Sun Valley Fishing Report - November 3, 2016

If you are really into 50 to 60 degree weather and love sunshine, then this is the week for you! Autumn continues to hold winter off on the valley floors and that means more days of short, but fantastic fishing windows!

On Silver Creek, many of the Browns are finishing up their spawn, although there are still plenty on Redds, so please walk carefully. The fish that are done spawning are going to be hungry! That means big meals like Mouse flies and Streamers will get plenty of attention. This type of action should pick up as more and more fish get done spawning and then look to fatten up for the winter.

The Mahogany Dun and Fall Baetis continue to trickle off and our newest, most favorite hatch on the Creek is the October Caddis! The new gravels that were exposed all over after the Kilpatrick project a few years back, must have made a difference for the Caddis, because this year they are all over and the fish are eating them. A small Orange Stimulator is the ticket! Hoppers, Beetles and Ants are also big time producers. If you have given up on Hopper fishing, think twice!

The Big Wood continues to be a beautiful place to spend a fall day. With the leaves stacking up and the fishing windows shifting to late afternoon, a lazy day can become fast and furious when the Fall Baetis show up. Nymphing with Copper Johns and Hares Ears are also a great choice. The October Caddis north of Ketchum is a fun hatch to match and the Streamer fishing right now will be off the charts!

The Lost River continues to trickle through Mackay and it’s pretty disappointing to look at the low water here. For reasons yet to be explained to us the flows remain around 50 CFS. Keep an eye on the gauge and if the flows return to normal head on over. In the meantime there are better places to fish, without stressing these now low water denizens.

The South Fork of the Boise continues as one of our favorite Fall fisheries, if for no other reason than the canyon light found there this time of year. Mix in a few big Rainbows eating Baetis and standard nymph patterns and you have the makings of a great day. If the fishing is slow, bring a shotgun and go look for the plenitude of Chukar that call the canyon home!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing Report - Sept 28, 2016

Cooling temperatures are beginning to close the daytime fishing windows. Expect a shift closer and closer to midday fishing as things continue to cool down. This doesn’t mean we will see a drop off in fishing. In fact we should see a true push away from the summer hatches, including the big Callibaetis hatches we have been experiencing, and a lot more of the Fall Baetis, Mahogany Duns.

Silver Creek is truly special right now. I have been saying this for weeks, but if you want to see the Creek full of crystal clear water, now is the time. If you want to see massive Bull Moose walking about and watch the evening ritual of Bull Elk bugling, now is the time. If you want to see the beginnings of the water fowl migration, coupled with the migration of giant Brown Trout, now is the time!

Plan on the fishing to start later and later in the day. Right now about 10:00 is plenty early and by weeks end 11:00 should suffice. Once the action begins, anglers can normally fish pretty close to dark this time of the year. If you want to stay, this is the best time of the year to target the biggest fish in the Creek with a Mouse pattern after dark.

Take all your Silver Creek techniques if you head for the Big Wood this week. Fall Baetis and fish moving into the slick water tail-outs of the runs will force anglers to bring out the 6X tippets and a low profile as you approach. Patterns like Gulper Specials, and Parachute Adams in a size 20 and 22 will work great.  Fish small Orange Stimulators north of town to imitate the October Caddis and don’t forget a big size 12 H and L Variant when nothing else is working.

The Upper Lost is beginning to quiet down for the season, but if you want solitude and some decent fishing there is still some opportunity for adventurous anglers. The Lower Lost continues to fish well with Baetis and most red colored nymphs like Copper Johns and San Juan Worms.

The South Fork of the Boise should bust loose with Fall Baetis earlier in the day as the temperatures are cooling. The fishing has been good, but a late start has kept anglers away. Expect things to crank up around noonish as we feel the air chill.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing Report - September 7, 2016

The fishing is about to turn epic! Are you ready? True fall weather has descended over the valley and the hatches and fishing that come with have begun! Plan on shorter fishing windows and late morning starts as we enter one of the best times of the year for anglers.

