Fishing Forecast June 12th – 19th

Wednesday, 12 June, 2013 15:17 Written by Dave Faltings

As predicted, last weeks warm weather brought out the Brown Drakes, and reminding us of the transience of all things, has already run its course. If you missed the action this year, be sure to put it on your bucket list for next year. The warm weather has also brought the Wood, the Upper Lost and the Salmon back up to runoff levels making them very difficult, if not down right dangerous, to fish. The Wood has doubled since the last forecast, but is showing signs of leveling off and next weeks weather forecast is calling for cooler temperatures which will bring the flows back down so stay tuned. In the wake of the Brown Drakes, we still have very good fishing opportunities on Silver Creek from the Preserve down to Point of Rocks. Warm Springs, a tributary to the Wood, is also fishing well. So if you are looking to treat your dad to some fishing on his special day, you should consider booking a guide trip to take advantage of some great early season fishing. If your dad needs to brush up his technique or even find a new hobby, we have a great special on our Fly Fishing 101 classes until the end of the month: A free two day class (FF101) with the purchase of any Sage rod! There are few things more important in life then spending some time on the water with your dad! Let us help you make it special.

Silver Creek
Post Brown Drake time on the Creek can be fickle. Most days will yield a fair number of bugs, but as always so much depends on the air temperature, the barometer, and the wind. The anglers who are successful this time of year need to be resourceful and adapt to the mutable nature of the Creek. If the bugs do hatch, you can expect to find mostly Baetis in size 18 and 20 along with some PMDs and Callibaetis in size 14 and 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. If you decide to stay until dark, the caddis will make an appearance if the air temps stay pleasant.

The Big Wood
The Wood is high. Wait for it to drop before you give this serious consideration. Of course, you could find fish in the side channels or even North of town, but really not enough water is fishable to make it worth your time. It won’t be long before the water is right and the Green Drakes will be out and about. Patience.

Big Lost River Upper & Lower
Below Mackay, the flows have gone to 549 CFS which is very high and difficult to wade. I would not recommend fishing this area until it begins to drop again. It is hard to say when this will happen, so 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. I expect the good fishing up here to be a couple weeks off yet.

South Fork of the Boise
The South Fork is holding steady at 1600 CFS which 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
With all the high water on our local freestones, lake, pond or reservoir fishing is a great idea 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. 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 a great alternative to the Wood if you want to fish a freestone right now. If you find water that is not moving to fast, you will find fish. 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.

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

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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 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 October 31st – November 14th

Wednesday, 31 October, 2012 17:24 Written by Dave Faltings

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“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul… I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball.”—Ishmael from Moby Dick

The best cure for the Shoulder Season blues is time spent plying our local waters in pursuit of trout. The trails may be too muddy to ride and the slopes may not yet be ready to ski, but the rivers beckon any angler seeking solitude. Grab your long johns, your fleece, your down filled jacket, your hat and your fingerless gloves. Fill up your thermos, top off your flask, and stuff your boxes with the bugs of winter. I account it high time to go fly fishing as soon as you can. Your Moby Dick awaits!

Silver Creek
The Creek is still fishing well enough to warrant a visit and with the light pressure this time of year you can really have your pick of the water. In general, the surface activity is spotty with the best action in the late afternoons with Baetis and midge. However, milder days in November can produce short, but intense Baetis hatches. The fish are really eager to eat, so any hatch activity can get the fish active both on the surface and subsurface. Nymphing with small midge and Baetis nymphs is very productive and streamers are turning some fish. Because of the cold water temps, be sure to layer up under your waders. If you still want to tube, you should consider using your old 5mm neoprene waders. The Brown spawning activity has really picked up and it is best just to leave these fish alone and please don’t wade through the redds. Remember, this is the last month to fish the Creek above the Highway 20 Bridge.

Big Wood River
The Wood is your best choice if you just want to get out for a few hours. The fishing is still really good in the late afternoons even though the hatches are starting to wane. Look for the fish to be holding in the slower water as they transition into their winter holds. For bugs, have your usual midge and Baetis dries and nymphs as well as some attractors. A dry dropper rig is deadly for suspending your midge or Baetis nymph at the right depth through the slower water. Keep adjusting the length of your dropper until you find the fish. Streamer fishing or swinging large nymphs can also be a good producer this time of year.

Lower Big Lost
Before you go, check the weather and the road conditions for Trail Creek Pass. We have had some early season snow and rain and more is in the forecast. If you can’t make it over the pass, it is still worth the trip through Arco and up to Mackay. The river below the dam is flowing around 100 CFS and at this level the fish are concentrated in the deeper runs and in the riffles at the head of these runs. Expect to find some Baetis and midge hatching in the afternoons. If you find risers, you will need long leaders down to 6x and small flies to match. The most consistent action will come on small beaded midge and Baetis nymphs fished off a dry or small indicator.

Salmon River
This is a beautiful time to make the drive over the hill and gaze upon the Sawtooth Mountains dusted with snow. The fishing slows down as the river temps drop, but knowledgeable nymph fishermen will still find fishing opportunities. Plan on nymphing a double nymph rig with a combination of a Prince Nymph, King Prince, Copper John or Caddis Pupae (sizes 12-14) through the deeper slow water and pockets during the warmest time of the day.

