Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 5, 2018

The summer bugs are arriving on all our area rivers. The water is dropping and the fishing is fine. It doesn’t matter which river you chose this week, they are all fishing very well! Green Drakes continue on the Big Wood and the Upper Lost River. The first signs of the Trico Spinner Falls are beginning. The Salmon Fly and an abundance of Stoneflies are showing up all over the place. Baby Hoppers have hatched and are growing quickly. Essentially if the water is low enough to fish, it should fish well.

Silver Creek is starting to see Trico action, and with the heat building this week the Spinner Falls should really ramp up. The Callibaetis action should also come on strong. Check the slow water sections for the most action including Sullivan’s Slough and Kilpatrick Pond. Damsel Flies are a sure bet with the heat and as the aquatic vegetation comes up this action will only get better. Be sure to have small Hopper patterns as they begin to grow quickly into adults. Hopefully the river comes up some on the lower stretches to provide the cut bank habitat fish love when eating Hoppers. The aquifer normally provides an influx of water by August, so don’t panic if the lower river doesn’t have the volume you expect. Regardless of the levels the all-day fishing means that there isn’t a bad time to fish the Creek. Morning, noon and night should all produce some excellent opportunities.

The Big Wood and Upper Lost Rivers are really shaping up and really fishing well. Large attractors are a great bet. The Green Drakes are well up into the river system and the Stonefly action is peaking as well. If you want to fish a dropper fly, try the Epoxy Back Green Drake Nymph or a Prince Nymph. Fish the riffles and eddies, and once the current speeds slow, be sure to try the foam lines.

The South Fork of the Boise is still seeing an influx of the Mormon Cricket, but it is also seeing the Salmon Fly hatch as the action moves further and further up the river. With this week’s heat up the action should get very intense, very fast!

Enjoy yourselves this week. The rivers may be busier than what the norm is, so everyone be kind to one another and treat your fellow angler how you’d like to be treated!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley / Picabo Fishing Report - June 21, 2016

The last week of muddy water is upon us. Stay patient people! Looking at the CFS (Cubic Feet Per Second) graphs this week, the flows are no longer making the big downward and upward swings. The graphs are now showing the flows adjusting with nighttime and daytime temperatures. This means the volume will begin to decrease at a slower pace, but the water should begin to clear rapidly.

Once again, when you decide to get out on our freestone streams. Wear a tight wading belt, fish with a friend and PLEASE leave your dog at home. Every year dogs perish the high flows of the Big Wood. Don’t let yours be next.

Looking ahead to clear water have your Green Drakes ready, as well as your Stimulators and your favorite dropper flies, like Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, and Pheasant Tails. Try to find soft water in side channels and along the banks. The river is most likely going to fish best very low (South of Bellevue) and very high (North of Ketchum).

Silver Creek continues to fish very well. The afternoons are still where it’s at for the best hatches and most fish rising. PMD, Callibaetis, Green Drakes, Blue Damsel, Baetis Spinners, Ants and Beetles are all important to your fly box. Looking ahead, get your Trico selection in order. They are anywhere from two weeks to one month away. Baby Hoppers are also starting to appear in good numbers, so be sure to add that fly box to your bag!

The South Fork of the Boise continues to baffle us like always. Caddis are prolific at night, but not a lot of fish eating them. The big foam flies will work one day, then not another. Salmon Flies have yet to make a serious appearance, although this week that hatch should begin with some vigor. The best fly continues to be Salmon Fly nymphs fished deep, or Copper John / Small Stone Nymph combinations, also fished deep.

Finally, the Little Wood should begin to fish soon, although right now the mosquitos in the vicinity are trying to compete for your blood and they are all winning! If you go when the water drops to fishable flows, be sure to target the middle of the day and bring bug spray and appropriate clothing! Green Drakes and Stimulators are the flies for this area, just scale everything back a size or two, including leader length and fly size.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 9, 2015

Winter conditions have begun to prevail in the Sun Valley Area and therefore winter fishing techniques move to the forefront of the local angling agenda. Fishing windows have shifted toward the lunchtime to dinnertime window and techniques vary with the day.

