Synopsis

As we head toward September, the regional fishing continues to be very good. Caddis and a variety of mayflies are present on the Big Wood in relatively strong numbers, the Trico spinner fall and associated insect activity highlights the action on Silver Creek and the Big Lost River level has continued to drop. Those who travel “over the hill” are finding fantastic fishing up in the alpine and the high mountain lakes, which remain as great respites from the sometimes crowded waters of the meandering river basins. All in all, it is an excellent time to be fly fishing in the central Rockies.

Big Wood River

The Wood, currently flowing at 235cfs, is providing local anglers with some very fine fishing…especially in the mornings and evenings. The caddis, which varies from a large (size 12) beige prairie-like caddis to smaller, brown microcaddis, is ubiquitous on the Big Wood. Emerging primarily at dusk, these moths are bringing fish to the surface, often aggressively. Accompanying these trout treats are a myriad of midges – although they are too small to simulate and the fish are not keying on them. As the morning presses on, a number of mayflies begin to appear ranging from the Baetis and Trico to the occasional PMD and even a flav? or two. Appearing like large Blue Winged Olives, if you are lucky enough to encounter these bugs on the stretch of river you are fishing, don’t hesitate to imitate and cast. At the same time, you’ll notice the solid populations of the small yellow cranefly. I am not speaking of the golf ball sized “Mosquito Eater” that seems as large as a hummingbird, but rather its daintier cousin. Around midday, look for the smaller Pink Alberts which will dot the river’s surface (size 16s and 18s). Afternoons generally revolve around grasshoppers of all sizes with mayfly nymphs and caddis pupae dropped below. Evenings are essentially a caddis factory with many of these large and small insects bringing the more cautious fish to the surface.

Silver Creek

The Creek is at its August prime with Tricos filling the air as the day temperature approaches 70 degrees. Using duns as the action begins is a good idea while watching closely as the abundance of mayflies give into the lethal price of mating and lay their wings out for good. These spinners then become the focus of ravenous risers as this fine spring creek really turns on. Baetis will begin to emerge in abundance soon afterward and including a Baetis dun or two in your fly rotation is an excellent way of catching fish off guard. PMDs will appear, sometimes in large numbers, before falling to the surface spinner-style. Look for the more aggressive rises to clue you in to this temporary fish focus. As the morning action subsides, shift your fly selection to the larger terrestrials such as grasshoppers and beetles and of course the beautiful blue damsel flies. The mating damsel pattern can be just the meal our midday rainbows or browns desire. Callibaetis are also present during the midday hours (morning too). Generally you will see Callibaetis spinners drifting lifelessly down through slow water sections and bouncing away in the still water areas of the Creek. Whether wading the sloughs or float tubing near Kilpatrick Bridge, keep a few of these speckled wing mayflies handy. The evenings still offer good action as the temps cool, especially mayflies and caddis. It is a good time to rely on a well-stocked and varied fly box as oftentimes small numbers of several different kinds of bugs like Baetis, Callibaetis and an occasional PMD will pepper the sun setting sky.

Big Lost River

The Lost has been lowered to 404cfs below the Mackay dam, making the river fishable after a long summer of higher flow. The large Cranefly makes its presence known here and rainbows will be watching closely for these hard to capture nutritious meals. There can be a good number of Pink Alberts as well as Baetis and Tricos as we head toward the end of summer but the most effective way of fishing this river is still with mayfly nymphs. Flashback Pheasant Tails and Prince Nymphs are nicely accompanied by Zebra midges or small scud patterns. Caddis will also be strong here in the evenings with some morning carryover.

Upper Big Lost / Copper Basin

Fishing up high is an amazing experience and the various forks of the Big Lost are fishing extremely well. General attractor patterns such as caddis, Parachute Adams, Adams Irresistible, Royal Wulffs and Trudes and even Stimulators are hooking fish. The Black Flying Ant is a pattern that should always be carried, especially in the late summer. Mayflies are still present, Tricos in the morning, drab yellow duns in the afternoon and caddis in the evening. If you’ve never fished this incredible resource, one of our guides will be happy to show you the 20-something miles of meandering mountain streams. You will not forget this mountain adventure!

South Fork of the Boise

The stream flow has been dropped from 1800cfs to 1600cfs over the last week, but remains a drift boat fishery for the moment. Although you will see Pink Alberts and microcaddis in good numbers, try your terrestrial box near the banks as you drift. Pulling over to search the side channels with the aforementioned caddis and mayflies will lead to takes for the stealthy fisherman. Streamers down low always bring the hope of massive hits from rainbows or bull trout.