Steelhead
If you are considering heading to the Grande Ronde, the Clearwater, or the Lower Snake stop by the shop for the latest information and to stock up on flies. With the recent rain and snow, these fish have started to move.

South Fork of the Boise
This river is really one of the premier cold weather fisheries in the country and will provide excellent fishing opportunities from now all the way until March when the river closes. Use caution when driving the road from the rim to the river as it is often a sheet of ice. Studded snow tires, chains, and four wheel drive vehicles are a must. It is full of whitefish, rainbows, cutbows, and bull trout and with the low flows these fish will be concentrated in the best water. Midge will be the dominate insect with a smattering of Baetis on the warmer days. Nymphing with small classic tailwater flies as well as caddis and stoneflies in the slow riffles can also be productive.

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

photo by Bryan Huskey

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Fishing Forecast October 3rd – 17th

Wednesday, 03 October, 2012 10:27 Written by Dave Faltings

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With ski season less than two months away our days with highs in the 70s may be numbered. The weather forecast is calling for much cooler temperatures for the weeks ahead, so if you plan to spend the day wading our waters, dress for the season. The cooler temps will continue to shorten our fishing window and the bugs of summer, like the Trico and the Callibaetis, will fade away until next year. The Fall Baetis will continue to build momentum and the Mahogany Duns down at the Creek may finally get rolling. The fall foliage should hit its peak over the next few weeks and the spectacular fall scenery will be matched with spectacular fall fishing.

Silver Creek
The Creek is mostly empty this time of year allowing anglers the freedom to move about and pick the water they wish to fish. Choose from the Taylor “Bear Tracks” Little Wood stretch, Priest Rapids, Point of Rocks, the Willows, Kilpatrick’s Pond, Sullivan’s Slough, the Nature Conservancy walk and wade or the float tube only S-curves and you are sure to find fish and solitude. This time of year the choice of bugs dwindles to just a few options. Be prepared for lots of Baetis size 20 and 22 as well as Mahogany Duns size 16. You may find pockets of Tricos, maybe a few Callibaetis, even an occasional Damsel depending on where you are, but once the cooler temps take hold these will disappear. Terrestrials are still going to be a factor, especially on the windy days. The fish sense winter is coming and they need calories, so when the wind blows try hoppers, beetles and ants. You will find the big browns staging in preparation for the span in shallow water with gravel bottoms. When these fish are feeding they can be very aggressive; however, their passivity can be frustrating as well. Remember they have other things on their mind. Your best bet on these fish is a well placed nymph or streamer. If they are obviously in spawn mode (on redds), they can be fascinating to watch, but please don’t fish to them and always watch your step around the beds. The rainbows and immature browns are also very active and are feeding with abandon on any passing Baetis dry, emerger, or nymph. As with all our rivers this time of year, the best fishing will be from the middle of the day into the afternoon.

Big Wood River
This cold snap is really going to kick the Wood in to full fall fishing mode. The Hecubas are still making an appearance but their numbers are dwindling. This bug can be a great one to use if you are searching the water looking to bring a fish to the surface. Ants are a good option as well when searching likely water. The Baetis (size 20) are going to continue to be the best option and should continue to hatch throughout the warmest part 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, the nymphing continues to be 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. Target the shallow, dancing water at the head of runs and drift your dry dropper rig through the small depressions and behind any kind of structure. The fish are incredibly aggressive in this type of water and you should expect a strike the moment your flies touch the water. Many anglers miss these “induced takes” because they are too busy mending there lines. My best advice is too shorten your cast and your drift and pay less attention to line maintenance…simply get ready to “set the hook.” These fish are fast and they only give you one chance. Remember, with the cool mornings, the fishing has really been best from around noon till the sun leaves the water. And keep in mind, during these ideal fall conditions, the fish are spread out in every type of water with the biggest fish in the shallow riffles and tail outs.

Big Lost River below Mackay
This is a glorious place to spend a crisp fall day fishing. The Lost River Range seems to tower over the tops of the golden hued cottonwoods against the stark blue sky providing one of the most dramatic backdrops for fly fisherman anywhere in the world. Flows are now at 230 CFS and they may drop even more over the next two weeks. The fishing really should be good throughout the day once the air warms up enough to get the bugs going. Look for heads in the seams and in the slow tail outs sipping the Fall Baetis Duns and Spinners. And scan the shallow riffles for fish feeding on emergers. When the bugs are sporadic, be prepared to nymph. These fish should feed all day long in an effort to fatten up before winter takes hold of the river. 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
If you decide to fish this area be prepared to cover a lot of country. Persistent anglers will be rewarded with some glorious fish…just not very many. If it numbers you want go below Mackay or stay on the Wood. 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. 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 dries and nymphs.

South Fork of the Boise
Not much has changed here other than the fishing should continue to improve. The flows have dropped to around 300 CFS and are 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. 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. This is a great time of year to be on this water so get out there and take advantage of it!

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 Bryan Huskey

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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!

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

photo by Terry Ring

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