Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - November 1, 2018

Here comes the cold! A significant change in our weather patterns means temperatures should be dropping about 10 degrees less than what we’ve been experiencing. This could mean the beginning of the end of the dry fly season in the Sun Valley area. The heat of the day could produce some small dry fly windows, especially if it is calm out. Think late afternoons if you want to try to fish the surface.

Silver Creek has a few more hatches left. The Fall Baetis here can sometimes last until Thanksgiving, but that fishing window could shrink down to an hour or two of decent rises. The Brown Trout will be coming off the spawn soon. This means a lot of big hungry trout are going to be out hunting and looking to pack on the calories before winter sets in. This means Streamer fishing and especially on cloudy days and low light periods. The Creek can be a spectacular place in the late fall, just watch the weather and try to find some nice fair days to go fish.

The Big Wood will still fish surprising well with some large attractors in the fall. Consider large Royal Wulffs, H and L Variants and even some Orange or Royal Stimulators. The Midge activity in the early evening is also a nice precursor and warm up for this winter’s Midge hatches! If nothing seems to be working get out an Olive Bugger and fish a lot of water. You will find some nice fish with the proper Streamer techniques. Now, if all else fails, fish a Prince Nymph / Red Copper John tandem under a strike indicator!

The Lower Lost River is still a great place to be in the Fall. Manageable flows and hungry fish mean anglers are finding good success. Nymphing is the norm and a variety of Midge patterns and small Baetis patterns will do the trick!

O.K. it is time to pay closer attention to the weather before you travel to fish. We would suggest taking time this week and putting together a winter fishing / travel kit. Fill an bag with a dry change of warm clothes. Pack some food and water and throw a good sleeping bag in the truck as well. Freak storms, muddy or snowy roads and short daylight hours means we all need to take precautions as we enter the winter fishing season. Be safe and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - October 24, 2018

A fall mix of weather is upon us. Sun, rain and clouds are all in the forecast, but daytime temperatures should remain comfortable. Cloudy days are certainly going to influence the hatches, but still no need to wake up and get to the water early. Best fishing times should remain between lunch and dinner.

Silver Creek hatch activity remains strong in the middle and later half of the day. The Baetis is the dominant hatch, and this activity could increase with the cloud cover this week. The Mahogany Dun is also still out and about, although in fewer numbers. Expect to see this hatch along with the Baetis late in the day. Don’t hesitate to check out the downstream access points like Silver Creek East to see the best hatches of this insect. Lastly, the October Caddis is still hatching. Anglers can pick up a few fish with this fly during the day by treating it like a Grasshopper. The actual occurrence of the bug should take place closer to the evening hours.

The Big Wood is still fishing very well. We haven’t had a season this good on the Big Wood since our first big forest fires a decade ago. Great hatches, lots of fish and sizable fish have all been in the mix. Now, with angler numbers down for the season, its’s a great time to be out there! Fish Baetis wets and dry and be prepared for some Streamer fishing or Nymph Fishing when the fish aren’t rising. Olive Streamers fish while moving at a decent pace will take plenty of fish. Copper John’s in Red and Copper under a strike indicator will also produce fish.

The Lower Lost remains a great place to fish this fall. Decent Baetis hatches and lots of fish distribution are making for happy anglers. Nymphing is the norm and fishing tandem nymphs will produce good catch rates. Try large nymphs as the lead fly, like a Prince Nymph or Copper John. Drop a small micro-nymph behind these, like a Zebra Nymph or your favorite Tungsten Beaded pattern.  Move slowly up the river and even fish the shallow riffles. Move slow enough and you should be able to site nymph a few fish if the sun is out!

The South Fork of the Boise continues to pump out cookie cutter days of fabulous Baetis hatches. This is a great place to cast and blast as well! Chukar hunt all morning and catch the hatch after lunch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report October 17th, 2018

The fish are still taking advantage of these sunny fall days, and hopefully anglers are as well! More sun is in the forecast and conditions should remain stable and the fishing should remain great as the day warms. No need to get to the water early. In fact start later and finish later. The hatches in the late afternoon are the best of the day.