Salmon River

Don’t overlook this fine resource to the north! Lower summer flows make this river very easy to wade and although the larger stonefly action has diminished, caddis are present in good numbers and a well-chosen dropper can make for a very exciting day of fly fishing. It is possible to hook rainbows, westslope cutthroats, cuttbows, bull trout, squawfish and whitefish in the same day. A seriously underutilized resource – especially as you drive downstream from Stanley toward Challis – this river can offer as good a day of fly fishing as any.

Alpine Lakes

If there were only two flies in my fly box above 9000 feet, they would be the grasshopper and the Black Flying Ant. These two patterns in August can be devastating to trout in the alpine lakes. Although droppers may be more productive during the slower times of day, often a grasshopper or ant allowed to drift on the surface or in the wind chop can elicit aggressive takes from deep lying cutthroats and rainbows. Accompanied by the majestic views of the high country, what could be better in the heat of the summer?

Synopsis

As summertime in the Rockies slowly drifts toward fall, fishing in the Wood River Valley region offers some great opportunities. With fly-fishing reaching its summer peak, there is something for every angler, even if you prefer bouncing large terrestrials off the bank on stout tippet or downstream drifting tiny mayflies into the jaws of risers. The inconsistency of our local weather has presented us all with some challenging conditions this year, but throwing a rain slicker or fleece jacket in the trunk just might be what helps you endure while others leave the river for home.

Big Wood River

The Big Wood has fallen into its predictable August pattern. At 276cfs, strong morning fishing is generally followed by less productive afternoons which eventually leads to exciting evenings. As the month continues, we will see a solid representation of Trico as well as Baetis in the early mornings. Sipping fish will be seen in the slow water as well as along seams where the faster current parallels calmer water. Microcaddis, which generally emerges in the evenings and after dusk, will be present in good numbers in the morning as well as a scattering of larger Pink Alberts. In addition to these patterns, be sure to keep a few Rusty Spinners in your box for the sporadic mayfly spinner falls. As the daytime high temperatures near, expect to see smaller fish splashing on the surface as they forage. A variety of Grasshopper patterns will give the afternoon angler an excellent chance at larger rainbows with the addition of droppers such as brown mayfly nymphs or Caddis Pupae upping the number of hookups. In the evening look for a few larger mayflies intermixing with a significant Caddis emergence. Generally, any number of Caddis patterns work well here, especially if they are small (size 18) and offered in shades of beige.

Silver Creek

Trico Madness has arrived! As is the case every August, Silver Creek is in the heat of the Trico spinner fall as a concurrent Baetis emergence and PMD spinner fall complete the menu. August on Silver Creek means waking at the brink of dawn and making the morning pilgrimage to these tranquil, steely spring creek waters as clouds of Tricos will begin to appear at about 7:30 am. It is wise to begin your approach with Trico Duns as the small black and white mayflies enjoy their last vibrant moments before mating, dropping their eggs and falling lifelessly to the water’s surface. As the morning continues, do not be blinded by the Tricos alone. Look closely at your waders you’ll notice a large numbers of Baetis crawling up your legs. Although particular fish will often be taking these petite olive brown mayflies, know that most rainbows and browns will still be focused on the Tricos. The key to success here is presenting the fly downstream without drag. Short parachute casts followed by releasing slack and straightening the line by lifting the rod tip can result in some spectacular fishing. Make sure to allow the fly to float up to and past targeted fish so that fish will not associate any disturbance created by removing the fly with the specific pattern you are presenting. Near the climax of the morning mayfly action, pay close attention to the surrounding bugs as PMDs start to appear, sometimes only for short periods of time, which can bring even the most wary fish to the surface. More aggressive, splashier rises will be a hint to this development. Working through a rotation of four or five fly patterns is recommended as savvier fish come to recognize imitations quite quickly, sometimes after just a handful of drifts.

Afternoon fishing on the creek is most productively executed by the use of terrestrials such as grasshoppers and beetles fished close to the banks. Remember to re-rig your setup with much stronger tippet such as 3x or 4x since the fish are most regularly coming out from under the banks and will not see your leader. You can even try walking down the center of the stream casting to one bank and then the other, searching for that aggressive carnivorous brown or rainbow that has been waiting for a large and vulnerable meal.

Evening fishing on the Creek generally offers smaller angling crowds than the morning. Look for a hodgepodge of mayflies including PMDs as well as Caddis which can bring fish aggressively to the surface as the temperatures cool. As darkness falls, increase the size of your tippet and consider throwing mouse patterns near the banks.

