“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”
– Benjamin Franklin
A resolution, the noun, is often an empty platitude. To resolve, the verb, takes action. This year, be courageous and resolve yourself to be a better angler with each cast mending the failures from the previous attempt.
Big Wood
The crowds on the Wood should dwindle now that the holidays are behind us and finding solitude for a few hours of fishing should be easy. With the minimal snow pack and mild temperatures, access is still very good from just north of Ketchum on down to Bellevue. However, there is a chance we will see some snow and cooler temps over the next two weeks. With snowy days in the forecast, winter midge will become more of a factor, so have a variety of midge wets and dries in your box. The most effective technique is running a dry dropper with a small beaded midge in olive, red, or black. And on snowy days, look for heads in the slow runs where the fish tend to concentrate and fish small, light midge patterns beneath a high vis dry. As always, please handle winter trout with care and release them quickly with a Ketchum Release…the fish stay in the water and your hands stay dry.
Silver Creek
The Nature Conservancy portion of the Creek is closed until opening day at the end of May; however, from Kilpatrick Bridge down through the Willows and the Point of Rocks the fishing will remain open until the end of March. At the moment access is a breeze and the ice build up is minimal. Your best action will come during the afternoon on slow drifting nymphs or streamers.
The Lost Below Mackay
If you are looking to make a full day of fishing and escape the busy slopes, then the Big Lost is for you. It takes just under two hours to drive through Arco to Mackay to get to the river as Trail Creek Pass is closed this time of year. Since the Lost is a tailwater, you can expect good hatches of midge and some Baetis all winter long. The flows are perfect for easy wading. Fish it much the same way you would approach the Wood.
South Fork of the Boise
This is another fantastic full day outing for the adventurous angler about 90 minutes from Ketchum. If you go, be sure to have an appropriate vehicle with 4X4, studded tires, or chains to make it down and back out of the canyon safely. The South Fork fishes well with small midge imitations or large ugly bugs. If you hunt around you will find feeders on the surface during the afternoons and you should be able to find plenty of whitefish to keep your rod bent.
Silver Creek: Beatis Nymphs | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive | Small Pheasant Tails | Streamers
Big Wood: Adult Midge | Miller’s +1 | Blowtorch | Bishop’s Dynamite | Mops and Mini Mopcicles | Red Neck Midge | DD Midge | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive
Big Lost: Adult Midge | Miller’s +1 | Blowtorch | Bishop’s Dynamite | Mops and Mini Mopcicles | Red Neck Midge | DD Midge | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive | Streamers
South Fork of the Boise: Baetis | Midge | Duracell | French Nymph | Perdigons | San Juan Worm | Pat’s Rubber Leg Stone
| Silver Creek | 151 cfs |
| Big Wood | 188 cfs |
| The Lost Below Mackay | 51.9 cfs |
| Salmon | 477 cfs |
| South Fork of the Boise | 291 cfs |