Anglers need to be prepared to be versatile. Fishing dries, nymphs and streamers are all necessary for the highest catch rates despite the fly selection moving to a seasonal low. The dry flies you need to have stocked up include Baetis, Griffiths Gnats and Tie-Down Midges. Nymph selections should include Zebra Nymphs in Black or Red, Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, Hares Ears, Girdle Bugs and Pheasant Tails. Streamer boxes should have plenty of Olive colors and some Black offerings as well. If you are fishing the Creek, have some articulated streamers.

On Silver Creek the Brown Trout are getting toward the tail end of their spawn. They should come off their Redds hungry and aggressive. Some may be tired and skinny after the spawn, so please handle them gently. Late in the day, when things warm, anglers are still finding some Baetis and Midge hatches on the Nature Conservancy waters.

The Lost River is running low and the fishing is o.k. The low flows are making the game a bit harder to play then what most anglers are used to on the Lost, but it’s still a fun challenge. Be ready for Midge and Baetis activity up until Thanksgiving. Move slowly in the water and concentrate on structure and deep water.

The Big Wood is such an awesome winter fishery, it is hard to go anywhere else! We begin our holiday guide rates this month, so give us a shout if you want a guide with you. Our guides have been bringing a lot of fish to the net lately! Nymphing has been the game as of late, but streamer anglers are going to catch a lot of fish as well!

The South Fork of the Boise has probably got the last great hatches for the season. Baetis in the late afternoon, when the temperature get above 40 degrees can blanket the river. These days are waning though, so have a good nymph selection as well. Like always, please check the road conditions before you commit to the Lost or the South Fork!

Have fun, dress warm and enjoy the beautiful setting along the river corridors right now!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

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 21, 2015

Perpetual autumn will never end. This is the sense that we get this time of year as we string together beautiful day after beautiful day, hatch after hatch and fish after fish until one day a dark gray sky rolls in, ushering winter to the mountains.

With the long autumn comes all the good stuff that goes with it. Upland hunters have begun Chukar and Hun seasons. The Grouse season is well underway and throughout the valley wing shooters are reporting excellent days in the field. The fall also brings on the Mahogany Dun which had finally showed up on the Creek! After a long season of watching the fish get smarter and smarter, the Mahogany Dun seems to be all that is needed to turn the fish “less smart” again. Expect the Mahogany to really pick up steam by the weekend when cooler temperatures again arrive to turn leaves yellow and remind everyone it’s firewood season.

The Western Red Quill also continues to produce spectacular days on the Wood, again bringing fish to the surface with a little more abandon, and making all of us fly anglers feel like there is hope for us in the low flows of the later season!

The biggest common thread on all our rivers right now is the Fall Baetis. This tiny insect is a favorite of local trout as the diminutive size is more than made up for by the abundant volume of insects hatching. Keep in mind when you fish this hatch, the fish are really keyed up on the movement of this little bug. The constantly swinging abdomen is a sure tell for the fish that they are eating the real thing! The best way to imitate this movement is to fish an extended body fly on an open loop, allowing the fly to swing freely on its hackle tips. Anglers can read about this technique in more detail, as well as other “tricks of the trade” in John Huber’s book Lessons of Fairsized Creek.

Our more distant fisheries, like the South Fork of the Boise and the Big Lost River are also fishing very well, although the daily windows are shrinking rapidly, forcing angler into the choice of long drive versus short hatch, or staying local to maximize fishing time.

Now, is truly one of the best times of the year to fish, and like the trout, anglers need to take advantage of the waning warm days and fish hard until old man winter decides it’s time for yet another change!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 1, 2015

RED. When it comes to fishing, Red is the color for fall. Whether it is the Western Red Quill gracing the Big Wood and Upper Lost, or the Red Scales of the Kokanee that will be migrating up the rivers from local reservoirs, to the Redd’s that Brown and Brook Trout will be making and even the Red of the eggs from spawning fish, Red is the color to focus on.

We are entering a transitional time of the year on all our area waters, as summer hatches begin to wind down, and the fall hatches begin to ramp up. On Silver Creek the Trico Spinner Falls are beginning to wane, while the Baetis builds in numbers. Grasshoppers and Mice are taking the biggest fish, while Callibaetis continues to show up on occasion sparking serious feeding frenzies. Watch the weather as the Creek transitions to banker’s hours. No need to get to the water until the air temps warm up after cool nights. Be ready for midday Baetis hatches that can fill the afternoon hours with bugs and fish galore!