Silver Creek is still seeing decent amounts of Fall Baetis, Mahogany Duns and October Caddis. The rise normally starts around 1:00 p.m. and will last until sunset. The last few hours of light anglers should see all the listed bugs in one stage of life or another. A lot of Brown Trout are spawning right now, so please avoid their spawning areas and let them do their thing. If none of the above is working for you, it is not too late to cast terrestrials like Ants, Hoppers and Beetles. You will be surprised how late in the season trout will take a Hopper fly!

The Big Wood is still a lovely place to fish right now. Fall Baetis in the late afternoon, along with Midges toward sunset are bringing fish up. No need to be on the water before lunch time, but if you start early plan on Nymphing and Streamer fishing. Prince Nymphs are a great choice in the fall as well as Copper Johns and Zebra Midges. A San Juan Worm is also a great choice. You may find Brown Trout Redds (spawning beds) in the Wood. If you do, try fishing red colored nymphs behind them to pick up the fish locking in on random trout eggs floating down river.

The lower Lost River remains one of the better fisheries right now. The fish are well distributed and ready to eat. Fishing Micro-Nymph combos under a strike indicator is your best bet. Think Black and Red colors. Copper Johns, Zebra Midges, San Juan Worms, Chamois Flies, and Lightning Bugs are great choices. This is also another place where you may see Redds, although here it would be Kokanee washed through the dam. If you see these bright red fish spawning, try fishing the nearby riffles with red colored nymphs, egg patterns or even flesh flies as the fish die and decay after spawning.

Lastly, The South Fork of the Boise is still seeing Fall Baetis hatches. Try to fish between lunch and dinner and weekdays if possible!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley Picabo Area Fishing Report - September 26, 2018

Nice brisk mornings are upon us in the Wood River Valley. The chilling water has made the fish a bit more aggressive as their instincts tell them to fatten up now! Winter is coming and with it means scarce hatches and a more limited menu for the fish. In the meantime there are still good hatches, lots of bugs and lots of aggressive fish out there!

Silver Creek is transitioning into full blown fall mode. The only summer remnant is the Hopper action which continues to produce fish. The pace may not be as furious as it was, but they are still being eaten throughout the river system. The afternoons and early evenings are seeing hatches of Baetis and Callibaetis. The late afternoon is October Caddis time. This hatch has been picking up steam and is one of the best for picking up big fish on the surface. Mousing has slowed some as the nights are getting pretty cold and the Browns are going into spawn mode. There is still some night fishing to do, but dress appropriately!

The Big Wood continues to shine with Fall Baetis and Western Red Quill. These are afternoon hatches and the best fishing is from lunch until dinner time. Think about fishing close to Ketchum as the hatches are moving well upstream. The Fall Baetis and October Caddis on the Wood can be really strong north of Ketchum when the weather is calm and warm.

The Upper Lost is still producing some nice fish, but not at a furious pace. If you go, cover lots of water and bring all your same flies you fish on the Big Wood. Start your fishing late and stay until the first evening chill sets in!

The Lower Lost is fishing well with Nymphs and Hoppers still. The fish are eager to eat red colored nymphs and micro nymphs. When in doubt on this river, cast your favorite pattern and have faith in it. The fish aren’t too picky and often showing them something new or different is all one needs to do in order to have a banner day out there!

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise continues to produce afternoon Fall Baetis hatches that are great fun to fish in the riffle water. A lot of fish come to the top for this bug, but be patient as the hatches can start well after lunch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - September 19, 2018

How long will the Hopper fishing last? We get this question a lot. The answer is until the first couple of hard frosts! We have fished Hoppers well into November in past seasons, so keep an eye on the weather and ground. If it gets warm and you are still seeing them hopping and flying, then by all means, fish them!

Silver Creek is seeing a decent October Caddis emergence in the evening. This should switch to early evening / late afternoon as daytime temperatures drop. The Fall Baetis is getting stronger and stronger, the Callibaetis is still present on calm afternoons. The Mahogany Dun will also begin to show more in the middle of the day as temperatures drop. Brown Trout are still making their spawning run and they are ripping into baits at low light. Needless to say the evening Streamer fishing can be very good! Looking forward expect more of the same, but with a narrower and narrower fishing window. The mornings are awfully cold for fishing these days!