Silver Creek angler numbers are way down as the kids have returned to school and hunting season has pulled locals into the fields. A late morning start means sleeping in and extra time for coffee. Anglers will be greeted by a few Tricos here and there, and very good Baetis fishing. The Baetis hatch has really been taking off around 2:00 p.m. The activity form that point on may last right up to the Mousing hours of dusk. With Fall Baetis hatches be sure to have very, very small patterns. Fishing sizes 22 and 24 puts you in the game. If you can fish an extended body fly on an open loop so that it can swing around and come to life, you’re even more in the game! Mahogany Duns are coming, so have them at the ready. Ants, Beetles and most definitely Hoppers are in play as well. When we get to the peak of warmth for the day plan of seeing some Callibaetis in the slow water areas of the Creek.

The Western Red Quill also known as Hecuba is beginning to show up on the Big Wood. This is bringing bigger fish up and changing the game from shy fish, to fish that want to fatten up before winter. The Fall Baetis is ramping up as well, so be sure you can drop to 6X tippets and size 20 Baetis when the moment arrives.

The Red Quill and Fall Baetis should show on the Upper Lost in the coming days, if not already. Hoppers and small Attractor Flies are still catching fish up top. The Lower Lost is going to turn into Baetis central as the Trico action wanes with cooler days.

Expect the massive blanket hatches of Fall Baetis on the South Fork of the Boise as well. This action will ramp up as we move closer to October, but these can be some of the best hatches of the season on this river. There is some decent wading on the river right now, but it’s still high enough to be dangerous, so please wade with caution!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

A happy angler joined our guide Chad Chorney two days ago!

Sun Valley Fishing Report - September 5, 2016

The cool weather is upon us! Fishing is great, but just starting a bit later. On Silver Creek the afternoon hatches start around 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Have your Baetis flies in multiple sizes. Callibaetis and Trico are still about in small numbers and the Hopper fishing is still solid. 

The Browns are on the move and so is the Mouse fishing. Stay up late one night and try to catch a HUGE one! We have a ton of great Mouse patterns available.

The Big Wood is seeing full blown Western Red Quill hatches and Fall Baetis already. Don't miss this action. It's one of the best hatch conditions of the season. Expect the same thing to happen on the Upper Lost any day. Bust out your old Green Drake patterns or Irresistible Adams flies!

Expect Fall Baetis on the South Fork of the Boise soon! 

Things are only getting better. Get out and fish!

John

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - October 26, 2015

Significantly cooler temperatures have arrived in the Valley which should shorten the fishing windows quite a bit. Cold nights will send the Brown Trout into full blown spawning mode, so be prepared to see fish digging Redds, and if so, please be careful not to walk on these “trout nests.” It is also important that you head to the rivers with the ability to be flexible. The late fall weather can provide days where only Streamers are going to work, days when it’s Dry Fly madness and days where Nymphing will pay off. Be loaded for bear and make sure you are including your winter Midge selection in the bag when you go.

Silver Creek is still fishing really well with Mice and Streamers taking the pre-spawn Browns regularly. You may not catch a boat load of fish, but you may hook into the biggest and brightest fish of your season. Fall Baetis will continue to appear until the snow flies, so on calm - warmish days, be ready for this.

The South Fork of the Boise is one of our favorite Fall Baetis fisheries, and the canyon (when the wind isn’t blowing) can be a good 10 degrees warmer than the Sun Valley area. Look for the long flat glides on the river and brig all your Silver Creek flies, leaders and tippets.

The Lost River is still running very low and the river is a bit hit and miss right now. It all depends on the conditions being right. When things are calm and warm expect Baetis but be prepared for a full day of Nymphing as well. Have the color red in your selection and make sure you bring a nice selection of Pheasant Tails as well.

The Big Wood is a great option when fishing windows are short. Without the drive times to the far away rivers, fishing time may be maximized. If you need a quick fix, hit the Wood with Fall Baetis, Prince Nymphs, Hares Ears, Zebra Nymphs and Brassies.

Remember, fingerless gloves and a warm hat will extend your fishing day and make it fun and comfortable. Take the extra steps to stay warm and dry for the best time possible. Have an extra change of clothes with you and a spare car key. This is not the time of the year for shortcuts or last minute decisions. Be safe and enjoy the glorious amount of quietude on the rivers this week!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 7, 2015

Fall is upon us. The leaves are changing, chainsaws are heard in the timber, elk are bugling, gardens are being harvested and autumn hatches are here!

