Photo Credit: Bob Knoebel
“They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of Being, the voice of perpetual Becoming.”
– Hermann Hesse
The voice of life, being, and becoming is about to roar. Warm weather is in the forecast which should accelerate the melt, especially of the low altitude snow. In the Wood River drainage the current snow water equivalent is a tad over 200%.
As stated in the previous report, June, and much of July, will be challenging months for local anglers and guides on our freestone streams. During comparable winters from 1983 and 2017, flows on the Wood did not drop below 1,000 CFS until the end of July making wading difficult to impossible and access limited.
Stay tuned to this forecast or call the store anytime for the latest information regarding flows and fishing. We are committed to providing the best information we can to help you plan your future fishing in and around Sun Valley.
Big Wood / Silver Creek / South Fork of the Boise
Opening day: Saturday, May 27th. You can expect the Wood and South Fork to be very high with spring runoff. The Creek, since it is spring feed, should be in good shape for opening day.
Big Lost
Unlike the Wood, the South Fork, and the Creek, the Lost is open year round. However, the flows are over 640 CFS and climbing. It is best to wait until they drop again in late July or early August before visiting this river.
The Salmon River
As of April 25th, the Pahsimeroi Fish Hatchery has trapped 2,181 steelhead, and the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery has approximately 609 returns. Remember, the steelhead season closes April 30th on the upper Salmon.
Stillwater
With the ice finally receding, the local reservoirs should start to fish. However, they may go off color due to the rapid influx of water from low altitude snow melt. Another great Stillwater option to keep your eyes on is the Duck Valley Indian Reservation south of Mountain Home. If you have a day or two, this is definitely worth the trip, especially as our local waters run high and muddy. This fishery is managed by the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes and has three different reservoirs to pick from: Mountain View, Lake Billy Shaw, and Sheep Creek. For a small fee, you can fish all three and camping facilities are available for an additional fee.
Salmon River: Egg Patterns | Streamers | Pat’s Rubber Leg Stone | Prince Nymphs | Squirmy Worm
Stillwater: Balance Leeches | Sheep Creek Special | Woolly Buggers | Seal Buggers | Chironomids | Damsel Nymphs | Prince Nymphs
| Silver Creek | 156 cfs |
| Big Wood | 483 cfs |
| The Lost Below Mackay | 650 cfs |
| Salmon | 735 cfs |
| South Fork of the Boise | 1600 cfs |