Big Lost River

The stream flow below the dam has been lowered to approximately 450cfs which makes walk and wade fishing possible, although it can still be too heavy of a stream flow for many casual anglers. For those who wish to visit the Valley of a Thousand Springs, be outfitted with a variety of brown mayfly nymphs sizes 12-16 as well as standard mayfly dun patterns such as the Parachute Adams as well as cranefly patterns. Craneflies can produce exciting fishing as rainbows come to the surface vigorously in their attempt to snag these highly mobile meals. It is important to skate these patterns on the water as dead-drifted imitations tend to be far less productive. Maroon wooly buggers can often entice the colorful Kokanee sockeye to bite, as well as the large rainbows that follow them on their annual spawning run. Expect the flow of the Big Lost to lower as the summer continues, eventually resulting in some spectacular fishing opportunities into the fall.

Upper Big Lost / Copper Basin

The Basin and its surrounding tributaries are fishing exceptionally well. Insects vary in size from the diminutive Trico, to larger PMDs, to the ubiquitous grasshopper. Also, be equipped with black flying ants. Cuttbows have grown in number over the past couple years which, when added to the numerous wild brook trout and rainbows, create the opportunity to hook five different species of trout in one day! It is important to release all whitefish unharmed as soon as possible as this unique strain has become threatened in recent years. Fly selection is less important here when compared to other local waters. Hoppers and Parachute Adams as well as flying ants and general attractor patterns will work very effectively here into the late afternoon and evening. Although fishing with droppers is certainly an effective technique, this is a great opportunity to fish large dry flies alone, which can make for very good fishing even for the less experienced angler.

South Fork of the Boise

At 1800cfs, the South Fork of the Boise is still best fished from a drift boat. Caddis and Pink Alberts are most likely to take fish in addition to hoppers thrown near the bank. As always, streamer patterns can produce some massive hits as trophy rainbow and bull trout lurk hungrily in the depths. Immediate release of bull trout is mandatory, so be vigilant as to the species of fish hooked, especially if it is a whopper!

Alpine Lakes

The local alpine lakes are fishing wonderfully with spectacular midge hatches both in the evenings and early mornings. Black flying ants and grasshoppers tend to appear in significant numbers in August and fish will come to these patterns even from great depths. Using attractor patterns with droppers along shorelines as well as near inlet and outlet streams is an excellent way to entice the fish.

Synopsis

Don’t let the forecast fool you; our upcoming erratic weather is great news for valley anglers. Our typical August, full of hot lazy days, will temporarily be replaced by mid-afternoon cloud cover and thunder storms which means prolonged hatches extending into the middle of the day. As a reminder, please use caution if in the presence of thunderheads a graphite rod in a lightning storm is a recipe for disaster.

Big Wood River

The Big Wood River has been fishing well in the evenings, but relatively slowly throughout the rest of the day. Anglers will find Caddis, PMDs, and Pink Alberts simultaneously hatching from about 7:30p.m. on into the evening. One challenge facing evening anglers is the abundance of small fish that tend to eat the fly before the big guys can get to it. Anglers can try to avoid this situation by picking out the larger fish and throwing the fly a few inches in front of them. Another technique used to produce nice fish in the evenings is to skate the fly instead of dead drifting it. Fish tend to key in on the rapid emergence and egg laying behavior of the caddis and will pursue a moving fly with vigor. Daytime anglers should either focus on the riffle water with a hopper dropper or some of the deeper water with nymphs.

Silver Creek

Silver Creek is all about the Tricos and the Baetis. Calm mornings on The Creek have been producing spectacular Tricos spinner falls followed by strong Baetis hatches. Baetis love cool, cloudy summer days, so if the current forecast is correct you can expect these strong hatches to continue into the next week

Grasshoppers are out in full force and will produce large fish during the middle of the day. Fish the hoppers along banks and in the channels between weed beds. Remember to significantly strengthen and shorten your leaders when fishing grasshoppers. The large flies will cast much better and you will have a fighting chance if a giant Brown Trout hooks your line. It’s not unusual to tie a hopper onto 7 feet of 1x line.

Big Lost River

Once again, the Lost is a little too high for good fishing right now. However, the reservoir is at 75% of capacity right now so we’re hoping that they will begin to drop the water below the dam over the next couple of weeks. If you do decide to fish below the dam try nymphing in the shoulder water or skating Craneflies across the river.

Upper Big Lost / Copper Basin

These waters are in great shape right now and well worth the drive over the hill. Anglers should start out with smaller flies like Caddis and Parachute Adams in the mornings and bump up to the big attractors in the middle of the day and afternoon.

South Fork of the Boise

Anglers can expect to find thick Pink Albert hatches throughout the afternoons and Caddis in the evening. Anglers have been reporting limited success on the large foam lately but with the hoppers just starting to show up in significant numbers this might improve over the next couple of weeks.