On the Big Wood the Western Red Quill is out and about, driving the fish crazy! This BIG mayfly is a mouthful for a fish and a great way for fish to fatten up before winter. Couple this with the enormity of Fall Baetis hatches and it’s apparent that this is a good month to be a trout in Idaho! Expect to see both of these insects during bankers hours and with quite a bit of overlap as well. Trico on warm mornings is still a possibility and Hoppers are going to continue to take fish until they are long gone.

Expect a lot of the same thing in the Upper Lost, with a lean toward Ants and Hoppers. Although the Upper is fishing well, the water is low enough, be prepared to cover a lot of ground! The fish are holding in the deep water and under the slick foam lines. Look for this water type and you will find fish.

The Lower Lost continues to fish well when flows are reasonable. It looks as though they may stay at fishable levels for the duration, but keep an eye on the CFS. If it remains below 350 CFS, you are in business and the trip is worth it. Skating Crane Flies is the most fun way to angle, with Trico and Baetis also bringing fish to the surface. If nothing is happening, fish with red colored nymphs and Zebra Midges.

Silver Creek remains excellent, although with shorter fishing windows. Expect the morning activity to start late, sometime around 10:00 a.m. and even later on cold mornings. The afternoons are becoming more and more productive and the early evening has been really good. If you fish the Creek, have Baetis, Callibaetis, Hoppers, Ants, and Mahogany Duns. Expect to see the Mahogany Dun any day now, as the cooler weather should bring this bug to the forefront.

The South Fork of the Boise remains around 600CFS, making some wading possible, and some boating possible. Hoppers are the way to go if you head down there, with a residual Pink Albert on a hot day and Ants a great fly in the slowest water!

Hunters can expect to see a few northern Doves making their way into the valley and the Grouse hunting remains solid. Be safe and enjoy the hunt!

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 3, 2014

A week of fall/winter limbo is upon us. The daytime and nighttime temperatures will not budge. The good news for the fish, is at least one more week of temperate conditions. The good news for the angler is the fish will use this extra time to keep trying to fatten up for winter. A seasons worth of “getting educated” gets tossed aside when the fish decide it’s time to fatten up!

Expect a lot of Nymphing when the hatches aren’t present. You can also expect to see quite a few fish holding in the middle of the pools. When the hatches aren’t prolific, the fish have no reason to move to neither the head nor tail of the pools to dine on the hatches that get compressed in the shallower water. With very little food in the waters stratus the fish will favor a holding lie over a feeding lie. This may mean deeper Nymphing than what we are used to.

Be sure to cast your offering well up onto the shelves in the pools and let the nymph bounce the bottom and drop into the deepest parts of the river. This would be a good time for a double nymph rig. Fish your favorite nymphs in tandem with a large size as the lead fly and then drop a smaller nymph from the lead fly hook shank. This adds weight and depth and helps anglers get the flies where they need to be!

Anglers that still want to match the hatch and squeeze every last hour from the dry fly season that they can, Silver Creek should continue to produce decent Baetis hatches. The South Fork of the Boise can also produce some nice late fall hatch activity. This is the infamous Fall Baetis so have plenty of your favorite 22 and 24 sized patterns.

A few more things to keep in mind this week:

*Don’t leave your wet wading boots in your vehicle overnight. If you do, take them in the house and run them under hot water in your bathtub to thaw them out.

*Pack some dry clothes, no matter where you fish. Hypothermia can be very real for anglers this time of the year.

*If you travel to fish, do so with water, food, a full tank of gas, tire chains and a sleeping bag.

*If it gets stormy – Fish Locally! The fishing can be epic under the low pressure of winter storms!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report: October 20th, 2014

Beautiful fall days with intermittent clouds means Baetis! This time of year expect to see Baetis on the Creek, Baetis on the Wood, Baetis on the South Fork, Baetis on the Lost, maybe check your bathtub, there could be Baetis in there as well!

The Fall Baetis is a wonderful little bug. With the emphasis on little not wonderful. O.K., they are wonderful in the sense that they bring up all the fish in the river when they blanket our local waters in the fall. They are little though, very little. Size 22 and 24 are the norm. On freestone rivers like the Wood and Upper Lost anglers can get by with Gulper Specials, Parachute Adams, Standard Adams, or any of your favorite BWO patterns.

