Fishing Forecast

  “Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.” – Isaac Asimov Certainly, a mentor or a guide can help; however, the best way to learn is by doing the thing. Silver Creek The Brown Drakes started last week as predicted. Thanks to the warmer-than-average weather pattern, the Drakes came earlier than usual, and with the…

  “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain Let the current tug, the wind tangle, the rejection teach. Surrender to the…

Photo: Sofia DeWolfe “The pleasure isn't in doing the thing, the pleasure is in planning it.” – John Green Perhaps Mr. Green has never been fly fishing. The anticipation, the doing, and the memories of the thing are all good. Silver Creek The Nature Conservancy and Kilpatrick Pond will open on Saturday, May 23rd. The Preserve is celebrating its 50…

Photo: Alex Long “The river is time, and we are always within it -- even when we think we're standing dry-footed on the bank, watching the current pass.” – Robert Macfarlane Fly fishing isn’t about stepping into a river as an outsider. It’s about realizing you never stepped out in the first place. Silver Creek The Nature Conservancy and Kilpatrick…

Photo: @ Sofia DeWolfe “When one flower blooms spring awakens everywhere” – John O'Donohue Spring doesn’t arrive all at once on a river. It awakens quietly. Read the water and look for signs. Check clarity, flows, and temperatures. When ready, cast a question and wait for feedback: a bug emerges, a trout breaks the surface, a line tightens. Keep asking…

Photo: @ Sofia DeWolfe “If you do not know which port you are seeking, no wind is favorable.” – Seneca Anglers who feel adrift are usually the ones who focus on results rather than process. The Big Wood The Wood and all its tributaries are closed until May 23rd. Flows on the Wood have been up and down since March,…

“The future ain't what it used to be.” – Yogi Berra While forecasting is an imperfect craft, let’s begin with what we know: This has been the warmest winter on record (NOAA). As a result, the snowpack in Idaho is at historic lows, despite precipitation levels being at or near average. Furthermore, NOAA is predicting a warmer and drier than…

Photo By: David Reiley “Obsessions are the only things that matter.” – Patricia Highsmith While on the water, cracking the code demands presence. Let that focused, almost unreasonable attention be the point. Enjoy the process no matter the end. Silver Creek With the unseasonable warm weather, float tubing in Kilpatrick pond doesn’t sound so crazy. But floating days are numbered;…

Photo By: Alex Long “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet Anglers know that the time between seasons offers a rare balance. After the frigid days of winter and before the roiling waters of runoff, spring’s prologue can…

Photo By: Alex Long “Always play the hand you have, not the one you wish you had.” – Garry Tan When the hatch wanes, the wind wails, or the current runs swift, the best anglers don’t complain; they simply adjust. Silver Creek The recent storm cycle is delivering a mix of much needed rain and snow to the area around…