Fishing Forecast June 19th – 26th

Wednesday, 19 June, 2013 10:19 Written by Dave Faltings

SCO customer Steve Briggs (Skooter Gardiner’s Client) caught and landed this beast of a brown on Silver Creek (6/15). Took a nymph on 5x. Battle of the nerves (at least for the guide), but Steve won in the end. New member of the Two Footer (+) Club!

Robert Frost wrote, “Nature’s first green is gold.” This is certainly the case here in the Wood River Valley as we await the spectacular Green Drake Hatch on the Big Wood. The flows on the Wood have dropped significantly over the last week and should continue to drop as we head into the longest day of the year and the official start of summer. The lower than average flows on the Wood have set the stage for what should be a golden Green Drake hatch. In fact, the Green Drakes are not the only big bug slated to make an early appearance this year; Salmon Flies have already been spotted on both the South Fork of the Boise and The Salmon River. While Frost ended his poem with the warning that “Nothing gold can stay,” it seems that the fishing in the Wood River Valley is going to stay gold and green for a while longer.

Silver Creek
Fishing the Creek in June is a pleasant experience for many reasons. The days are long and the fishing can be good wether you want to fish during the early morning sunrise, the heat of the day, or the low light of the evening. You can search for sippers with small size 18 or 20 Baetis, swing streamers in front of monster browns, float ants and beetles along the reeds and banks, drift a PMD, Callibaetis, or even a Green Drake over likely trout lies. And my favorite part about June on the Creek…there are very few other anglers. If you go, you will want to have a good selection of Harrop’s Baetis in size 18 and 20, PMDs is size 16, Callibaetis Duns, Spinners and Cripples in size 14 and 16, and Green Drake Duns and Cripples in size 12. Have a good selection of ants and beetles from size 12 to 16 for when the wind puts a chop on the surface. If you stay late, have some tan and olive Caddis is size 16 and 18. You might try a Damsel nymph if you fish the Pond. So get on down to the Creek before the crowds of July and August and enjoy the variety of fishing opportunities. Don’t forget to take your bug spray; the mosquitoes are early this year too.

The Big Wood
Over the course of a week the Wood dropped to below 700 CFS and cleared making it fishable again. We have seen the last of the snow melt blowouts for the year, and while we might still see the flows spike up a bit when it gets hot, the flow’s general trend is downward. Still, the Wood is high, so fish with caution. Focus on those areas where you can access both sides of the river without having to attempt wading across, the side channels, or above town. Some Green Drakes have been spotted on the lower river and this hatch should really get going any day now. Remember, this is one of those bugs that starts on the lower to mid river and moves up river over its progression. Also, the hatch is usually a late afternoon occurrence. Be sure to have a good selection of Green Drake nymphs, cripples and drys if you happen upon it. Otherwise, fish big drys trailed by a Green Drake Nymph or other size 12 beaded nymph. Straight nymphing with either a suspender or sighter indicator and a double nymph rig will also work. Try a Rubber Leg Stone trailed by a Green Drake, Pheasant Tail, Hares Ear, or Prince Nymph.

Big Lost River Upper & Lower
Below Mackay, the flows have been as high as 700 last week, but seem to be coming down. As of today, the flows were just above 500 CFS. I would recommend keeping your eye on the Idaho River Flows page (use the link on our website) if you decide to go. The current flows are fishable for very strong waders, but it is difficult to move around the river which limits the access and you should always respect private property. If you go you will find Yellow Stones size 12 and Yellow Sallies size 16. Still, nymphing with a big bug trailed by a small will be most productive. Try a large Prince Nymph, San Juan Worm, or Rubber Legged Stone trailed by a size 16 or 18 Zebra Midge, Rainbow Warrior, or Bishop’s Dynamite. The Upper Lost will be worth exploring in about another week.

South Fork of the Boise
A few Salmon Flies have been sighted in the Canyon Stretch of this river and the fishing here will get better over the next couple weeks as this hatch makes its progressive march up stream. The flows are holding steady at 1600 CFS which is a good level for floating. If you go, have an assortment of heavy rubber legged stone fly nymphs for the riffles and some big foamy drys for working the banks. Streamers might pick up a big Bull Trout as well.

Stillwater Options
Magic, Mackay or Duck Valley are good options whether you want to float tube, pontoon, our fish from a boat. Be sure to always have a safety whistle and a life jacket. In June, I like to pull Seal buggers and Pops buggers in black or olive off of a sinking line like a type 3 or 5 or suspend a team of nymphs off an indicator like Prince nymphs, Copper Johns, or classic Chironomids with a floating line. If it stays warm, you might also consider pulling some Damsel or Callibaetis nymphs. This is also a good time to consider going to CJ Strike to chase carp or the Bruneau Sand Dunes for bass and bluegill. Whatever you decide to do, come on by the shop and we will hook you up with the best flies for your situation.

