Synopsis
Plenty of fishing opportunity awaits around Sun Valley. There are still only a few areas where high water is preventing excellent fishing, but the vast majority of our waters are presenting blue ribbon opportunities. With August upon us, one can get ready for several big events, including the peak of Trico and Hopper season on Silver Creek, the emergence of the evening Caddis on the Big Wood, fishable flows on the Lost River and the occasional, but enormous appearances of Flying Ants on all our waters!
Silver Creek
The Creek is fishing really well right now. The Trico spinner fall is still the event anglers are targeting the most and it has been a good season for this insect. There have been a few windy days when things don’t go right, but there always are. For the most part Trico activity has been strong from Point of Rocks up through the Nature Conservancy waters. August is traditionally Trico time, so expect some really big spinner falls in the coming mornings this month. Baetis, P.M.D. and Callibaetis are also in the mix as the spinner fall dies off late in the morning. The Callibaetis afternoon activity should also begin to peak this month, although it will stay strong well into September. After the Trico spinner fall is over, get some lunch and then return to the water. If it is calm, target the Callibaetis on the slower water stretches near Kilpatrick, and if the wind is blowing, blind fish big Grasshopper patterns all over the Creek!
Big Wood River
August is Grasshopper, Rusty Spinner and Caddis time on the Big Wood River. In the mornings look for Tricos over flat water stretches and also have the Rusty Spinner handy to cover any random Mayfly spinner fall. These occurrences are also common in the evening. If you find rising fish, but can’t figure out what to show them, try the Rusty Spinner! The evening angler will also begin to see more and more Caddis, which should get the fish feeding well into the darkness. Make sure your fly boxes contain these two flies in the coming weeks. During the heat of the day, it is time to prospect with Grasshopper patterns. Cover lots of water and be ready for explosive strikes, especially from the rivers biggest fish. The traditional Dave’s Hopper is an excellent pattern on the Big Wood.
Upper Lost and Copper Basin
Stoneflies are still present and active in these high altitude fisheries. Grasshoppers are also coming on strong and a variety of Mayfly and Caddis are out and about including the Trico. The long and short of it, is fish your favorite attractor patterns in various sizes, you’ll catch plenty of fish. Time of day seems to be an issue more and more lately, so don’t give up if the fishing starts slow. The afternoons and evenings can be very productive.
Lost River
The Lost River continues to drop slowly and is becoming more and more accessible, although it will be another week or two before we hit the prime fishing flows. In the meantime strong anglers with very solid wading skills, who just can’t wait any longer can find some pretty decent fishing. Have some large beaded Nymphs for the heavy foam lines, skate Mackay Specials over the main body of the runs and have a few Parachute Adams in the box in the event of random hatches of Mayflies and Caddis. If you go, please be very, very careful.
South Fork of the Boise
This river is still at great drift boat flows, the South Fork of the Boise is entering prime Hopper season, while Pink Alberts in the heat of the day and late afternoon produce great riffle fishing when stopping to wade. If you have two anglers fishing from a boat, I would suggest a small Parachute Adams from the front casting position, and a big juicy Hopper from the rear of the boat. If you stop, have a Pink Albert cutt-wing emerger to fish at the very head of the riffles. Don’t forget to inspect the foam lines on the edge of the “frog-water†for big, but discretely feeding fish.