The Big Wood continues to muddy then clear, muddy then clear. The Red Quills will be coming soon, as well as the Fall Baetis. Watch as the leaves begin to turn. When they start falling from the trees the Western red Quill is typically in full swing. The Colorado Green Drake is the best fly you can use for the Quill hatch, and we stock this fly for the fall, just for this reason! The Green Drake of June and the Red Quill of September are very similar in size and color, making the Drake patterns a great choice for one of the most overlooked hatches in the fly tying industry.

The Lower Lost continues to be tough wading, although keep an eye on the USGS website for current flows. Once you see the river drop below 300CFS, plan on heading over. Red colored nymphs like Copper John’s and San Juan Worms are deadly when the Kokanee get swept through the dam.

The Upper Lost continues to fish well with Ant and Hopper patterns, but at current flows, be prepared to walk a lot. Trico and some Pink Albert are present.

The South Fork of the Boise will also begin to transition between Pink Albert and Hoppers to the Fall Baetis hatches soon. Mother Nature will dictate these changes with cold nights.

Anglers need to be prepared with both, summer and fall bugs right now in order to take advantage of what happens with the weather. Also a great time to bring those extra layers of clothes to the river!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - August 24, 2015

Cooler night are becoming the norm as we approach September. What this means to the angler is prolific fishing, as fish feel the change and begin looking to fatten up for the winter. Brown Trout and Brook Trout are getting ready for their spawning season, so they will become even more voracious eaters as they try to pack on the calories for the several weeks of spawning and fighting.

On the Creek the Mouse fishing remains red hot and the best way to land that “fish of a lifetime.” Callibaetis and Trico are still present in numbers large enough to get the fish up and we can expect the Baetis hatches to begin growing with the approach of autumn. Hoppers and Ants remain the best Terrestrials to throw, and between you and I and all the other readers, I would have no hesitation only throwing a Flying Ant pattern morning, noon and night for the rest of the warm summer days we have!

The Big Wood remains a viable fishery when we go a few days without storms. Trico is still the best morning activity, with Hoppers being the afternoon bug of choice, and Caddis or Rusty Spinners in the evening.

The Upper Lost River is fishing really well with Ants and Hoppers as well as prolific midday Baetis hatches. There is plenty of walking to do between holes, but anglers willing to put in maximum effort will catch plenty of nice sized fish.

The Lower Lost flows continue to fluctuate with 400 CFS the level at the time of this writing. Crane Flies and Trico remain a constant, but the higher flows limit the access and the areas where fish will rise. If you go, be flexible, ready to move and think about fishing lower in the system where some of the water gets diverted.

The South Fork of the Boise remains at drift boat levels with Pink Albert and Hoppers like a Club Sandwich being excellent choices. 

Rounding out the month, Grouse Hunting opens on the 30th and Dove season on the 1st of September. Grouse numbers look fantastic this year, but we aren’t seeing a lot of local Doves. Hunters may want to get a bit farther south for Dove limits.

Finally, there is a lot to do right now from Panfish at Carey Lake all the way into the high-country where Brookies and Cutts are on the cusp of the August spawn at altitude! Get out and EXPLORE!

Happy Fishing and Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 27, 2015

Trico madness continues on most Sun Valley area waters, and especially on Silver Creek. With hot temperatures in the forecast for the end of the week, expect hot fishing to come with it. Focus your attention on the mornings and evenings. Most of the action has been starting around 8:00 a.m. and lasts until lunch. When the morning session ends, plan on fishing Hoppers or Damsel Flies. On the sloughs, the fishing with Ants, Beetles and Callibaetis has been very good and it’s a great fall back when nothing else is going on. In the evenings plan on seeing a variety of insects with Baetis as a mainstay. Finally on the Creek, the Mouse fishing continues to be epic! If you’ve never tried it, this is your year!

