Fly Fishing Forecast July 1st-8th

“If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?” ~ Steven Wright

Fly Fishing Forecast July 1st-8th.

The best way to deal with the heat…go fly fishing! But protect yourself from the sun while you are at it with a long sleeve fishing shirt and pants, sun gloves, a proper hat, and a Buff to cover your neck and ears. Wet wading the Wood or sitting in a float tube on the Creek is the best way to stay cool on these hot summer days. So instead of retreating to the comforts of an air-conditioned room, greet the heat wave head on, and wave back!

SILVER CREEK
A smattering of Tricos have been spotted, and this bug should pick up steam as the month continues. This is an early morning game, and the Creek tends to slow down after about 11:30 AM. Along with Tricos in the morning, you can expect to see Baetis, PMDs, and some Callibaetis Spinners as well so have a good assortment of flies. Blue Damsel flies, along with beetles and ants, are all good flies to try during the heat of the day. Late in the evening, after the sun has left the water, expect a very brief explosion of insect activity and feeding fish. Caddis is the main insect during this phase. Often all you need is a fly that matches the right profile and you will get takes.

THE BIG WOOD
You may still see a touch of color in the water as both Warm Springs and Baker Creek received a blast of rain on Sunday evening. The good news is the river began to clear quickly. Green Drakes can still be found throughout the catch and release water on the Wood. The warm weather has pushed the hatch up to around 11AM and over the next week we should see it start to peter out. Before and after the Drakes hatch, or if you just don’t see any bugs, try searching the shallows with a dry dropper rig; a large Parachute Adams with a Pheasant Tail nymph is a good combo. Also a double nymph rig with a Rubber Legged Stone and a Green Drake nymph works well. Small flies like Zebra Midge, Rainbow Warriors and Bishop’s Dynamite are also taking fish.

SOUTH FORK OF THE BOISE
This is the week we should see the Stoneflies reach the upper section of the stream. The flows are now at 1900 CFS, perfect for drift boats and rubber rafts. Try big Stonefly patterns as well as Cicadas fished on the banks with structure and cover. If dries are slow, try fishing the riffles and runs with Rubber Legged Stones and other traditional stonefly patterns, as well as San Juan Worms, Caddis Larva, beaded PTs and Zebra Midge.

LOCAL PONDS
It is time to take the family to Lake Creek, Penny Lake, or Gaver’s Lagoon. All the ponds have been stocked and will receive regular stockings throughout the summer season. Whatever style of fishing you want to do, we are your headquarters. So drop on by before you take your family fishing and we will make sure you have the right gear to be successful.

SALMON RIVER
This river continues to fish very well in the mornings into the early afternoon. If your idea of a good time is drifting down a river, casting large Stonefly imitations to the bank, then give us a call and we take care of you. Also, Fish and Game has opened the Chinook season on the Salmon and this river provides a unique opportunity to catch this magnificent fish.

BIG LOST BELOW MACKAY
The flows are back up to 490 CFS. This is still a bit too high to fish right now. We may see flows drop in July.

UPPER LOST- COPPER BASIN
The main stem below the East Fork confluence is starting to open up, but wading is still difficult. It is best to focus on the upper portions of the river including the North Fork, Wildhorse, The East Fork, and Starhope. The fishing has been slow; the most successful anglers have been very mobile searching for fish with dries and dry dropper rigs and covering a lot of water. For flies, size 12 and 14 Stimulators and Parachute Purple Haze have been best. Standard beaded nymphs are productive and tend to attract the occasional large Whitefish.

WATER FLOWS – JUly 1st