Photo By: James Conrad
“Magic does not come to those who do not expect it.”
– Diana Vreeland
While each cast is an occasion for hope, it is also an opportunity to learn how and where to make the next cast. Magic, like luck, comes to those who cast with a purpose, not a prayer.
Silver Creek
Like the rest of us, the trout are adjusting to the onset of cold weather. The hatch will happen later in the day and can vary from intense to sparse depending on the day. Expect Baetis, a few Mahogany Duns and October Caddis. If you do see Mahoganies or October Caddis on the water, the fish tend to prefer them over the Baetis so be ready to tie one on. Nevertheless, Baetis will be the primary food source; have a good selection of duns, cripples, and spinners in size 20-24. If the water is devoid of bugs, terrestrials may turn fish, especially if the wind blows. Also, nymphing dry dropper style with size 20-16 pheasant tails and Baetis nymphs is effective. As always, be aware of browns on redds and let them be.
The Big Wood
The rollercoaster weather will continue as we head into the second half of October. The cooler temps should get the fish feeding with more zeal in anticipation of winter. Look for the diminutive Baetis to be hatching over the next few weeks. The only challenge to late fall fishing is, when the wind blows, the leaves will come down making it hard to drift a dry or nymph without picking up a leaf. The fish, however, can see your fly through the leaves just fine. So head out during the most pleasant time of day and try either a dry dropper rig or seek out some rising fish and enjoy the last few weeks of fall on the Wood.
Big Lost below Mackay
The flows have bumped up a bit to 185 CFS and the water clarity has improved. Hatchwise, look for Baetis, midges, and a few lingering Tricos during the early to late afternoon. When surface activity wanes, nymphing with a dry-dropper or Euro-style will be most effective.
Upper Big Lost
The water is very low and cold, so it’s best to wait for temperatures to rise before attempting to fish. The trout are concentrated in and around the deeper buckets and are very spooky. If you’re not catching anything right away, don’t hesitate to move on.
Salmon
Once things defrost from the overnight low temps, there are some excellent fishing opportunities. With the fresh snow on the Sawtooths, the scenery is tough to beat. After a leisurely start, find a good pull-out above or below Stanley and concentrate on the riffles above the deeper runs. Nymphing or streamers are both effective techniques. The hatches are almost nonexistent, but you may see an October caddis.
South Fork of the Boise
While popular with the Boise crowd, it seems that this fishery is underutilized by those who reside in the Wood river Valley. It is worth the hour and a half drive to fish one of the finest tailwaters in the state. With flows stable at 300 CF the South Fork is perfect for wade fishing. In late October, Baetis and midges are the primary hatches, typically emerging during the warmest parts of the day. You may even see a few October Caddis and PMDs fluttering about. When insect activity slows, nymphing can be effective for both trout and whitefish.
Local Ponds
Lake Creek, Penny Lake, or Gaver’s Lagoon are only fair as most of the stocked fish have been harvested.
Silver Creek: October Caddies 14,12 | Mahogany Duns 16 | Baetis 20-24 | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive | Small Pheasant Tails | Streamers
Big wood: Caddies 16,18 | Baetis 20,22 | Perdigones | King Prince | Streamers
Big Lost: Baetis 18,20 | Crane Flies | Rubber Legged Stones | King Prince | Streamers
Salmon: Hoppers | Caddis 16,18 | Chubby Chernobyl | Rubber Legged Stones | King Prince | Streamers
South Fork of the Boise: PMDs | Baetis | Rubber Legged Stones | Zebra Midge | Caddis Larva | Flashback Pheasant Tails | Streamers
| Silver Creek | 64.4 cfs |
| Big Wood | 152 cfs |
| The Lost Below Mackay | 190 cfs |
| Salmon | 524 cfs |
| South Fork of the Boise | 300 cfs |