When you head for the South Fork, Silver Creek, and the Lower Lost, be prepared for more technical patterns. Think Baetis Cripples, CDC Fan-wing Biots, and any Rene Harrop pattern. We really like the extended body patterns in the fall, fished on an open loop so they can swing freely on the surface.

Now, a word about the color red. The fall is spawning season for two major species in our area; Brown Trout and Kokanee. Both of these fall spawners are dumping a lot of red and even orange colored eggs in the rivers. Furthermore the red skinned Kokanee die after they spawn, also filling the rivers with little bits of red and orange flesh as they decay. These are both great food sources for trout, and be sure that fish begin to key on the color right about now and for the next few weeks. With that said, be sure if you can’t find a hatch condition with rising fish, then Nymphing with the color red can lead to banner days on the stream. Keep in mind here that the color is what they care about. A San Juan Worm fished under an indicator is as effective as any Egg Pattern. Some of our favorite red flies include the San Juan Worm, Red Copper John, Red Brassies and Red Zebra Nymphs.

Finally, be prepared right now. Bring extra dry clothes when you travel to fish. Have fingerless gloves and a hat. Put your rain parka in your vest or bag. Have a full tank of gas when you travel out of the valley as well as tire chains. Most of all stay on top of current conditions and don’t get caught in our first winter storm, whenever that may be!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 29, 2014

Mahogany Duns and masking hatches are something I write about every year. It is that important to anglers on Silver Creek, and it is also a glaring example of something we fly anglers hear all the time, but don’t see all that often.

The masking hatch, simply put, is a hatch of insects that you can see very well on the water, but in fact the fish are eating and keying on a much smaller bug, or as is the case with the Mahogany a larger bug but a difficult bug to see due to its dark color. In fact the best way to see the Mahogany Duns is to look at the water with the glare in order silhouette their dark bodies.

We see this a lot with Micro-Caddis and Flying Ants as well. These are insects that hatch in huge numbers, the fish love them, but we rarely see them on the water very well, as our eyes are drawn to more abundant bugs or brighter colored ones.

So, with this said, when you are on Silver Creek this week, be prepared to see A LOT of Fall Baetis throughout the day. You may even see Trico and Callibaetis, but the one to watch for is the Mahogany Dun. It is a true Mahogany color, it is about a size 14 and it is a plump insect. Everything a fish getting ready for winter needs. This bug will come in waves so be ready for it!

Morning Hoppers are not a kind of Hopper, but the time of day to be throwing Hoppers right now! Before the hatches start and before most anglers arrive on the Creek is the time to be casting your big Hopper patterns. The biggest fish are still out cruising from the night before and haven’t gone to hidey-hole on the bank for the day. They are out and about for one reason, and that is to find something BIG to eat before the bright light of the day begins.

Finally, the Brown Trout population in Silver Creek is getting ready to spawn. This means fish looking to eat before they spawn, and fish that will be voracious after they spawn. Spend some time Streamer fishing this week and you may be pleasantly surprised. Even in the middle of the day!

Enjoy the fall colors and enjoy one of the greatest times of the year to be a fly angler!

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 8, 2014

While we begin to string clear and temperate fall days together it becomes easy to get lost in the rhythm of them. It is not a stretch to think they will last forever and winter will never come, but she will. One morning you’ll walk out to your porch or truck and you will pick up your frozen wading boots. You will notice that day while fishing, the afternoon just won’t quite warm up. You’ll go to sleep that night thinking the hatches weren’t very strong. The next morning you’ll awaken to 4 inches of snow. You’ll probably shrug and head to the tying bench to start cranking out Midge patterns for the rest of the winter.

We’re not there yet! We are just at the beginning of these great fall days. The cool days this week and the warming weekend could produce a change in our insects as we await the Western Red Quill on the Big Wood, the Mahogany Dun on Silver Creek and the Fall Baetis on every river in the Rocky Mountains! Be sure you have all these flies in your fly box over the coming days and weeks.

The greatest show in the Valley these days has been the Callibaetis hatches on Silver Creek. This noon time insect is causing quite the buzz as anglers are starting to plan their days around this speckled wing mayfly. The best part is we are seeing this incredible fishing on the slow waters of Silver Creek and especially in Kilpatrick Pond where all the restoration work happened last Fall and Winter. Anglers were worried that the hatches may be diminished after the removal of the silt, but alas, this has not been the case. In fact the hatches are outstanding and we can’t even imagine how good this Callibaetis hatch is going to become in the years to come, as the pond settles into a seasonal natural rhythm!

