Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 28, 2017

Fall like weather has continued into the Holiday Season. This has brought the Baetis hatches on Silver Creek all the way to the months end. The last day to fish Silver Creek upstream of Highway 20 (Silver Creek Preserve) is Thursday, November 30th. This is your last best chance to fish dry flies on the Creek until the opener in late May. The Creek remains open downstream of the Highway 20 Bridge until the end of February, but this is mostly Streamer and Mousing water as we head into true winter weather.

If you fish the Creek this week try to be on the water by 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. and if you want to fish dries, get your licks in by 3:00 p.m. Streamer fishing will be effective throughout the winter on the downstream stretches and through Kilpatrick Pond this week.

Fishing on the Big Wood is consistent with nymphs and streamers right now. The cold weather Midge hatches will appear eventually, in the meantime cover a lot of water and fish the riffles with Price Nymphs and Zebra Nymphs. Olive Buggers will take fish throughout the system, so get out and take advantage of the warm days!

The Lost River is much like the Big Wood this month, it is mostly a nymph fishery. Strike indicators and double nymph rigs fished deep will take fish. Pay close attention to the ledges and drops, as the fish like to nose up to those area adjacent shallow water, yet within racing distance to deep cover. Try Copper Johns in Red and in a variety of sizes. The Lost River fish will also key on your favorite Midge patterns.

The South Fork of the Boise is still a viable fishery and the driving conditions into the canyon are good. It is a quiet time on the South Fork and most area rivers. This may be the quietest time on all the area water until the Christmas crowds arrive. With hunting and skiing in full swing, and not many people in the Valley until the week before Christmas, the rivers are seeing few anglers. If quiet fishing is what you like, you’ll not find a better 2 to 3 weeks.

If you need any help on the water, our guide staff is still heading out daily and having great luck! We switch to winter guide rates on December 1st, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of the low rates, especially novices and beginners. It’s a great time to learn a little before next summer’s season!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 8th, 2016

Warm days are upon us and the nighttime temperatures are not very low either. This means fish will feel the changing water temperatures and you can count on the fact that they will begin to act like pre-spawning fish the moment they do. What this means to the angler, is a voracious bite while the temperatures remain warm. This is not to say the fish will dig spawning beds or anything like that. The warm pre-spawn simply means the fish will begin to recognize spring is right around the corner and they will want to put down as many calories as they can before they begin to think less about food and more about reproduction!

Nothing will change for the angler as far as flies and tactics go. Continue to use Brassies, Zebra Nymphs, Hares Ears, Griffiths Gnats, Tie-Down Midges and Buggers. Continue to fish the same winter water type. Do expect a longer fishing window as well as a higher catch rate.

If you are a beginner this is a great time of year to get out and learn. There are fewer anglers, the fish are ready to eat your fly, and you can get away with a few more mistakes. The fact that you will get so much opportunity to hook fish, means you will have more opportunity to learn how to hook, fight, and release fish. You can do this without worrying if you lose one, because you’ll be able to hook another soon!

Warm days also make this a great time to travel to our more distant rivers like the Big Lost around Mackay and the South Fork of the Boise closer to Mt. Home. Excellent driving conditions and clear roads are an invitation to fish out and about.

Silver Creek is an excellent place to fish on warm winter days as well. The temperatures are supposed to remain in the low 40s during the day. This means a little tint to the water and therefore excellent streamer fishing. Fishing remains open this month downstream of Highway 20 and it is all Catch and Release. Access points are the Highway, Silver Creek East, Silver Creek West and Picabo Bridge. Fish dark colored streamers if the water gets really tinted. If there is some clarity try brighter flies like Sparkle Minnows and White Buggers.

Get out there and enjoy the great winter fishing and the warming days as we make the turn toward springtime!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 2, 2016

This is one of those weeks or two week periods where we like to say, “They don’t call it Sun Valley for nothing!” Bright, sunny days should not hamper the fishing as the fish still have to eat. What it does mean is that stealth is as important as any part or your fishing repertoire.