The Big Wood continues to show its beautiful fall colors both below and above the water line. The changing leaves and backdrop on the Wood make it worth fishing for that reason alone. Add in a few colorful Rainbows and you have one heck of an awesome day of fishing near Sun Valley! Try fishing Hoppers, Red Quills and Baetis. You may find some October Caddis north of Ketchum. Streamers are also a great bet as well as large standard nymphs like a Pheasant Tail.

The Lower Lost is fishing well. Use your favorite red nymph, like a Copper John, San Juan Worm, or Micro-Nymph in red. If you want to fish the surface Crane Flies and Hoppers are your best bets. There are some Baetis present as well, but anglers willing to fish subsurface will find more action.

The Upper Lost has a few fish willing to eat flies, but there is a lot of walking between them. This area remains a great place to go to have nearly a whole river to yourself and after a busy summer, there is plenty of appeal in that statement alone!

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise continues to pump out the Fall Baetis hatches in the afternoons. This should continue as long as the mild weather holds. Hoppers are also a great bet in the canyon!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 29th, 2018

Get your sweatshirts and jackets out, someone took summer and quickly replaced it with fall! The fish went into a bit of shock over the weekend on some area waters, but don’t worry, the fall hatches will soon be here and will bring the fish up to the top again!

Be sure in the coming week you stop and get your fall flies in your box. This means all your old Green Drake patterns get to be used again! The Green Drake and the Western Red Quill are so similar in size and color you can fish one fly for both hatches, even though they exists at opposite ends of the season. Besides Green Drakes, Quill Gordons are a great fly, as well as Parachute Adams, Irresistible Adams, Royal Wulffs and Gray Wulffs.

The Fall Baetis has already begun on Silver Creek, but it should be hitting the Wood, the Upper Lost and the South Fork of the Boise very soon! This little Baetis is maddening in size and movement, but some days in the fall it blankets the rivers and is the only thing a fish will eat. Tiny Parachute Adams are a great fly for this. Anglers can also fish small Sparkle Duns, or other trailing shuck patterns as well. Try fishing your favorite Thorax pattern on an open loop with a generous amount of dry shake. This will get the fly wiggling just like the real thing!

Hoppers continue to be the best fly an angler can fish right now, and we should be able to keep fishing them all the way until the first hard frost. This could be a week from now or a month from now, but don’t stop fishing them until it happens.

If you really like the big bug fishing you may want to stock up on October Caddis. We are a month away, but with cool temps we could see this bug sooner. The best places to fish it are Silver Creek, and the Big Wood north of Ketchum.

Hunting season is almost upon us and reports on Dove numbers and Grouse numbers are strong. It should be a great start to the season. If you want to get a jump start on Chukar and Pheasant Hunting, the Picabo Angler Shooting Preserve is now open for guided, released bird hunts. We keep our hunts authentic and natural in a traditional farm and ranch setting! Call John for more info – 208.788.3536

Happy Fishing and Bird Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 22, 2018

Cooler nights have given us a hint that fall is coming. The local trout population sure knows it. The Brown Trout have started their upstream migration into ideal spawning areas and both Browns and Rainbows are packing on the calories. The nighttime temps have certainly cooled the water and the fish are acting accordingly.

Silver Creek is fishing well as the day progresses. The Trico and Baetis in the morning has been less than spectacular, but the Hopper fishing when it’s windy in the afternoon and the Callibaetis when it’s not windy, has been off the charts great! Anglers staying until dark will find great fishing as the sun sets. Hoppers are very effective under low light and the Mouse fishing will continue to get better and better as fall approaches.

The Upper Lost and Big Wood remain strong fisheries. This should continue and even improve as we move closer to fall. Be sure you have the Western Red Quill in your fly box in the coming weeks as this hatch is the next big one. In the meantime keep fishing Hoppers and small attractors like Parachute Adams. The Streamer fishing is also good, as the fish in these systems also try to pack on some weight before the true cold sets in.

The Lower Lost River is fishing pretty well. Flows still make moving about a bit of a challenge, but the Trico action in the a.m. can be great if you are in the right water type. Mainly the flatter the water the better! Crane Flies are active as well as a variety of Baetis. If nothing is going on surface wise, then try nymphs like Copper Johns and Zebra Midges. Fish these in Red and Black colors and be sure to move slowly looking for sight Nymphing opportunities.