Don’t forget that Hopper season is still upon us and despite less than stellar fishing on the lower part of the Creek, big fish are still taking this fly from the desert stretch of the Little Wood all the way through the Silver Creek Preserve. Fish this fly with confidence and attrition and you’ll most likely be rewarded with your biggest fish of the season! We love to fish big foam Hoppers on the Creek and 2X or 3X fluorocarbon tippets!

Happy Fall Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report Oct 10, 2013

Cold, crisp, calm, fall days have set in on Silver Creek. The Fall Baetis hatches are blanketing the water shortly after lunch time. The Mahogany Duns are mixing in to this blend and driving the fish crazy with each short appearance. There may not be a better time in the Silver Creek Valley. The days are filled with Moose sightings, and huge Brown Trout moving up the river to spawn. The sunsets are seemingly having a competition with the sunrises for best event of the day. Anglers are finding joy as the season winds down with each cast and presentation that ends with trout heads breaking the surface to inhale their offerings.

With conditions being what they are on surrounding rivers, Silver Creek is a bit busier than normal due to other local rivers not fishing, couple that with the pond project that is underway and one can easily deduce that it is not a normal fall for fishing. This is not to say we are under duress, it is just a cycle that we anglers are a part of and should accept as added challenge to a sport full of a variety of challenges. If anglers will choose to be kind to one another, communicate well and even help their brothers and sisters of the long rod, then we can all count of joyous days in the field!

Another great place to find a connection to trout and the wilds of Idaho is the Lost River. The Lost below Mackay Reservoir continues to fish well. Baetis and Nymphing with small red bugs will take fish until the first real snows begin to fly around here. The Baetis are showing after the day warms up a bit and it is not a bad idea to have a few different sized form 16 down to a 20. If the hatch doesn’t come off, try Nymphing with Red Zebra Midges, San Juan Worms, Red Copper Johns or any of your favorite nymph patterns. If you want more challenge than fishing with an indicator, the Lost is an excellent place to sight nymph large Rainbows sitting in shallow water. If you want to try this, the key is to move VERY slowly up the river. Have good polarized glasses and look into the shallows for trout moving side to side taking nymphs. It is an incredible fun and rewarding way to fish, especially when there is no surface activity!

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - Sept 8th, 2013

Thank goodness for spring creeks! The post fire ash reached the Big Wood River this week and temporarily made the river unfishable. The good news is, we always have Silver Creek. The river may clear this week, but even if it does, it may not be a bad idea to leave these fish alone and let them recover from the stress the dirty water has put on them. No worries though, lots of alternatives.

Silver Creek is fishing well with Callibaetis and Hoppers. The morning rise still consists of fish eating Baetis and Trico, but the afternoon fishing is equally good. The best fishing has been after the wind comes up. Try prospecting with Callibaetis, Ants and Hoppers. The fish are getting that first sense of fall after a few cold nights. This slight drop in water temps turns these fish on as they know the days of daily hatches are coming to an end for the year. Brown trout will be spawning soon, so they are certainly looking to fatten up before this event. Whatever the reason, fishing on Silver Creek is good and getting better.

The Little Wood is a nice alternative to the Big Wood. Fishing near High Five Campground is productive. The river is very, very, low, so light rods are a great tool here. Try small attractors and hoppers if you go.

The South Fork of the Boise still remains closed to fishing until further notice. Surveys of the fish were supposed to have happened this past week, but we have not heard the results yet.

The Lost River is still the best game in town. Above and below the reservoir the Lost continues to produce excellent days of fishing. The Upper Lost is all about Ants, Hoppers, small Attractors and general nymph patterns. The Lower Lost is Trico, Baetis, Hoppers, Crane Flies and red colored nymphs. With Kokanee beginning to spawn, fish will key on their eggs and decaying flesh after they die. The few fish that spill through the dam are enough to get this action started.

With Silver Creek and the Lost being the main fishable rivers right now, expect slightly more anglers around then most fall days. Communicate well, and be friendly on the river, it will make everyone’s day brighter including your own.

For you upland hunters, get out and chase those Forest Grouse, they are thick this year! Even the Doves have stuck around!

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!