We are at a point in the winter season, where most fish have seen at least a few winter flies. They will continue to eat the Midges, but with less abandon, while they search for the true flies and trailing shucks amongst the foam lines.

The sky may be sunny this week, but you may want to layer up just so that you can creep up the snowy banks on your hands and knees in order to get the best casting position available. This holds true when Nymphing in shallow water, thin riffles and tail outs of pools. It is even more important is you are going to stalk rising fish.

For one reason or another it is an easy thing to let your guard down in the winter. Perhaps the easy nature of the fishing, at least in early winter, or perhaps it’s the starkness of it all. In either case, take a fly angler, put them in a dark green parka and silhouette them against the snow.  It is easy to see why you need to stay behind the rising fish while keeping a low profile.

Bright days on the Big Wood River generally means shorter fishing windows because of colder temps. If you are eager to get out the door before the temps hit a reasonable mark think about using the clear skies to travel.

If you don’t have the whole day, think about hitting Silver Creek with Streamers. The Waterfowl Hunting season is over and the Creek is very quiet right now. The Creek is open to fish downstream of Hwy 20. Think about fishing the Willows and Point of Rocks. Snow Shoes are not a terrible idea if you want to get well into the access points.

If you have more time, look at the South Fork of the Boise and the Lower Lost Rivers. The South Fork can have some decent Midge hatches, and is a good place to go for big fish. The lower Lost is similar, although maybe a bit more Nymphing in the bright sun. It is also a great place to catch huge Rainbows!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 19, 2016

The Wood River Sculpin is unique in that its home pretty much consists of the Big Wood and Little Wood Rivers. This dark olive bottom dwelling fish is not a target for fly anglers, but it is certainly a target of the biggest trout that live in the Big and Little Wood systems. The volume of Wood River Sculpin makes it a year around target of the fish and therefore a fly we cast all year long.

Imitating this Sculpin is not difficult and can be done with a variety of flies. Dark Olive Matukas, Olive Buggers, Sparkle Minnows and most olive colored articulated patterns work just fine. There is one fly tied as a specific imitation of the Wood River Sculpin, which is the Philo Beto. This fly is found at Lost River Outfitters in Ketchum and was developed by the owner Scott Schnebly and his son Blake in the early 1990s when Blake was a young boy. The fly is loosely named for Clint Eastwood’s character Philo Beddoe in the movie Any Which Way but Loose. Tied from the Philo Plume feather off an olive died Pheasant Rump, the Philo Beto Streamer is slam dunk when fished on the Big Wood, Little Wood or pretty much anywhere Sculpins swim.

Sculpin imitations are best fished with a bead-head, or some external weight. When I fish the Philo Beto I like to put a small split shot right at the head of the fly. This gives the fly a jigging action and also help me keep if from snagging on the bottom by controlling the depth right at the fly as opposed to several inches or feet above the fly. Try to fish the fly swinging across the river on a tight line, keeping the fly as close to the bottom as you dare. The true Sculpin will dart from rock to rock along the river bottom, trying to avoid being eaten, but plenty of them do get eaten and they represent a major calorie intake for wintering trout.

When fishing Streamer imitations fish them on Fluorocarbon Leaders so that when you strip strike the leader does not stretch, but instead buries the hook in the fish’s mouth. Fish a stout tippet, taper it to about 2X. Nine feet is plenty of length. Cast across the river and retrieve the fly with your rod tip on the water and the line coming into the tip in a straight line. Enjoy all the big fish you’re going to catch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 13, 2016

The return of low pressure this week should make for outstanding fishing throughout the Sun Valley Area. Light snow falls should signal excellent dry fly opportunities and Nymphing along with Streamer fishing should easily fill in the gaps when the fish aren’t looking to devour Midges off of the surface.

The Big Wood should be on fire this week with perfect conditions for big Midge hatches. Flies consists of the usual winter assortment. Have Zebra Nymphs, Tie-Down Midges, Griffiths Gnats and your favorite Streamers, even if that is a simple olive colored Bugger.

