Sun Valley Area Fly Fishing Forecast
September 17 – 24

Photo By: Stephen Barnard

The fact that complete mastery is unattainable is fly fishing’s greatest gift.

Silver Creek

Cool mornings and pleasant days will make for another perfect week of fishing on the Creek. Expect the morning activity to wane and the mid-day through afternoon hatch activity to increase. There should still be some Callibaetis around in the afternoon, so keep a few pattern options in your box along with terrestrials: hoppers, beetles, and ants. But the cooler weather pattern will bring a smattering of Mahogany Duns along with a plethora of Baetis. You may also find a few October Caddis fluttering around. Keep in mind that the water has cooled down considerably; if you plan on tubing, layer up to stave off a chill.

The Big Wood

This cooler weather should get the Red Quills (Hecuba) going. This is the last big mayfly hatch of the year and the trout love them. A size twelve parachute pattern is usually a good match. The cooler days also means Fall Baetis will become a factor. When this hatch occurs, the fish tend to move into the tail outs and skinny water. While they are feeding voraciously, they are also very spooky and will present a good challenge for anglers. Hoppers and ants also tend to work well for searching the water.. Trailing a small, beaded nymph behind a hopper or a Hecuba is productive.

Big Lost below Mackay

Flows are in flux, but the trend seems to be somewhere around 100 to 150 CFS. This means the fish will be moving around a bit to find the best holding water. Once the fish and flows settle, the angling will be excellent. The cooler water and air temps also means the Tricos will slowly fade and be replaced with a steady supply of Baetis and Midge during the most pleasant time of day. With the lower flows, the dry fly action should be fantastic and on cloudy days expect the Baetis to be prolific. Nymphing will remain productive with small Baetis or midge patterns as well.

Upper Big Lost

The water is very skinny and the fish are concentrated in and around the best buckets. Focus your attention on the deeper runs and cover the water with Red Quill imitations, hoppers, and ant patterns. With the cold mornings and cool water there is no need to get an early start up here.

Salmon

Morning temps will be in the 30s, but as the air temps rise and the sun warms the water, the fishing is quite good. There can be a decent October Caddis hatch this time of year and size 12 or 14 Orange Stimulators match this hatch well. For the best results, focus your attention on the riffles leading into the long, deep runs.

South Fork of the Boise

The flows have just dropped to 300 CFS. Wade fishers rejoice! With the cool weather, the fall Baetis should be very good. There will also be a few pinks, flavs, and caddis fluttering about. Concentrate your efforts on the soft seams next to the quality holding water. You are sure to see plenty of fish feeding during the warmest part of the day and may also be able to draw fish up even when no bugs are. Otherwise, a dry/ dropper rig can be extremely effective.

Local Ponds

Lake Creek, Penny Lake, or Gaver’s Lagoon have all been stocked recently and are a great option as we head into fall.

Silver Creek: October Caddies 14,12 | Mahogany Duns 16 | Baetis. 20-24 | Tricos 22-24 | Callibaetis 16,18 | Terrestrials | Damsels | Zebra Midge in black, red, or olive | Small Pheasant Tails | Streamers

Big wood: Caddies 16,18 | Baetis 20,22 | Red Quills (Hecuba) 12 | Hoppers | Perdigones | King Prince | Streamers

Big Lost: Tricos 20,22 | Baetis 18,20 | Red Quills (Hecuba) 12 | Crane Flies | Stimulators | Chubby Chernobyl | Rubber Legged Stones | King Prince | Streamers

Salmon: Hoppers | Red Quills (Hecuba) 12 | Caddis 16,18 | Chubby Chernobyl | Rubber Legged Stones | King Prince | Streamers 

South Fork of the Boise: Pink Alberts 16 | Hoppers | Rubber Legged Stones | Zebra Midge | Caddis Larva | Flashback Pheasant Tails | Streamers