Warm Springs
Warm Springs is good option right now, and while still high, is more wadeable than the Wood. There is a good population of wild fish in this river right know and if you catch one please return it to the river. Fish and Game does stock this river around the bridges and these fish are put there for you to take. Try fishing big dries like Turk’s Tarantula, Royal Stimulators, or Parachute Hare’s Ears with a large beaded Pheasant Tail, Prince Nymph, or Green Drake nymphs. Streamers, like Black, Olive, or Brown Woolly Buggers in size 8 or 10 are also very effective this time of year. Of course, double nymph rigs with an indicator off a suspended sighter, like a Thingamabobber, will produce. Go with a big and ugly Rubber Leg Stone followed by a Green Drake Nymph, a Prince Nymph, a Rainbow Warrior, or Bishop ‘s Dynamite.

The Salmon
We are starting to run some drift boat and walk and wade trips this week. The flows are right and some Salmon flies have been seen. If you go, this is great big bug water, so take an assortment of large Stimulators and Salmon flies. These fish also love standard beaded nymphs is size 16 to 12 and large Stone Fly Nymphs.

Local Ponds
Lake Creek, Penny Lake and Gavers Lagoon have been stocked and are a great option for a family outing.

Shop our House of Harrop Fly selection!

Silver Creek

PMD’s 14,16

Baetis 18,20

Callibaetis

Green Drakes

Harrop’s Baetis 18,20

Callibaetis Duns

Spinners 14,16

Cripples 14, 16

Tan & Olive Caddis 16,18

Damsel Nymph

The Big Wood

Green Drakes

Green Drake Nymphs

Cripples

Big Drys

Beaded Nymphs 12

Rubber Leg Stone

Pheasant Tails

Hares Ear

Prince Nymphs

Warm Springs

Turk’s Tarantulas

Royal Stimulators

Parachute Hare’s Ears

Pheasant Tail

Prince Nymph

Green Drake Nymph

Streamers

Woolly Buggers 8,10

Rubber Leg Stone

Rainbow Warrior

Bishop’s Dynamite

Lower & Upper Big Lost

Yellow Stones 12

Yellow Sallies 16

Prince Nymphs

San Juan Worm

Rubber Legged Stone

Zebra Midge 16, 18

Rainbow Warrior 16,18

Bishop’s Dynamite 16,18

Stillwater Options

Seal Buggers

Pops Buggers

Prince Nymphs

Copper Johns

Chironomids

Damsel Nymphs

Callibaetis Nymphs

The Salmon

Large Stimulators

Salmon Flies

Beaded Nymphs 16 -12

Large Stone Flies

South Fork of the Boise

Heavy Rubber Legged Stone Fly Nymphs

Big Foamy Drys

Streamers

Printable version of Dave’s Prescribed Flies

“If I fished only to capture fish, my fishing trips would have ended long ago.” – Zane Grey

photo by Skooter Gardiner

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Fishing Forecast June 5th – 12th

Wednesday, 05 June, 2013 11:14 Written by Dave Faltings

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This is the time of year I begin to feel a bit like the legendary Paul Revere heralding the arrival of the Redcoats. Only my refrain is, “The Brown Drakes are coming! The Brown Drakes are Coming!” All signs suggest this is the week. The weather is going to be beautiful. The water temperature is right. In fact, a few bugs have already been sighted. And, except during really cold and wet years, the Drakes always make an appearance the first or second week of June. Whether you plan to camp out by the Creek and be there the first night it happens, or you decide to wait for the official word that it is on, come on down to the shop and we will help you prepare your boxes with all the right flies for this fantastic hatch. The wonderful thing about this June, as opposed to years past, is that the Brown Drakes and the Creek are not the only option when it comes to fishing right now. The South Fork is at a great level for floating. The Wood is clear and fishable as well Warm Springs. Even the Lost below Mackay is an option. And our local stillwaters are on fire. We are still a few weeks away from optimum fishing conditions on many of our rivers, but anglers are finding a nice variety of fishing opportunities already.

Silver Creek
The fish are already starting to wise up on the Creek and you will need to be on your “A” game to fool these trout. The hatches during the day are decent and you can expect to find mostly Baetis in size 18, along with some PMDs and Callibaetis in size 16 depending on which part of the river you are on. You may even see some Green Drakes if you are on the upper Preserve. You will need to use a long leader (12 ft.) and fine tippet (6X) with a classic fly first presentation if you find consistently feeding fish. When you have a light hatch and sporadic feeders that are difficult to pin down, try a dry dropper rig. For a dry, try a terrestrial or a large PMD trailed by a small (size 16 to 20) Pheasant Tail or a Barr’s Emerger, beaded or non- beaded. If the wind blows the terrestrial fishing should be good. You might also try swinging a Black Leech or swimming a Damsel Nymph. If you do this, be sure you tippet is stout enough to handle an aggressive take.