Driving conditions have improved enough that a trip to the South Fork of the Boise is possible, just keep an eye on the conditions before you leave. It’s all the same bugs you’d use on the Big Wood. There has been plenty of anglers down there, so a midweek excursion would be your best bet.

The Lower Big Lost River is another winter gem worth making an effort to get to. The difference on the Lost is you have the town of Mackay and a great opportunity to stay a night and fish multiple days. Mackay has a few nice little hotels and enough places to eat and supply, that the Lower Lost is actually very, very user friendly in the winter! If you want a little break from Sun Valley, this is a quick easy trip and all the same flies you’d use on the Big Wood.

Finally we still have an active, yet untouched fishery on Silver Creek these days. Perfect conditions in the open water below Hwy 20 exist and no one has been ripping Streamers through this water! Non-weighted Streamers are the fly of choice. A small bead is plenty of weight. Fish midday and start near the Hwy. Work your way downstream over the course of the day, both walking and driving to access points. You should end up near the Picabo Bridge before the day is over.

If you see a lot of cars near the Point of Rocks parking lot or Silver Creek East, don’t fret as these are mostly trucks for Duck Hunters. Please give these guys and gals a wide birth if you see them. Most weekdays you won’t see anyone. The waterfowl season closes on the 29th of this month, which gives us yet another month on the Creek where fishing is the only activity. The Creek remains open below Hwy 20 for catch and release fishing until the end of February.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 5, 2016

Great news! 2016 is starting to look like it will be a decent water year. If the precipitation keeps coming it bodes well for all our rivers, streams and reservoirs. Cross your fingers for more winter storms and the big snowy dumps we’ve been getting!

With the winter dry fly season cranking up, it is time to talk Trailing Shucks. One thing we know about Midge hatches is they are prolific. When you walk the river and see that pepper shaker effect all over streamside banks you can pretty well count on seeing rising fish. This event occurs on the Big Wood, Big Lost and the South Fork of the Boise with regularity. The Big Wood is certainly one of the nation’s best winter dry fly streams. The easy access, volumes of fish and prolific Midge hatches make the Wood a winter destination.

The key ingredient when fishing over this hatch is the Trailing Shuck. Having this feature on your fly is the most important decision you will make all winter. Like Nike says – Just DO It. It can turn a sparse day into a banner day quickly. The Trailing Shuck fly looks like an easy target to fish. The way the Midge zips all over the water’s surface, it’s easy to see why the fish key in on an easy target. In a virtual stew of insects the trout will move quite a distance to eat a meal they consider a slam dunk. One that won’t fly away and leave them without calories for their efforts.

Something else to consider this week, Silver Creek is warming and shedding surface ice, making for world class winter Streamer fishing. Silver Creek remains open downstream (north) of HWY 20 until the end of February and the ice out occurrences on the Creek are key times to concentrate on this fishery. –

Swing non-weighted Streamers from bank to bank, keeping an eye on the spot where you think your fly is. More often than not, you will see the wake of a fish chasing your fly and you will see the subsequent boil when they eat it. Strip strike the fish and be ready, as these are sometimes the biggest fish of the season.

Fish heavy tippets for Streamers like 2X fluorocarbon. Fish lighter tippets when fishing the dry Midge like 6X. In either situation use stealth when approaching the water, also please keep the fish submerged when you release them!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 29, 2015

Happy New Year from all of us here at Picabo Angler!

Let’s talk pressure systems. We had wonderful low pressure fishing conditions for nearly a month now. We couldn’t ask for more or better in the winter months. The low pressure provides the snow and the ideal conditions for fish. Yet, not here we are with a few weeks of high pressure and artic cold temperatures. Does this mean bad fishing? Absolutely not.

Change is the most important factor when considering barometric pressure and how it effects your fishing. Is low pressure better? Yes, more often than not it is, but what we are really after are those days of change. More importantly we are looking for the day after change!

