Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - Sept. 22, 2014
The fall hatches are upon us! Some of the best hatches of the year are ramping up this week and last and they should continue well into the month of October. Brown Trout are in pre-spawn mode and Browns and Rainbows alike are feeling the cool nights dropping the water temps thus sending them into a hurry up and get fat before winter mode! This means hungry fish and fish that have been putting their guard up all summer are now letting it down, because soon enough there won’t be hardy any significant hatches to dine on besides the minute winter Midge.
On the Big Wood there are three significant hatches. The smallest event, as well as the spottiest along the river is the October Caddis. This hatch is found best, north of Ketchum and although you won’t see a lot of the insect flying you will see a lot of their shucks on the rocks. Royal Stimulators, Orange Stimulators and Royal Trudes fished in medium sizes are all a good bet to match this bug. Beadhead Hares Ears are an excellent nymph choice to imitate them.
The Fall Baetis is the other wonderful hatch on the Big Wood. This bug will blanket the water on warm fall afternoons. Fish your Silver Creek patterns for this insect. Size 20 – 22 is about right. Gulper Specials, Parachute Adams and any extended body BWO pattern is the way to go on this hatch. Plan if fishing 6X as well.
The third hatch is the Western Red Quill or Hecuba. This is a big bug! We like fishing our leftover Green Drake patterns to match this hatch. If you see a big emergence of this bug, you may also see your best day on the Big Wood this year!
On Silver Creek the Mahogany Dun is starting to show. This insect likes bright, cool, fall days and can be found in excellent numbers throughout the system, especially on the lower reaches of the Creek near Picabo. The fish get really greedy when this hatch starts. It normally blends in with the Fall Baetis on the Creek, so if you are fishing this hatch be very ready to switch quickly back and forth between the Mahogany and the Baetis. Having two rods rigged is not a terrible idea. The fish will switch back and forth as the Mahogany Dun will come and go in waves throughout the steady Baetis hatches.
Happy Fishing Everyone!