The Big Wood
The Wood is hanging around 700 CFS and may go up even more with the warm weather. Still the clarity is good and will remain clear as long as Warm Springs and Trail Creek keep dropping and stay clear. Despite how good it looks, the wading this time of year is dangerous. As a result of this, the access is limited. Please be sure and wade with cation and respect private property. That said, if you do want to fish the Wood, you will find the fish right next to the bank this time of year conserving their energy and letting the heavy water roll on by. Also fishing the side channels is very good this time of year, although you will still find some fish still on redds. Please leave them alone. Try fishing big dries like Turk’s Tarantula, Royal Stimulators, or Parachute Hare’s Ears with a large beaded Pheasant Tail, Prince Nymph, or Green Drake nymphs along the banks and slow drop offs. We are still a couple weeks out from the good Green Drake Fishing, but the nymphs are very active right now and big nymphs trailed behind big drys is a great way to find some fantastic wild rainbows right now. Streamers, like Black, Olive, or Brown Woolly Buggers in size 8 or 10 are also very effective this time of year. Of course, double nymph rigs with an indicator off a suspended sighter, like a Thingamabobber, will produce. Go with a big and ugly Rubber Leg Stone followed by a Green Drake Nymph, a Prince Nymph, a Rainbow Warrior, or Bishop ‘s Dynamite.

Big Lost River Upper & Lower
Below Mackay, the flows have stabilized at about 470 CFS which is a difficult, but not impossible level to fish. It is hard to say whether this river will continue to rise, so if you plan to fish here, keep your eye on the Idaho River Flows page (use the link on our website). The upper Lost will follow the same pattern as the Wood and I have heard reports of people picking up a few fish in the upper reaches of the Copper Basin already. Still I expect the good fishing up here to be a few weeks off yet.

South Fork of the Boise
The South Fork is holding steady at 1600 CFS. This is a good level for floating. The fish will be tight to the banks and concentrated in the side channels. This time of year is typically a bit slow on the South Fork. This fishery will get good once the Salmon Fly hatch begins later in June. If you go, have an assortment of heavy rubber legged stone fly nymphs for the riffles and some big foamy drys for working the banks. Streamers might pick up a big Bull Trout as well.

Stillwater Options
Our stillwaters are fishing very well right now. Magic, Mackay or Duck Valley are good options whether you want to float tube, pontoon, our fish from a boat. Be sure to always have a safety whistle and a life jacket. And watch out for those high winds which can blow this time of year. In June, I like to pull Seal buggers and Pops buggers in black or olive off of a sinking line like a type 3 or 5 or suspend a team of nymphs off an indicator like Prince nymphs, Copper Johns, or classic Chironomids with a floating line. If it stays warm, you might also consider pulling some Damsel or Callibaetis nymphs. This is also a good time to consider going to CJ Strike to chase carp or the Bruneau Sand Dunes for bass and bluegill. Whatever you decide to do, come on by the shop and we will hook you up with the best flies for your situation.

Warm Springs
This is simply a smaller version of the Wood and I would fish it the same way as outlined above. If you find water that is not moving to fast, you will find fish. This time of year all the fish should be wild. I have not heard of any stocking happening yet except for Penny lake and Lake Creek.

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Many men go fishing their entire lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.~ Henry David Thoreau

photo by Terry Ring

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Fishing Forecast September 26th – October 3rd

Wednesday, 26 September, 2012 14:31 Written by Dave Faltings

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Classic fall weather is in the forecast as well as classic fall fishing. The mornings will be crisp with lows in the 20s and the high temps will reach the low 70s most of the week. You will also notice that they average water temperatures have dropped to toe numbing levels. For anglers this means there is no reason to get out too early. If you do go early, wear some layers that you can peel off as the day warms up. As for the fish and the bugs, they will wait until the air temp hits about 50 and then it is game on. The best fishing will be from midday until early evening. You will find the fishing will shut down just as quickly as it turned on.

