Fishing Forecast

“You can't always get what you want/ But if you try sometime/ You'll find/ You get what you need.” – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards Sometimes, you get both what you want and need. We need water and with the temps rising, so will the rivers. But if you want to fish, there are still some very good options. The…

“We never live; we are always in the expectation of living.” – Voltaire For those who have been waiting, it is time to fish. The Big Wood Flows have dropped all the way down to 700 CFS from a peak of 1700 CFS during the early May heat wave. Warmer temps are in the forecast and the flows will come…

“Once you've started, you're halfway there.” – Horace For those counting the days, the season opener is nearly upon us. For those who can’t wait, there are several decent fishing opportunities to take advantage of right now. Either way, you are halfway there. The Big Wood Flows peaked at just over 1700 CFS during the early May heat wave, but…

“That sanguine expectation of happiness which is happiness itself” – Jane Austen Rivers rise and seasons end. With sanguine expectation and burning patience, anglers must abide. This is a good time of year to take inventory of your gear and restock flies. Your next fishing adventure is just around the bend. The Big Wood and South Fork of the Boise…

“More details explain things more, but less details confuse things less.” – David James Duncan Rivers follow patterns which make forecasting easy. However, the weather can be unpredictable which makes forecasting difficult. Understanding this paradox, as well as the seasonal flux of water, confuses things less when it comes to deciding to fish or not to fish. Simply put, doing…

“Weather forecast for tonight: dark.” – George Carlin There is no certainty in water flow forecasting, but the Natural Resources Conservation Service is predicting normal streamflows for the upcoming season. This means the freestone rivers in the region will be high through June but coming into shape in early July. So, here is the definitive fishing forecast for the upcoming…

“It happened in Sun Valley/ Not so very long ago/ There were sunbeams in the snow/ And a twinkle in your eyes/ I remember oh!” – Glen Miller This is a wonderful place to make memories that last a lifetime. Let the river be part of your story this March. The Big Wood As you can imagine, with the World…

“Be humble after but not during the action.” – Ernest Hemingway The greatest lesson the river and its inhabitants teach is humility. The Big Wood March is special on the Wood, especially on cloudy days; the midge fishing can be spectacular. Regardless of the weather conditions, it is best to be on the water from about midday till 4 PM.…

Photo Credit: Ed Northen “If you dig a hole and it's in the wrong place, digging it deeper isn't going to help.” – Seymour Chwast Successful winter angling is more than just being in the right place. You also need to be there at the right time, with the right fly, and make the right presentation. The Big Wood The…

“We could keep talking about the river or we could just get in.” – Jeff Tweedy Planning and preparation are important for a day of winter angling; however, the doing of the thing is paramount. The Big Wood February is a special time on the Wood. The days are a tad longer and this current storm cycle has brought the…