The Fall is also a great time to get out on Magic Reservoir. This fishery really lights up as we move toward cooler days and nights. If you’ve had enough river fishing this summer, Magic is a great break from the norm!

The South Fork of the Boise, although busy most days, still has good Hopper and Pink Alberts fishing throughout the day. The flows remain at driftboat levels and this should remain the case for the rest of the month and most of September is the summer heat continues.

Have fun out there, and don’t forget, the Picabo Angler Shooting Preserve is now open for you bird hunting enthusiast out there!

Happy Fishing and Wing Shooting Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 9, 2018

Hopper season continues to impress as we roll deeper into summer with fall nipping at the heels. The smoke hasn’t been as bad as we first thought, which has made this August a bit more pleasant than expected. Great hatches in the morning and the evening are still the norm, so get out and fish this week!

Silver Creek has been fishing very well all summer and the streak continues. The Trico Spinner Fall in the morning coupled with Baetis in the late morning and  the Callibaetis in the afternoon make for great dry fly opportunities throughout the day. Anglers can fish Hoppers morning, noon and night. There are also great hatches of Damsel Flies. The Flying Ants have also arrived, and don not be surprised if on any given day in the next week, this hatch blows up. When it does, the Flying Ant seemingly makes the fish turn greedy. The Mouse fishing at night has also been very productive and with nighttime tmps not too cold, it’s a comfortable time of year to throw the mouse.

The Big Wood and the Upper Lost continue to fish well, especially at low light. The mornings can produce Trico and Baetis action. Hopper – Dropper set ups in the afternoon will produce fish and the evenings are best tackled with Elk Hair Caddis and Rusty Spinners. The Upper Lost is loaded with Hoppers and the fish will still take small attractors.

The lower Lost is still a touch high for easy wading, but there is some opportunity for anglers that can wade strong. Hopper – Droppers are a good set up. Copper Johns and a small Baetis and Midge imitations will take fish. The Crane Flies are also coming out in good numbers.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish well with Hoppers and Ant patterns. The Pink Alberts at high noon and later are a good bet when the wind stays down. The river remains at boating levels and wade anglers should use caution in this big body of water.

Finally, if you really want to beat the heat think about a return to our local reservoirs! The fishing can be great in the summer, a float tube on a hot afternoon is tough space to beat! If you go, try fishing Buggers and Perch colored flies. Fish the top 12 feet of water, but and also wait for the evening rise before you head home!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fly Fishing Report - July 25, 2018

Heat and more heat continues to cover South Central Idaho as we move closer and closer to August. The fishing is fine though and the heat makes the rivers the best place to be on a daily basis. Wet wading is a joy and the rivers running under the Cottonwood forest canopy send waves a cool breezes up and down the river corridors.

Silver Creek is an early and late fishery for those anglers looking to catch the daily hatches and spinner falls. Trico and Baetis rule the mornings, while the evenings are the normal smorgasbord of bugs, including Baetis and Caddis. Anglers that want to stay and fish in the afternoons will find great fishing under the heat, just stay fully covered up with buffs, sun gloves and the like. The afternoons are all about Hoppers and Damsel Flies. The Hopper bite is really coming on strong. Once again, pink or tan bodies are the way to go.

The Big Wood and Upper Lost are fishing well. The reports of bigger fish this season are great. The forage created by last year’s flooding has seemingly increased general fish sizes all over the place. Again, be early and fish late. Plan on Rusty Spinners and Caddis being mainstays out there. Dave’s Hoppers are an excellent choice in the afternoons. Small attractors are also effective. Parachute Adams and Royal Trudes are excellent choices.

The Lower Lost River is slowly coming into fishing shape. A few Crane flies are around and plenty of Hoppers. A Hopper – Dropper set up is a good choice. Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, San Juan Worms and small Baetis and Midge patterns make great droppers. If you go, the wading is still difficult. Wading belts are a must.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish well. What is happening depends on where you fish. Some sections the fish will still respond to big foam flies like Salmon Flies and other big Stoneflies. On other sections Hoppers and Cicadas are bringing fish up. If you are floating the river, stop every once in a while and look at the streamside vegetation. If you are seeing big bugs, fish accordingly, if you are not, think about the Hoppers and Cicadas.