Silver Creek
This is a great time of year to go explore sections of the Creek that you may not have fished in a while. Maybe go checkout Priest Rapids or the Lower Little Wood, which is basically the Creek in the desert south of Carey. These areas have a ton of hoppers and fish eagerly eating them. While the fish are on average smaller in these sections they also hold the occasional trophy. Remember, the Taylor “Bear Tracks” section of the Little Wood closes the end of October. If you head to the Nature Conservancy or Kilpatrick’s Pond, expect to find the usual array of fall bugs. In the late morning we are still seeing some Tricos mixed with Baetis. Afternoons are a mix of Baetis and Callibaetis along with the occasional Mahogany Dun. Terrestrials are always a good bet when the wind blows, but the fish are getting weary of hoppers. Ants and beetles have been more consistent. Also small Baetis nymphs and Zebra nymphs are producing fish as well when all else fails. This is also a good time to start looking for big browns moving about in the early stages of the fall spawn. You will often find these monsters holding in shallow water with gravel bottoms. These aggressive browns are suckers for a well played streamer. Take your 6WT and rig it with a long fluorocarbon leader to 2x. Cast slightly down and across and allow the streamer to sink to the level of the fish before you start a twitch strip during the swing. I like to tickle the fish on the nose with the fly to initiate a chase. When you feel a take, strip to set the hook before you lift the rod. Streamers always get some kind of response from the fish…either they spook or they chase, so plan on covering a ton of water. If you find the browns on redds, leave them alone. Instead, target the fish just down stream.

Big Wood River
The Wood is fall fishing Nirvana. The Hecuba, the last big bug of the season, has been good on the middle part of the river up to Lake Creek. Even if you are not seeing any around, the fish are keying on them. The Baetis (size 20) are also very strong and should keep the fish occupied most of the day. To imitate this fly you can use any size 18 or 20 parachute or hackled pattern. I prefer the olive gulper special with an orange post or any of the Harrop Baetis patterns. Also look for a small ginger colored Crane Fly to be skittering across the surface. I have been using a tan Elk Hair Caddis brushed with Frogs Fanny to imitate this bug with good results. Cast it down and across on a long leader and with an elevated rod tip and skate it across the surface. On the lower Wood, flying ants have been abundant and any size 16 ant pattern will do. Also the nymphing has been outstanding. The best method is to fish a high floating dry, like an Parachute Ant, a hopper or a Hecuba, with a small baetis nymph or Zebra midge (size 18) trialing behind. Whether you are dry fly fishing, dry dropper, or straight line nymphing, a Tenkara rod can do them all…and the extra length of these rods really makes presentation a breeze. The Wood and Tenkara are a perfect match! I would recommend the 11 or 12 foot Iwana or the 13 foot Ayu. Two more bits of advice…with the cool mornings, the fishing has really been best from around noon till the sun leaves the water. And keep in mind, the fish are spread out in every type of water with the biggest fish in the shallow riffles and tailouts.

Big Lost River below Mackay
This is a great fall fishing option if you are willing to make the hour plus drive over Trail Creek. Flows are at 300 CFS and they have been holding steady, but they may drop even more over the next week. As the morning air loses its chill, there will be some Tricos and good numbers of Baetis through the middle of the day. Look for heads in the seams and in the slow tailouts. The big fish usually group together during these feeding times, so be on the lookout for them. When the bugs are gone, be prepared to nymph. Also when the bugs are gone it is harder to find the bigger fish. But a persistent nymph fisherman will find a few. Like the Wood, this is a great river to play with a Tenkara Rod. For the bigger fish I recommend the 13 and a half foot Amago, but a 12 foot Iwana is also good. These longer rods will really help you get a good drift on the seam sippers. And it is possible to land big fish with these rods; I have seen many fish in the 18 to twenty inch class tamed by a Tenkara rod. To successfully land these monsters, you will need to use your feet to move with the fish and utilize the incredible leverage the rods provide to turn a straight run from a fish into a curved one. As always, I would not be without the following bugs in my box: Crane Flies, Tricos ( size 22-24), Baetis (size 18-20) and an assortment of nymphs such as King Princes (size 12, 14), San Juan Worms, Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14, 16), Bishop’s Dynamite (size 14, 16, 18), Zebra Midge (size 16,18) WD40s (size 18,20) and Rainbow Warriors (size 16,18,20).

Upper Big Lost
The water in this part of the Lost is low and cold, so focus your attention on the Main Stem of the Upper Lost from the North Fork confluence and down and plan on fishing from about noon on till the sun leaves the water. Since the river is low, the fish are spread out. You can expect there to be maybe one good fish per run with only one legitimate chance at getting a strike…so make it count. The fishing is best from the middle of the day into the late afternoon. Don’t expect to see too many bugs and be prepared to cover a lot of ground to find fish. The Whitefish are eager to eat a fly and a few quality Rainbows, Cutbows, Brook Trout, and Cutthroat can be found as well. If you are looking for huge numbers of trout, stick to the Wood, but if you want to search gorgeous water for that one fantastic trout, give this a try. And you are guaranteed solitude. Take along an assortment of your favorite attractor dry flies and nymphs as well as your standard parachute patterns: Parachute Hare’s Ear, Turk’s Tarantulas, PMX, Royal Wulffs, King Prince, Flashback PTs and Zebra Midge.

