Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - Sept. 16, 2014
With a return to summer like conditions anglers can expect to turn there “hatch” clocks back a little bit and expect another week or two of summer hatch reprisals. We can expect a good week of Trico action as warmer mornings should spark this spinner fall back into larger numbers. If nothing else, the spinner fall will be more predictable.
The other insect that should bring fish to the surface this week are the Grasshoppers! Frost will kill a lot of these terrestrials, but the warm days this week should make for some pretty reliable Hopper fishing throughout the Silver Creek system! We’ve been seeing a lot of the black bodied Hoppers with Red abdomens and the fish have been taking them really well.
The other terrestrial that is really catching a lot of fish is the Ant. Small, Cinnamon Flying Ants and equally small Black Flying Ants have been terrific as the fall progresses. These little bugs are showing in the heat of the day and well into the evening. They aren’t present every day, and when they are they normally show up as a “masking hatch” during the Callibaetis activity. If you see a fair amount of fish rising, but you don’t specifically see them eating a particular bug, then chances are you are seeing the flying ant masking hatch. Essentially the fish are eating a little bug anglers have trouble seeing, while many other larger bugs are out on the water, but the fish are still preferring to key on the little insect.
The Callibaetis remains the biggest and best hatch on Silver Creek right now. Fishing this mayfly all day will bring plenty of fish to the surface. Try the slow moving water stretches for the best action.
The Big Wood is coming to life again, with the first signs of the Western Red Quill. The best fly for this hatch is the Hair Wing Colorado Green Drake. Yes, this may sound odd, fishing Drake flies we normally use in June, but when the Quill is on the Big Wood, we’ve hardy found a better fly to imitate this large Drake sized mayfly. Expect October Caddis north of Ketchum any day now and the Fall Baetis will return with cooler temperatures.
The Lost continues to fish well with Trico and Baetis, and of course any red colored nymph as the Kokanee begin to spawn and die, filling the system with red eggs and red flesh from these spawned out fish.
Finally, great times for upland hunters as Chukar and Huns open for hunting on the 20th!
Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone.