Fly Fishing Forecast July 6th – 13th

“”Fishing consists of a series of misadventures interspersed by occasional moments of glory.” ~ Howard Marshall

The week ahead is going to be much cooler and you will need to adjust to the changing conditions to remain successful. You may head to your favorite stretch of river and find the water is still a bit too high, or you may look for Green Drakes on a stretch of river where they were thick a few days before only to find the hatch has dwindled. Keep searching; after all, we learn more from the series of misadventures, than the moments of glory.

SILVER CREEK
Small clouds of Tricos have been spotted, and this bug should pick up steam once the warmer weather returns. Expect the early morning game on the Creek to start a little later and last into midday. Along with the smattering of Tricos, 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 warmest part 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.

BIG WOOD
The valley received a blast of rain last week and the Wood went off color. The good news is the river cleared within 24 hours. The flows continue to drop and the river is now below 600 CFS; we should drop another 100 CFS by this time next week. Green Drakes can be found throughout the catch and release water on the Wood. The cooler weather will pushed the hatch back to between 1 and 3 PM. 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.

WARM SPRINGS
This is a great river to go to if the Wood is still to high for your tastes. There has been a good Green Drake hatch on Warm Springs and you can also expect a good number of Caddis and some PMDs. It is also a good place to take kids for a river experience. Fish and Game keeps this river well stocked around the bridges and plenty of wild fish can be found where the river leaves the road. For flies, yellow or orange Stimulators or Green Drakes are good on top. Tying on a dropper is a good idea as well; Bishop’s Dynamite, Zebra Midge, Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs all work well.

THE SALMON
Now is a great time to head over Galena Pass into the Stanley area and take advantage of some hungry Cutthroat Trout taking large dries. We offer guided float trips on the Lower Salmon River and if you have yet to do this, it should be on your bucket list. The walk and wade fishing above Stanley has also been productive, although the water is still pushy and wading should done with caution. Be sure and take a good selection of Yellow Stone fly patterns, some Olive Caddis, Green Drakes and an array of beaded nymphs.

BIG LOST – MACKAY
With flows above 600 CFS, this is too high to fish safely. Once the flows drop below 350 CFS in late July, early August, this river will be ready to fish again.

UPPER BIG LOST
The Upper Lost is fishing well. Focus your attention on the East Fork above Wild Horse, the West Fork, and the North Fork. As has been the case the last few years, some stretches of this river fish better than others. The more water you cover the more productive your day will be. There are some Green Drakes late in the day, as well as a mixed bag of Stone Flies. Big drys will turn fish, but if you get a refusal, switch to a smaller Parachute Adams, PMD or Purple Haze. If that does not work, try small nymphs, like Rainbow Warriors, Bishop’s Dynamite, Pheasant tails or Prince Nymphs. Persistent Anglers are being rewarded with some spectacular fish.

SOUTH FORK OF THE BOISE
The flows are holding around 1700 CFS; a perfect flow for floating, but tough for wading. The Salmon flies have made up into the upper reaches of the stream and the caddis remain very strong in the mornings and evenings. Have plenty of big foam bugs (Cicadas and Salmon flies) for working the banks and a good selection of Trailing Shuck Caddis and traditional Elk Hair Caddis in brown and olive sizes 18 to 14. Nymphing the riffles and seams with large stone fly imitations and caddis larva is always a good call.

STILLWATERS & LOCAL WATERS
This is a good 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.