“No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn.”
– Hal Borland
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.
Stillwater
Magic and the Little Wood reservoirs are both filling fast with spring runoff and can fish well for freshly stocked as well as resident trout. You can fish from shore or a float tube with ease, just be aware of the spring winds that can make boating unsafe and the water is really cold. Another great Stillwater option 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.
Stillwater: Balance Leeches | Sheep Creek Special | Woolly Buggers | Seal Buggers | Chironomids | Damsel Nymphs | Prince Nymphs
Big Lost: Midge | Baetis | Perdigons | Rubber leg Stones | San Juan Worms | Bishop’s Dynamite | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive
| Silver Creek | 146 cfs |
| Big Wood | 1340 cfs |
| The Lost Below Mackay | 200 cfs |
| Salmon | 2080 cfs |
| South Fork of the Boise | 4200 cfs |