Regardless of whether Sun Valley is under a low or high pressure system, one thing is for certain. When the day comes that we go from cloudy skies to crystal clear skies, that is the precursor for some great fishing as the next day, or second day of the pressure change, is almost always a red hot catch rate day.

With that said, keep your eyes on a web site like weather underground that shows a graph with the pressure. This will help you pick the right days to be on the water no matter how cold it is, and it will help you save those less fishy days for fly tying, rod building, or reading a good book.

If you head out on the water this week, Silver Creek is pretty well frozen over. With that said stay tuned with us as we will let you know when the ice breaks. The day after that happens we can expect some world class streamer fishing and some great opportunities to catch some massive Silver Creek trout.

The Big Wood will fish through the cold snap as the current speed will keep parts of the river from freezing and give anglers an opportunity to pursue fish through the middle of the day. Be careful around icy river banks and also where you park. Bring a snow shovel just in case. There have been days when I’ve needed a snow shovel to carve out a parking area at some of the public access points!

If you don’t want to hassle with that, we do run our winter guide service at a reduced rate through the month of March. Call us at 208.788.3536 if you’d like to learn more or book an afternoon with one of our world class guides!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 15, 2015

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…There is no shortage of snow and low pressure systems thus far this winter. Meaning that all the great things that come with a big winter includes fishing! It’s a great thing living in a mountain town where 2 feet of the white stuff can make people smile from ear to ear! Plow operators are making money, skiers are enjoying fresh tracks, and anglers are also making them!

One of the best parts of a big storm is not only the lack of anglers on the water when you want to be there, but also the snowy banks make it perfectly clear whether or not anyone has been where you are headed since the last big storm.

Finding these long stretches of water and river where there are no tracks for days and weeks after the storms adds a lot to the mindset of anglers. It is a clear indication of water wear fish have been enjoying their winter hatches with no pressure on them. This translates to successful fishing more often than not! Couple this with the glorious beauty of the river corridor and it’s hard to find something more enjoyable to do on a winter’s day.

If you decide to fish this week, have your dry flies, nymphs and streamers. If you are fishing on Silver Creek (open below Hwy 20 bridge) fish streamers on heavy tippet. When you select your fly just remember bright flies on bright days and clear water and dark flies on dark days and darker water.

If you are fishing the Big Wood, Brassies and Zebra nymphs are all you need. Have them in Copper, Red and Black colors. Fish them in tandem underneath a strike indicator. Put the big flies on first and then tie a smaller nymph into the hook shank of the “lead” fly.

Big Wood anglers should also have dry flies. A Griffith’s Gnat and Tie-Down Midge are all one needs when the fish pod up on Midges. Fish them together on 6X tippets about 18 inches apart. Use a large Griffith’s Gnat as the lead fly to silhouette against the gray, flat light. If the fish are “Midging” on the surface, use plenty of stealth when approaching them, but get as close as you can in order to get a great visual on your flies.

Enjoy the glorious experience of winter fishing. Be safe, be warm and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone 

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 2, 2015

March is here! The number one month for catch rates is upon us! With a week of sunny days forecast we should have some excellent fishing under Sun Valley skies. Expect great hatches and lots of fish filling themselves up on whatever they can find before the spawning season of April and May.

We made it to the South Fork of the Boise the past few weekends. Despite great weather, the fishing was just so-so. The best action came at the mouths of creeks and the tops of side channels where pre-spawn activity was enough to get some big fish to let their guard down. Midges and a few Baetis were present, but the Copper John was the fly most fish got caught on. We had some luck with Girdle Bugs and Zebra Nymphs as well.

The Big Wood continues to fish well, with the Midge being the main fair and a few Little Black Stoneflies also contributing to the Trout’s food source! Plan on Nymphing early in the day and fishing dry flies by lunch time! If you fish the dry, a Trailing Shuck Midge fished behind a Griffiths Gnat is still our favorite winter set up. With blue skies forecast the rest of the week, plan on a cooler breeze to go along with it. Continue to fish in hats and fingerless gloves! Bring plenty of layers to shed or cover up with.

