Sun Valley Area Fishing Report, Sept 16th

There hasn’t been a dull moment for anglers and hunters this fall as the conditions left behind by the local fires has essentially ended seasons in certain hunting units and fishing on certain rivers. The Big Wood River, the South Fork of the Boise and many smaller streams have filled with ash and will remain unfishable for the time being. It’s a hard pill to swallow right now, but one thing we can count on is the resiliency of Mother Nature. The rivers, the fish, the elk, the grouse and the trees will all come back. Based on history they will come back even stronger than when we lost them. So be patient, be flexible and be ready for new opportunities.

Silver Creek remains the stalwart fishery we’ve come to expect. Baetis and Callibaetis are the main bugs on the Creek right now, with a trickle of Mahogany Duns beginning to show up on the cooler afternoons. The Hopper fishing remains strong and the wind the past few days has made it even better. Many anglers are reporting that Ant patterns are the best fly in their box right now. Expect the Mahogany action to pick up as we receive our first true fall weather.

The Lost River, both upper and lower also remain strong fisheries. The hatches are mainly Baetis and some Caddis on the upper Lost. Hoppers both above and below the dam are working well. The place to think about exploring right now, especially as things cool is the Big Wood below Magic Reservoir. The canyon water has been shut off and the fishery is under salvage, but there are still some big fish in those pools.

Upland hunting remains fantastic for both Doves and Grouse. The numbers of both remain strong. Expect the Dove numbers to diminish this week, but the Grouse hunting should stay strong right up until our first snow falls.

Sage Grouse, Hungarian Partridge, Chukar and Quail all open on September 21st. If you hunt Sage Grouse, don’t forget you will need a special Permit and the season is only a week long with a one bird a day limit, so if you want to hunt this species, plan well and set your hunt in advance. Last note on upland hunting: The snake activity is strong this year. The drought has brought prey and predator to nearby water sources, so please be aware! It will snow soon enough, so be safe with your dogs in the meantime.

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!