Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 21, 2014
Expect another great week of fishing, as flows remain high enough in most rivers to provide excellent opportunity prior to the low summer flows that will eventually bring many fisheries to a more technical point.
On Silver Creek, the fishing remains incredible in the mornings and right on into the lunch hour. The Silver Creek Preserve remains closed to fishing until 10:00 a.m. but the rest of the river is open and the hatches and spinner falls have been fabulous. The mornings are bringing varying degrees of Trico activity, followed promptly by Baetis and PMD flurries. Once this action ends, anglers can immediately cut back their leaders and tie on Blue Damsel patterns. This has been a very good fly in the late mornings and afternoons.
The Big Wood and Upper Lost River are fishing very well right now, with a slight lean toward becoming low light fisheries. The mornings and evenings are producing rising fish and the afternoons become a time to search with big dries and maybe a dropper underneath.
The Lower Lost is fishing well and earlier in the season than mot years. The low flows mean easier access for anglers. Small nymphs like Pheasant Tails and Red Copper Johns are producing nicely. Have a variety of sizes in Parachute Adams if you go as well. Skating Crane flies is another exciting way to fish the Lost. We are carrying the new foam bodied Mackay Special here at Picabo Angler, and if you haven’t fished it, we recommend you give this a try!
The Little Wood is a river we haven’t written about much this season, as the recent fires and low flows have made the desert stretch a non-event and the upstream waters above Little Wood Reservoir have a seemingly small population of fish this summer. It’s still a great place to go for some quietude and to cast big dry flies to fair sized fish.
The South Fork of the Boise has been fishing very well. The Pink Albert hatch has been coming on stronger and with a few stoneflies, hoppers and cicadas, the banks are fishing well on some days. There is still no camping allowed and the access points are different and dictated by new rapids, so fewer anglers are floating than in years past. The weekdays can be a very good time to explore the South Fork. The float from the Village Put In down to Indian Rock has been a good bet. If you go, be safe and scout the water before you float it!
Happy Fishing Everyone!