Silver Creek is now closed for the season. The river will reopen May 23rd, so start tying your PMDs, Brown Drakes, Baetis and big Beetles for the first week of the spring!

The Big Lost is the one river that will remain open throughout March, April and May. The later we get into the spring, the better it will fish, but March can be very, very good on the Lower Lost. Midges are the main food source now, but as we move forward, expect to see more and more Baetis hatches.

If you decide to head “Around the Horn” and fish the Lost, don’t forget to stop by Picabo Angler for a great fly selection, beer, ice and breakfast or lunch to go! We have recently expanded our Outfitting business so come on in and check out our larger space! We are super excited about the coming season and all new product should begin arriving throughout the spring.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 16th, 2015

Sunny days are upon us this week and anglers can count on the fish reacting to it in some places. The best fishing will most likely take place on our freestone streams and tail-waters, where riffles and other surface features will give the fish a place to hide under the bright light. The sun will also mean high pressure and slightly cooler days than the last few weeks. Expect decent hatches of Midges on the South Fork of the Boise, the Big Wood and the Big Lost River.

Anglers fishing the Big Wood River may also see decent occurrences of the Little Black Stonefly. If you see these guys crawling around on the banks, try swinging flies like Hares Ears and Prince Nymphs on a tight line. It is a fun technique and will almost always produce the biggest fish of the day. Simply cast across the river, or slightly upstream, without a strike indicator on the line. Instead put a touch of weight about 12 inches above your fly. Let the fly sink as it comes even and then past you with the current. Once the fly gets near the end of the line, throw a upstream mend in the line to get the fly to swing slowly. At this point the fly should come tight and the line, and as it is swinging across the river, the fly should also move from the bottom of the river, toward the surface. This will give the fly the appearance of emerging, and will in turn trigger the prey drive in the fish and get them to attack!

Silver Creek should continue to fish well. The daytime temps last week were high enough to form decent Midge hatches, and anglers in some places on the river were treated to rare winter dry fly activity on the Creek. Streamer fishing is still the way to go if you want to target the biggest fish in the river.

With clear skies, this will also be an excellent week to strike out for the South Fork of the Boise and the Lost River. If you head for the SFOB load for bear, as this river in the winter is anyone’s guess as to what may be taking place. Midge Dries, Nymphs and Streamers could all come into play.  On the Lost, take all your same flies you would fish on the Big Wood in the winter. Be sure to have some Baetis dries as well…just in case.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 2nd, 2015

February is the last month to get on Silver Creek before the spring closure. The Creek is open to Catch and Release fishing downstream from the Hwy 20 Bridge. The weather predictions for the week include mostly cloudy days in the South Valley, which should make for excellent fishing through the week and weekend. The clouds and subsequent low pressure should also make for excellent fishing on the Big Wood, Big Lost and the South Fork of the Boise.

The biggest fish in Silver Creek are far more active with cloud cover and a bit of tint to the water. These conditions allow the bigger fish to come out from under the banks and ice shelves with a little less fear of attack from above. The fishing continues to mainly be streamer fishing, with non-weighted flies. Try different stripping techniques until you hook up, and then stick with that one!

The Big Wood should also fish very well with cloud cover. February is a fun month on the Wood as dry fly fishing, nymph fishing, and streamer fishing are all effective ways to catch fish. Despite the variety of techniques, anglers don’t need a huge variety of flies. Griffiths Gants and Tie-Down Midges are great dry flies, Zebra Nymphs and Brassies are excellent nymph patterns, and for streamer try olive woolly buggers.

The Big Lost should also be on an angler’s radar this week. The same flies you would use on the Big Wood should be plenty effective on the Lost as well. You may want to also focus on a few more weighted nymphs like Price Nymphs and Hares Ears if the sun happens to pop out. There are plenty of deep buckets on the Lost and being able to prospect the bottoms of these in the dead of winter can often produce your biggest Lost River Rainbows of the season!

The South Fork of the Boise is also a great place to go under cloudy skies, although it can be infinitely less predictable and more fickle… but, when it turns on the fishing here can be as good as it gets anywhere in the West.