On our freestone rivers like the Big Wood and Upper Lost River system. Expect sparse hatches, but decent fishing when the light is low. Mornings and evenings are where it is at right now, with Caddis and Mayfly Spinners being the best producing flies. On the Upper Lost make sure you have small yellow flies. They can be PMD patterns, or small attractors like Stimulators. Fishing subsurface can be productive with Streamers and Nymphs, but again even these techniques are going to work best at low light periods. If you want to fish during the heat of the day, look for shady spots and fish a Dave’s Hopper.

The South Fork of the Boise should turn on a bit more this week as hot temperatures should kick the Pink Albert action up a few notches. This should improve the Nymphing and the dry fly opportunities throughout the river. If you want to fish big foam, think about Hopper and Cicada patterns – especially if the wind is blowing!

Our other tail water, Lower Lost River is fishing well. Have Trico and Crane Flies if you go over the pass and keep your eyes on the flows so you don’t make a long journey over to find high water.

Finally, we are entering Flying Ant season! We have seen plenty of Silver Creek the past week, but expect to see more and more of them on all the area rivers. There are days during the hot summer months when a Flying Ant can be a game changer. This is a fly that fish love, and one we carry here at the store in large quantities, for good reason!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 13, 2015

Summer continues to pass with one odd weather system after another. There has certainly been an effect on the fishing, although not in a negative way. We just need to get used to seeing things like Tricos at 2:00 p.m. or Callibaetis at 7:30 a.m. How about Pink Alberts on the South Fork before Salmon flies? The only predictable thing happening right now is the unpredictability. This in turn has really made for a fun year. The right place at the right time is a mantra all anglers should adopt right now! The only way to overcome all this unpredictability is to stay on the water all day, and at least half the night. There are worse things…

When the summer weather does act normal, plan on Tricos on Silver Creek, mixed with PMD and Baetis. This event happens when the air temps hit 70 degrees. Be on the Creek early for the day’s best mayfly activity. If you plan to stay past lunch the best hatch of the season continues to be the Damsel Fly. Look for wind breaks behind the cattails, and weed patches sticking up with trout stacking up behind them.

On our freestone streams, the Wood and the Upper Lost, expect to fish small attractors and cover lots of water. The morning activity has the most bugs, but fish will come the surface all day. Really concentrate on the banks and shaded zones when the sun is high.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to be a head scratcher with Salmon Flies reported to Indian Rock, but not much above. By the time of this writing (and reading) expect the Salmon Flies to be somewhere between Indian Rock and the Dam. Pink Alberts have started in the afternoon, although the intensity still needs to build to get the fish feeding on them.

The Little Wood continues to fish very well above the reservoir. Big attractors are the way to go when the sun isn’t on the water. Scale back a few sizes if you are fishing midday.

A quick words on our guide staff: We believe in putting the angling public first at Picabo Angler. With that said, be sure that none of our guides can be found repeatedly hitting the same spots daily. We want to share great fishing with everyone! Like our guides always say – Guiding is a skill set, not a spot.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 7, 2015

Trico time is upon us at Silver Creek! Couple that insect with fantastic afternoon Damsel Fly activity, then sprinkle in some late night Mouse fishing and anglers are set up for some great spring creek fishing! We love that the Trico is happening early this year. The peak activity can be found in the S-Turns on the Nature Conservancy property and by weeks end we can expect to find this Spinner Fall up and down the entire river. When the Trico “feed” begins to taper off, expect to see PMD and Baetis for at least another hour or so before the afternoon lull. Once you are done fishing the morning hatches and spinner falls, come on by Picabo Angler for some lunch at our Grill and the head back out for the banner year of Damsel Fly fishing we’ve been having! If you still aren’t sated after that, look to hang in there until dark and try Mouse fishing. The Big Browns have been eating Mouse Flies better than ever this year!

On the Wood and Upper Lost Rivers, the Green Drakes are well up the systems and should be wrapping up for the season by weeks end. Fishing Stonefly and Salmon Fly imitations remains viable on most rivers, especially the South Fork of the Boise where the Salmon Flies are making their way to the dam! This is the week to fish if you want to hit the Salmon Fly on this awesome river.