Salmon River
Despite the fire, there are fishing opportunities in this area. Check with us about road closures if you plan on fishing beyond Stanley, but there are plenty of good access points along the river above the town of Stanley. For flies, I still like Yellow and Orange Stimulators even though the Stones are long gone and attractors such as Turk’s Tarantula as well as Hoppers work great. Nymphs, such as Tungsten PTs and Rainbow Warriors in size 16 tied of the back of these big bugs will also be good producers.

Warm Springs & Trail Creek
If you like stocking fish in shallow water, than you might give these two Big Wood tributaries a go. The water will be very low and the wild fish will be shy. During the summer Fish and Game stocks these rivers around the bridges and anywhere the rivers near the road and some of these fish will still be around. But, if you seek wild fish, just leave the beaten path and explore. Be stealthy. As long as the fish are not scared they will eat the usual attractor drys and nymphs.

South Fork of the Boise
The flows have dropped to around 300 CFS and is perfect for wade fishing. As always, look for Pinks and Flavs along with fall Baetis during the comfortable times of the day. Also expect to see crane flies skittering about followed by a vicious take. The caddis in the evenings have remained quite strong and it is still worth fishing right to dark during these unseasonable warm days. If you find no bugs about, you might try a hopper as well. Nymphing is also going to be productive with the usual suspects such as PTs (size 16-20), Zebra Midge (size 18,20), as well as stoneflies and caddis larva imitations. I like nymphing with either a stone or caddis larva as an anchor fly along with a smaller midge or mayfly imitation when nothing else is going on.

Area Reservoirs
It is that time of year when I begin thinking about spending some time on one of our local reservoirs again. Little Camas, Magic, Mackay, or Duck Valley are all going to be fantastic options this time of year. The fish are going to be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches bigger from this spring and just like their brethren in the river they will begin to feed voraciously to fatten up for the onset of winter. So grab some fins and a tube and hold on to your rods…reservoir fish are hot!

Printable List

Everyone should believe in something. I believe I’ll go fishing.~ Thoreau

photo by Terry Ring

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Fishing Forecast September 19th – 26th

Wednesday, 19 September, 2012 12:34 Written by Dave Faltings

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There is nothing finer than spending the days leading up to and beyond the Autumnal Equinox than fly fishing the rivers of the Sun Valley region. Add to that the opportunity to view the full line of rifles, shotguns and handguns in the Beretta Mobile Showroom at our downtown store while eating sliders and sipping complementary cold beverages, and you have a recipe to make the first official day of fall the best day of the year. While we have been enjoying some fall like conditions already with cool mornings and a few cloudy days, as we officially transition into fall we should continue to experience fantastic fishing. A few golden leaves are beginning to line the edges of our freestones and intermittent patches of brilliant yellow can be seen. The water temps are nice and cool, ranging from the high 40s to the mid 50s depending on the day and where you are on the river. These cooler water temps are triggering the bugs of fall to hatch and signaling to the fish that it is time to fatten up before the onset of winter. All true anglers know…the next several weeks are the best time to be on the water. Sliders, beers, bugs, trout and guns…what more could we ask for?

Silver Creek
If you are heading down to the Creek be prepared for a variety of situations. On the unseasonably warm days, you may still find a few Tricos mixed with some Baetis on the water by midmorning and into the middle of the day. This hatch may be strong enough to get the small fish into pods but may not get the larger fish involved on the surface. To get the bigger fish, you might try running a dry dropper rig through the runs where you can see the bigger fish holding. A hopper with a small beaded or non-beaded pheasant tail is a good option. Also Zebra midge and WD40s can be effective. On the cloudy days, expect the Baetis in size 22 and 24 to be the dominate hatch. These hatches are generally strong enough to get most all the fish involved on surface feeding. You will need a long leader down to 6x, and as always on the Creek, you should position yourself so the fish see the fly first and not the leader. Of course, the Callibaetis (size 18) are still going to be a factor latter in the day in the pond and sloughs. The Mahogany Duns (size 16) will also keep getting stronger. When I see this bug on the water, often I will switch to it as the fish may tend to prefer it over all the other options available. Still my favorite option this time of year is terrestrial fishing. On windy days, I will shorten my leader down to a stout 4x and tie on a hopper or an ant and cover the likely water: cut banks, drop offs, channels between the weeds, etc. I prefer to do this from a float tube so I can cover a ton of water. The takes can be spectacular. If you do this from a tube, be prepared for the cold water and wear an extra layer under your waders. Float tubing this time of year can be frigid. Another option on windy days is to head to one of the sloughs. These fish will often feed heavily during windy conditions and anglers can really capitalize on this.

