slope Cutthroat, Snake River Fine Spotted Cutthroat and a Whitefish all taken on the same day.

South Fork of the Boise

The S.F. of the B has been a drift boaters dream this summer with perfect boating flows all season. It is Hopper time on the South Fork, but don’t forget your Pink Albert patterns as well. If you can, try to hit the river on the weekdays to find some solitude and great fishing.

Main Salmon

The fishing on the Main Salmon is in full swing with the Caddis hatch. We work closely with Julie Meissner of Sawtooth Fishing Guides in August and September, to take advantage of this untapped fishery. If you want to do a few nights in Stanley and fish out of a drift boat during the day, give us a call in the Travel office at (208) 726 – 3202. It is a trip well worth taking!