The Salmon River is fishing very well and is another great place to go cast big attractor flies at nice sized Cutts and Rainbows. Floating the river is the best way to fish it. If you don’t have a boat and want to see the river up close and personal, let one of our great guides row you down and put you over these hungry fish.

The Lower Lost continues to fish in spots with nymph and double nymph rigs. Wading can be tough, but jumping from spot to spot by vehicle can be productive. Copper Johns are a great way to go, and if you need to fish dries, try skating a Crane Fly. We have some excellent imitations in the store this year.

Over all we can expect another great week of fishing throughout the Sun Valley area. Temps should be more comfortable for fish and anglers alike, and the water conditions and hatches are as good as it gets right now!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 29, 2015

Green Drake madness continues throughout the Sun Valley area! Valley wide we are seeing great hatches and spinner falls of the Green Drake. On the Big Wood expect to see the Drake hatching strong mid-valley with a push up into Ketchum and North by weeks end. The timing of the hatch this year is generally 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The Drake loves to hatch in the heat of the day, and with all the “extra” heat this summer the timing of the hatch has moved to an earlier time. Normally 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. would be more like it. The Green Drake can also be found first thing in the morning, before the sun gets on the water. Look to fish the spinner fall of Drakes over very fast, choppy water. One of the best techniques for fishing the spinner fall is to drown your dry fly at the bottom of the heavy water where you see them flying. Fish it with an indicator or sight fish it, looking for the flash of the fish eating just under the surface.

Anglers will also find Green Drakes on the Little Wood River and the Upper Lost River, as well as Silver Creek. On the Little Wood and the Lost, expect to see some bugs, but not like you would find on the Big Wood. Our favorite flies for this event on all the rivers except Silver Creek is the Colorado Green Drake and the Cripple. On Silver Creek the Green Drake is brighter in color and the fish really prefer the Harrop patterns like the Last Chance Cripple or even a nice extended body fly.

This is really a fun time of the year as we can finally rig up big, bushy dry flies and wet wade the rivers, searching for fish as we go! It is a brief amount of time that we can do this, so get out there every day this week, every evening after work, or whenever you can squeeze a few moments on the rivers.

The “other” hatch that is happening right now, and not being talked about as much as the Drake is the Damsel Fly action. This has really been gaining momentum on the Creek the past few hot days and this action should last well into the summer. Coupled with the morning PMD, Callibaetis and the first few sightings of Tricos, the Creek is about to come into the summer season in all its glory, and with all its awesome challenges!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 22, 2015

A great week is ahead of us as we experience a plethora of water opening up and becoming fishable for the first time this season. Brown Drakes are officially replaced by Green Drakes, and the Greens can be found on The Nature Conservancy portion of Silver Creek, the lower reaches of the Big Wood and the upper Lost River.

The Green Drake on Silver Creek is a bright colored bug, so have something to match it that isn’t the dull Green colors we would use on the Wood and Lost Rivers. We have Drakes for all the rivers and have a lot of the Colorado Green Drake that works magic on the Wood now and again when the Western Red Quills arrive in the fall. This fly matches both hatches wonderfully.

Silver Creek continues to percolate with Baetis, PMD and a lot of Callibaetis. Despite having excellent hatches and spinner falls the timing of these events has been the hardest part of fishing. Anglers willing to stay from 7:00 a.m. until total darkness will find great fishing at multiple points during these hours, but whether the best fishing is morning, noon, or night, is anyone’s guess. Anglers willing to stay until darkness will find that we are having one heck of a good mouse fishing year!

The Big Wood and the upper Lost will fish this week, but like we keep saying – Please leave your dogs at home right now. There is too much volume in the river for our four legged friends to fight. Pease wear a wading belt, or better yet, wet wade. Fish with a friend. Use a wading staff. Be Careful out there!

Beyond the Green Drake plan on seeing a lot of Stoneflies and Salmon Flies in the coming weeks. Stimulators in a variety of sizes and colors are a must have. They are also great flies to use when fishing a dropper. Droppers can be simple bead head Prince Nymphs and Hares Ears.