Big Wood River
Good bugs, eager trout and few other fishermen all make September on the Wood an angler’s paradise. The fish can be found in every part of a run from the shallow riffles at the top to the shallow tailouts at the bottom. In the shallow tailouts, I like fishing small parachute patterns in size 18 and 20 like a Gulper Special or a Harrop’s Baetis. You might consider using a flying ant or a small ginger Crane fly as well. These fish are skittish so use long leaders and 6x. Approach the fish from above and employ a slack line cast and allow it to drift fly first on these selective feeders. There is no need to make repetitive blind casts on these fish, instead patiently wait for a fish to show itself and then make a cast. For the shallow riffles, a small nymph tied off a Hecuba or a hopper will do the trick. The Hecubas are coming on strong in the afternoons, especially if there is some cloud cover. And if the fish are in the shallow, fast water they are mostly picking off the Baetis nymphs and emergers, so a small beaded Baetis nymph will be best. When fishing the big bugs, like the Red Quill, a hopper, or an ant you can easily get away with using 5x, but you still need to exercise caution. Nymphing the deeper water on the Wood this time of year can also be extremely productive. A simple dry dropper rig is very effective. Simply match the length of your tippet to your dropper with the depth of the water. For nymphs try a small size 16 or 18 Zebra Midge in red or black, a bead head pheasant tail, Bishop’s Dynamite, or Rainbow Warrior. For all the above mentioned nymphs, I prefer tungsten beads to help get them down to the fish. If you go, the best fishing is from about midmorning till early afternoon.

Big Lost River below Mackay
The Kokanee are still above the reservoir and their numbers should start to decrease since they hit their peak last week. Many anglers have been taking advantage of this, and the fishing is beginning to get tough due to pressure. But the fishing below the reservoir remains very good. Last week the flows dropped to around 300 CFS and they have been holding steady; however, as the need for irrigation down stream decreases we may see they flows go down again. Check the Idaho River Flows link on our website to see current flows before you go. Otherwise things haven’t change much from last week. Look for Tricos and Baetis from late morning and through the middle of the day. When the bugs are gone, be prepared to nymph. Of late, the fish are harder to hook, which may be because of the pressure they are under from anglers. The key to success on these fish is contact with your flies. European Nymphing techniques will increase your catch rate dramatically. For bugs, be sure to have Crane Flies, Tricos ( size 22-24), Baetis (size 18-20) and an assortment of nymphs such as King Princes (size 12, 14), San Juan Worms, Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14, 16), Bishop’s Dynamite (size 14, 16, 18), Zebra Midge (size 16,18) WD40s (size 18,20) and Rainbow Warriors (size 16,18,20).

Upper Big Lost
The reports have been mixed all summer on this fishery and the September reports have been no different. Still if you decide to go, the best action is happening on the Main Stem of the Upper Lost from the North Fork confluence and down. The river is low and the fish are spread out. You can expect there to be maybe one good fish per run with only one legitimate chance at getting a strike…so make it count. The fishing is best from the middle of the day into the late afternoon. Don’t expect to see too many bugs and be prepared to cover a lot of ground to find fish. The Whitefish are eager to eat a fly and a few quality Rainbows, Cutbows, Brook Trout, and Cutthroat can be found as well. If you are looking for huge numbers of trout, stick to the Wood, but if you want to search gorgeous water for that one fantastic trout, give this a try. And you are guaranteed solitude. Take along an assortment of your favorite attractor dry flies and nymphs as well as your standard parachute patterns: Parachute Hare’s Ear, Turk’s Tarantulas, PMX, Royal Wulffs, King Prince, Flashback PTs and Zebra Midge.

Salmon River
Despite the fire, there are fishing opportunities in this area. Most days are clear of smoke and it is worth the trip just to see the Sawtooths against the blue sky of September. Check with us about road closures if you plan on fishing beyond Stanley, but there are plenty of good access points along the river above the town of Stanley. For flies, I still like Yellow and Orange Stimulators even though the Stones are long gone and attractors such as Turk’s Tarantula as well as Hoppers work great. Nymphs, such as Tungsten PTs and Rainbow Warriors in size 16 tied of the back of these big bugs will also be good producers.

Warm Springs & Trail Creek
If you like stocking fish in shallow water, than you might give these two Big Wood tributaries a go. The water will be very low and the wild fish will be shy. During the summer Fish and Game stocks these rivers around the bridges and anywhere the rivers near the road and some of these fish will still be around. But, if you seek wild fish, just leave the beaten path and explore. Be stealthy. As long as the fish are not scared they will eat the usual attractor drys and nymphs.