If you are looking for a great winter fishing experience, don’t hesitate to hire a guide. Most full time guides are sitting by the phone in the winter, dying to show guests how great the winter fishing can be. Winter rates are also very affordable and here in Picabo we even throw in private access to water rarely fished!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report- January 5, 2015

The weather for winter fishing this week is perfect! A little overcast, temps slightly above and below freezing, fresh snow to pull the skiers onto the hill and a time of the season synonymous with epic winter fishing all adds up to a great week!

The Big Wood is among the best winter fly fisheries in the west. If anyone tells you differently, they haven’t seen the daily dry fly activity that takes place on this river when the conditions are like they are right now! Fishing Midge Clusters and Trailing Shuck patterns can be very rewarding right now!

Perhaps the best show this week, and one we’ve been waiting for is the Streamer fishing on Silver Creek. With enough warmth the snow on the banks is melting, the ice is letting go and the perfect combination of slightly muddy water, and fish that have been under the ice for a week hungry has arrived. If you have an itch to try and catch big fish, as opposed to the numbers you would catch in the Wood, then come on down to Silver Creek. Picabo Angler remains open all winter. Flies and a hot lunch are readily available!

Warmer days also means destinations like the South Fork of the Boise and the Lost River will be easier to reach and easier to fish without the artic conditions! If you want to go a bit farther and definitely stay warm, come all the way to the expo center in Boise this weekend. We will be there for the Western Idaho Fly Fishing Expo. Most Idaho fly shops are represented along with many manufacturers, showing off the New Year models of everything!

A perfect weekend trip would be hitting the expo early one morning and then hitting the South Fork of the Boise on the way home. If you go, bring Zebra Nymphs, Zug Bugs, Red Squirrel Nymphs and Girdle Bugs. There may be some dry fly opportunity as well, so bring your favorite Midge dry flies as well.

If you decide to head the other direction the Lost will be fishing well. The dry fly activity may not be as certain as other destinations, but the Nymphing should be excellent. The Lost receives very little pressure this time of the year, and you could even have the whole river to yourself on a weekend.

No matter where you fish, be safe! Have a great New Year and enjoy our incredible winter fisheries!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 15, 2014

The Christmas season is upon us and this normally signals the first large Midge hatches of the winter. If you don’t see fish working the surface on the Big Wood this week, you will very, very soon. With that in mind, let’s review some favorite winter dry fly techniques and patterns.

The Trailing Shuck Midge or the Tie-Down Midge (sz.20) are flies you must have in your fly box for winter. These are best paired and fished with the Griffiths Gnat or Midge Cluster (sz.16). The idea here being that the Midge fly is too small to see as it sits in the film with very little profile. The Griffiths Gnat on the other hand stands out like a sore thumb against the winter glare on the water’s surface.

With this set up anglers can fish a fly they can see, and still set the hook on a fish that comes up near that fly, with the idea that anything rising within a foot of the highly visible Gnat will be eating the Trailing Shuck pattern. Fish these flies on 6X tippets and tie about 18 inches of 6X between the two patterns.

Stealth is also a key to fishing the Midge dry. Because the fly is so small, it becomes important to be close. Casting accuracy is at a premium when fishing dry in the winter and the closer you are the better. One of the biggest mistakes winter dry fly anglers make is trying to walk right up on a spot because the glare on the water gives a false sense of cover. Anglers using a low profile approach and natural colors in their apparel will catch more fish.

The places to look for rising fish in the winter include slow moving riffles that are thigh to waist deep, back eddies and any heavy foam-line. The times to look are between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The Big Wood is normally the first to have big hatches in the winter. The South Fork of the Boise and the Lost River also have decent dry fly action all winter, although the action is not daily like it almost always is on the Big Wood. Silver Creek, has decent Midges but unfortunately the biggest hatches are after the season closes in the spring. The Creek does have incredible Streamer fishing in the winter for anglers looking to catch true trophy trout!

Happy Winter Fishing Everyone!