The South Fork of the Boise should start producing Salmon Flies this week, if not already. The Caddis activity should also be ramping up! If you have the itch to fish from a driftboat, look no further. Our other driftboat river, the Salmon, is also fishing well and getting better by the day. Big dries and droppers are all you need up here. If you go to either river, boat safely and enjoy all the sights and sounds that come with these wonderful day trips through Idaho canyons!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 15, 2015

We are awaiting clarity on the Big Wood River, and of course the higher you go, the more you will find it. The Wood north of Ketchum is running clear, and there are plenty of enticing places to fish. We took our favorite high water Big Wood River rig, a Giant Picabo Royal Stimulator with a size 12 Beadhead Prince Nymph, and fished from the north to the south on Sunday. The fish in the clearer water up north were less willing to eat, and seemed stuck on the choice between eating a fly or getting moved downstream by the current. I was able to cross the river in a few spots, but it was treacherous. Do NOT bring your canine friends to the Big Wood just yet.

Moving down to the mid-valley the river was not wadable, and the color was off, but not so bad that it would keep one from fishing. The fish were easier to find and catch as the only holding water was the giant back eddies and deep pools.

Finally, well south into Bellevue, the conditions were the same, if not slightly muddier. If the river keeps dropping, we should have our Second Season in the Sun Valley area very soon. Expect the river to be very fishable, yet still dangerous to wade in the coming week. Please don’t take chances and do take a friend.

With the Big Wood just becoming fishable. Expect the upper Lost River system to follow along shorty. There are clear stretches now, but the volume makes it tough to find holding water without some very long walks.

Silver Creek continues to show great Callibaetis hatches in the pond sections and regular PMD activity through the S-Turns. With a return to hot days, expect the Callibaetis to dominate the midafternoons. Baby Hoppers are beginning to show up and with the Green Drake on the Conservancy waters these could be the sleeper flies this week.

The South Fork of the Boise has not shown the Salmon Fly yet, but with a hot week upon us, the skies should be turning from Blue to Orange very soon! It is still too early to guess what the fires and flood debris will ultimately do to the hatches on this wonderful river. If you go, be sure to have small Elk Hair Caddis in an 18 with a Black body.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Be Kind.

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 8, 2015

Summer like conditions have returned to Silver Creek and the Wood River Valley. With the heat comes some additional runoff, mostly from snows left by the spring storms. Just as the rivers began to drop, this newest heat wave has brought them back up and at a flow that make our freestone streams rough to fish. The good news is, this should be the last of the runoff, and by this time next week all our rivers should be fishable, and with the beginnings of great hatches.

Coming off of the Brown Drake hatch, anglers can expect more big bugs in the form of Salmon Flies and Stoneflies. The Green Drake should be making its first appearance with the clearing of our local waters as well.

On Silver Creek the PMDs, Callibaetis and Baetis are taking turns stealing the show from each other, but with the hot weather, expect the bright bodied Green Drakes to begin showing in the mid afternoon. This insect can be a game changer on the Creek when the heat of summer settles into the afternoon hours and anglers are looking hard to find a decent hatch.

The Big Wood, the Little Wood and the upper Lost River are going to peak again this week, but get ready because some of the seasons best fishing is about to happen on these streams. A combination of Green Drakes, Stoneflies, Salmon Flies, baby Hoppers and Crane Flies should set all these systems on fire!

With high flows continuing, please wade with caution, leave your pups at home for another few weeks, fish with a friend as well as a secure wading belt and tell someone where you are fishing! Also - Wading staffs are a good idea in the early season.

The South Fork of the Boise is most likely the scene of the next big hatch, the Salmon Fly. No reports from anglers yet, but it’s always better to be the first reporting! If you go, please scout the river, be aware of all the new rapids, be liberal with your lifejacket and keep an eye on your fellow angler and boaters!

Finally, be ready for a lot of change this week. Summer heat will change the fishing dramatically. Expect the hours of great fishing to change on the Creek, and expect a few fantastic weeks on our freestones the second the water begins to drop and turn glacial green!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Silver Creek Video Primer #6

This is the last installment of Silver Creek Access Point Video Primers. The Walk and Wade section of the Nature Conservancy is among the best fisheries in Idaho and one not to be missed by fly anglers. IN this video we take a quick look at the area and summarize the hatches and events that take place here.