South Fork of the Boise
The flows have dropped to around 500 CFS. This is the level when the wade fishermen take back the river and the armada of drift boats disappear. As always, look for Pinks and Flavs along with fall Baetis during the comfortable times of the day. Also expect to see craneflies skittering about followed by a vicious take. The caddis in the evenings have remained quite strong and it is still worth fishing right to dark during these unseasonable warm days. If you find no bugs about, you might try a hopper as well. Nymphing is also going to be productive with the usual suspects such as PTs (size 16-20), Zebra Midge (size 18,20), as well as stoneflies and caddis larva imitations. I like nymphing with either a stone or caddis larva as an anchor fly along with a smaller midge or mayfly imitation when nothing else is going on.

Area Reservoirs
It is that time of year when I begin thinking about spending some time on one of our local reservoirs again. Little Camas, Magic, Mackay, or Duck Valley are all going to be fantastic options this time of year. The fish are going to be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches bigger from this spring and just like their brethren in the river they will begin to feed voraciously to fatten up for the onset of winter. So grab some fins and a tube and hold on to your rods…reservoir fish are hot!

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Everyone should believe in something. I believe I’ll go fishing.~ Thoreau

photo by Terry Ring

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Fishing Forecast September 12th – 19th, 2012

Wednesday, 12 September, 2012 16:48 Written by Dave Faltings

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Few individuals are as keenly aware of the changes of season as the angler…and the fall is one of the angler’s most revered seasons. From the subtle changes in air and water temperature which shift hatches back to the middle of the day like a moveable feast, to trout feeding with urgency upon the fall insects as the days grow ever shorter with the approach of winter, the angler bears witness to all these changes with great anticipation. Anglers fishing our waters can expect classic September conditions. Temperatures are going to be bouncing from highs in the 50s to the low 70s over the next week and the morning lows will definitely bring a chill to the air. This cooler air should trigger some terrific Baetis action on all our rivers. Red Quills are gaining strength and Mahogany Duns should follow suit. Also with the cooler temperatures, there will be no need to get up early and the evening fishing will shut down even before the sun drops. All the freestones have low flows and the area tailwaters are dropping to more wadable levels.

Silver Creek
This is a fun time of year to be on the Creek. The browns are getting randy and the crowds are gone. Expect to find short windows of really good dry fly fishing with Baetis and Callibaetis in the late morning between 11 and 2. On cloudy, cooler days the Baetis in size 22 and 24 can really be fantastic. The Callibaetis (size 18) are still present in the middle of the day, especially on the slower stretches. More and more Mahogany Duns are being spotted and should become a good option over the next few weeks. Sometimes the trout really seem to prefer this size 16 bug over the plethora of Baetis on the water. When the wind blows use a hopper, an ant, or a beetle. The wind is always a blessing on the Creek when the hatches are weak. These fish lose all their inhibitions with a chop on the surface and anglers can really capitalize on this using a terrestrial. This is also a good time of year to experiment with nymphing on the Creek. The best method is to use a dry with a nymph dropper suspended above the weeds. Cover a lot of water with this method and try to keep the flies isolated in the channels between the tall weeds. If you can find deeper holding water you might try using a traditional indicator to help suspend a heavier nymph or nymphs. Trouthunter Fluorocarbon tippet in size 5 and 6x really is essential. Fluoro is heavier than nylon and helps get the flies down. For nymphs, try using pheasant tails (with or without beads), Zebra midges, WD40s, Barr’s Emergers, RS2s all in size 16, 18, 20, 24. You might also consider pulling a streamer through some of the gravelly bottom stretches of the Creek to try and entice a territorial brown. We have a great streamer collection from the traditional Woolley Bugger to the multiple One Fly winning Double Bunny. This can be a great method during low light conditions or if you see a very aggressive brown chasing fish around a hole.

Big Wood River
The Wood is one of my favorite fall fisheries. The water is low but the fish are still spread out from the fast shallow riffles to the slow tailouts at the bottom of a run. I like fishing small parachute patterns in size 16 and 18 like a Purple Haze or a Gulper Special. You might run into some flying ants this time of year, so always have a few in your box. If I am going to search water with a single terrestrial, I will often choose an ant over a hopper on this river. The Red Quills are coming on strong as well. Since the water is low, you need to use 6x and a 9 foot or longer leader when fishing the smaller flies. Approach the water with caution and scan the shallow edges and tailouts or you will spook more fish than you catch. When fishing the big bugs, like the Red Quill, a hopper, or an ant you can easily get away with using 5x, but you still need to exercise caution. Nymphing the Wood this time of year can be extremely productive. A simple dry dropper rig is very effective. Trailing a small size 16 or 18 Zebra Midge in red or black, a bead head pheasant tail, Bishop’s Dynamite, or Rainbow Warrior can turn a slow day around. For all the above mentioned nymphs, I prefer tungsten beads to help get them down to the fish.

