Pee-Ka-Boo is a Native American word meaning "Shining Waters."
Picabo Angler is a destination: A full-service fly shop & outfitter located on the banks of world-renowned Silver Creek
We took these images on Sunday. The Creek peaked a few days earlier around 420 CFS. These pics reflect 377 CFS. We expect this to be a very healthy flushing for the Creek and there should be little to no residual effect for Opening Day. It's going to be a great season!!!!
There is a lot of water moving through the valley, the reservoirs are filling and anglers are anxiously awaiting the May 28th Opener! With the winter season ending and 100%+ snowpack, anglers can expect some of the best conditions we’ve had in a while. IN the meantime, the flows are high and dangerous. Please stay away from the banks of these rivers and without question leave your dog at home if you go have a look.
The Lost River remains the best and just about only game in town. It is a great game though! We have been seeing prolific Baetis hatches in the afternoon hours. This means have a nice selection of dry flies and Pheasant Tail Nymphs.
Reservoir fishing is slower than we would hope, but that is due to all the water getting dumped into them. Not a bad problem to have! Try your best to find clean(ish) water and fish it hard. Magic Reservoir is probably best near East and West Magic, while Mackay Reservoir seems to always have a nice spring fishery near the back of the reservoir where the water comes in. Anglers are doing pretty well with Smallmouth Bass fishing on Anderson Ranch Reservoir and of course Carey Lake is open and a good local spot for Bass and Bluegill.
With the melting snow, very adventurous anglers can begin looking at the Alpine Lakes. We are nearing a day when the trails will open enough, and just enough ice will melt near the inlets of these lakes to produce some of the year’s best Mountain fishing. This is all elevation dependent, as some lakes may not Ice off until June. Google Earth is a great place to start when making the decision to explore the mountains to our north. If you are interested in fishing alpine lakes, or your just looking for a good fishy read, check out Gary Lafontaine’s famous book Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes. It is an incredible book about fishing alpine lakes, exploring them, goat packing into them and of course diving under the ice to see how the fish react to flies dragged across clear as a window ice.
No matter where you decide to go please be safe this time of the year. High flows, muddy roads, crazy weather all come into play in the spring. Try to fish with a friend and enjoy this awesome time of the season!
Happy Fishing Everyone!
There is some pretty fine weather in the forecast this week. Warm days give fly anglers a great chance to explore. With temperatures in the mid-seventies down on the Snake, and a bright sun to go with it, the Carp fishing should be excellent! Use your favorite Damsel Fly Nymphs, tied upside down so that the hook point rides sticking up. Find yourself some Carp along the banks, bays and backwaters of the Snake and try to present your offering right on their noses. Fishing a 10 foot length of 2x Fluorocarbon is about right with minor adjustments for water clarity and finicky fish.
The reservoir fishing should pick back up if the wind will stay down a bit more this week, than last. A calm, warm day on Magic, the Little Wood or even Anderson Ranch for some Bass can be one of the most fun days anglers can have on the water. Take long leaders and your favorite streamers and enjoy the tight-line retrieve and take!
The Lost River and the Little Wood River remain open for fishing. The spawning activity on the Lost should be increasing in the coming days and weeks, so please be careful about not walking on the Redds of spawning fish. On calm days expect to fish Baetis Dries on the Lost and when the wind comes up plan of Nymphing. The Little Wood is primarily a place to cast Streamers right now, with a little bit of opportunity to cast some Nymphs.
There are still a few Steelhead to be caught on the Salmon River, although one can expect angler numbers to spike with the beautiful weather! If you go, be aware the fish are well into their spawning activity now, so be aware of their Redds also.
Spring is such a great time of the season here. Take advantage of the weather and the opportunity to explore! Search the Malad River and Billingsley Creek, try to time ice-out on the low elevation lakes, and look for arrowheads and morels while you look for fish! The Bass fishing on Carey Lake has been good, Fish Creek Reservoir may still hold a few surprises, even try little Brook Trout in Lake Creek, which can become an adventure in the spring! We are also on the cusp of the new season, so if you tie flies, now is the time! P.M.D, Baetis and Brown Drakes will all be upon us soon!
Happy Fishing Everyone!
An average size Bass from Carey Lake this year. July 22, 2014
Several times a summer we like to take a night off from Trout fishing and pursue Bass. Carey Lake, found just a few miles from Silver Creek is a super easy place to go do this. The Bass are not big, but they love to hit poppers fished on the surface, stripped hard with lots of noise and bubbles. They demolish these pieces of cork and feathers and each one will make you laugh harder than the one before. A canoe or drift boat is all you need. Motors are not allowed on Carey Lake. Fish poppers or frog patterns on a 5 foot 1X leader. The lower the light, the better the fishing. Mornings could be good as well.
Carey Lake is actually divided between the “Lake” and the canal system, which is where we fish. To reach Carey Lake, drive to Picabo, continue on Highway 20 until you reach the town of Carey. Take a left. Go through town and as you leave town on the right you will see signage for the lake. Turn right and drive 40 yards to the boat ramp, which is a small concrete ramp. There is also a pit toilet there. Don’t be discouraged by the moss and algae you see, there are many opens places to fish once you leave the boat ramp area. Fish any of the canals and have a great time!