Big Lost River below Mackay
As Mackay reservoir cools it signals the land locked Sockeye, called Kokanee, to run up the river and spawn. The upper river is full of these red fish and anglers looking to experience a slice of Alaskan style angling can find it here. Look for the rainbows to be lurking in the midst of these spawners. Egg patterns are a good choice and even flesh flies will have their time as the Kokanee begin to die and rot. Below the reservoir the flows continue to drop. As of today, the flows are around 300 and may continue to drop even more over the next few weeks. Check the Idaho River Flows link on our website to see current flows. The Tricos and Baetis are still hatching but the cooler temperatures have moved the bug activity to the late morning and through the middle of the day. When the bugs are gone be prepared to nymph. Of late, the fish are harder to hook, which may be because of the pressure they are under from anglers. The key to success on these fish is contact with your flies. European Nymphing techniques will increase your catch rate dramatically. For bugs, be sure to have Crane Flies, Tricos ( size 22-24), Baetis (size 18-20) and an assortment of nymphs such as King Princes (size 12, 14), San Juan Worms, Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14, 16), Bishop’s Dynamite (size 14, 16, 18), Zebra Midge (size 16,18) WD40s (size 18,20) and Rainbow Warriors (size 16,18,20).

Upper Big Lost
Many anglers give up on this fishery this time of year, but good fishing can still be found. The best action is happening on the Main Stem of the Upper Lost from the North Fork confluence and down. The river is low and the fish are spread out. You can expect there to be maybe one good fish per run with only one legitimate chance at getting a strike…so make it count. The fishing is best from the middle of the day into the late afternoon. Don’t expect to see too many bugs and be prepared to cover a lot of ground to find fish. The Whitefish are eager to eat a fly and a few quality Rainbows, Cutbows, Brook Trout, and Cutthroat can be found as well. As I said last week, if you are looking for huge numbers of trout, stick to the Wood, but if you want to search gorgeous water for that one fantastic trout, give this a try. Take along an assortment of your favorite attractor dry flies and nymphs as well as your standard parachute patterns: Parachute Hare’s Ear, Turk’s Tarantulas, PMX, Royal Wulffs, King Prince, Flashback PTs and Zebra Midge.

Salmon River
Check with us about road closures in this area due to the fire. The fishing can be good and the smoke has been intermittent with a majority of the smoke blowing to the North. Right now the only part of the river that is accessible is the stretch from Four Acres to the town of Stanley and the fishing has been fair. For flies, I still like Yellow and Orange Stimulators even though the Stones are long gone and attractors such as Turk’s Tarantula as well as Hoppers work great. Also, the Spruce Moth is still taking fish and can provide excellent dry fly fishing. Nymphs, such as Tungsten PTs and Dynamites in size 16 tied of the back of these big bugs will also be good producers.

Warm Springs & Trail Creek
These rivers are low and provide a great alternative for those seeking a small stream experience but don’t have the time to drive over the hill to the Upper Lost. Fish and Game has stocked these rivers around the bridges and anywhere the rivers near the road. If you wish to seek wild fish, just leave the beaten path and explore. Expect to see rusty Spinners, Caddis, Ants, Hoppers, and some Spruce Moths.

South Fork of the Boise
The flows have come down to a very wadable 595 CFS and things are turning the corner on this fantastic tailwater fishery. The flotilla of drift boats are gone and wade fisherman will now rule the waterway. Look for Pinks and Flavs along with fall Baetis to be the main course. Also craneflies will be seen skittering about with a few caddis still lingering in the evenings. If you find no bugs about, you might try a hopper as well. Nymphing is also going to be productive with the usual suspects such as PTs (size 16-20), Zebra Midge (size 18,20), as well as stoneflies and caddis larva imitations. I like nymphing with either a stone or caddis larva as an anchor fly along with a smaller midge or mayfly imitation when nothing else is going on. Fall fishing on this river can truly be spectacular.

Area Reservoirs
It is that time of year when I begin thinking about spending some time on one of our local reservoirs again. Little Camas, Magic, Mackay, or Duck Valley are all going to be fantastic options this time of year. The fish are going to be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches bigger from this spring and just like their brethren in the river they will begin to feed voraciously to fatten up for the onset of winter. So grab some fins and a tube and hold on to your rods…reservoir fish are hot!