It’s been a busy month thus far on the rivers, but that should all begin to ebb at the end of the month, so please remain patient and kind, and please treat your fellow angler how you would like to be treated!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - June

 Anglers in the Sun Valley area are coming out of a week of tough weather, although very good fishing. The coming week should be warmer and new opportunities should be presenting themselves daily. With the freestone streams clearing and dropping ever so slowly, new areas and new hatches will present themselves.

The most anticipated hatch is the Green Drake. We have been seeing them on Silver Creek for several weeks already. When we see them on the Big Wood and Upper Lost it is almost always accompanied by a hot day. Chances are the first really true hatches will begin this coming week. There is still a danger to fishing the Wood right now at the current volume but use common sense, fish with a friend, keep your wader belt tight and leave your dog at home! You should be able to find some fishable water in side channels and along shorelines with good riffle water. The big back eddies are worth fishing as well, especially with a nymph dropper.

Expect a variety of Stoneflies and Little Yellow Sallies on the water as well. If you want to run a dropper rig of your big dry flies, the Epoxy Back Green Drake is a solid choice. Fish this beneath a Colorado Green Drake or Picabo Royal Stimulator!

The South Fork of the Boise is on the cusp of the Salmon Fly hatch and the Cicada action is as good as it has been in years. Expect to see a few Mormon Crickets and a lot of Caddis in the evening. The flows are at good boatable levels, with limited wade fishing opportunities where you find them.

Silver Creek remains the best place to fish this week. The Baetis hatches have been outstanding. They come and go throughout the day, so if the fish aren’t rising, fish the sloughs and check back in on the river periodically. Green Drakes are still in play on the Upper Stretches of the Nature Conservancy. PMD and Callibaetis are making daily appearances as well.

The Baby Hoppers have hatched this week and it is apparent we are in for another outstanding Hopper season! We are still a month away from fishing the adult Hopper, but it has been hard to keep these flies in stock the past few seasons with their abundance on the rivers, so if you’re in Picabo Angler grab some patterns now. We are currently well stocked with a lot of great Hoppers!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report – April 9th, 2018

Snowpack levels in the Wood River valley and adjacent drainages continue to hover around 100% of normal. Current snowpack levels are: Big Wood River – 97%, Little Wood River – 94%, Big Lost River – 104%, and Salmon River – 109%. Coupled with good base flows and carryover from 2017, the outlook for water flows on our local rivers remains promising.

Silver Creek, the Big Wood River, and the South Fork Boise River below Anderson Ranch dam are closed and will re-open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

Steelhead season is in full swing, and our guides have been plying the waters of the Salmon River upstream of Challis. Fish are spread out along the river system. To date, approximately 250 steelhead have been trapped at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery in Stanley. Flows on the Salmon are a bit higher than normal (1,360 CFS below Yankee Fork), and steelhead are on the move. Anglers have had success swinging black, blue, and purple spey flies, streamers, and egg-sucking leeches on medium-weight sink tips and drifting large stonefly or egg patterns. The steelhead have not been fussy when it comes to fly pattern; the key to a successful outing is covering water and finding fish. When fishing closer to Stanley, avoid spawning steelhead and look for more active fish in pockets, riffles, and runs.

Fishing on the Big Lost River below Mackay Dam remains excellent. The river’s rainbows have completed spawning and are actively feeding throughout the river. Both midge and Blue-Winged Olive activity has been excellent. Look for midges to start late morning or early afternoon, with BWOs following for the remainder of the day. Don’t fish the lower Lost without Tie-Down Midges (20-22), Baetis Film Critics (18-20), and red and black zebra midges (18-20)!

The countdown to Opening Day at Silver Creek is at 48 days! It will be here before you know it, so now is the time to prep your gear and get the right flies for the early hatches on the Creek. Stop by the shop or give us a call, and we’ll get you set up with the right PMD, Blue-Winged Olive, and Brown Drake patterns that you’ll need for the upcoming season.

Keep tuned in to our blog and social media for upcoming information on Opening Day festivities at Picabo Angler. This year will be bigger and better than ever!

Happy Fishing Everyone!
 

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 21, 2018

This past weekend’s snowfall brought our snow pack up to 90% of average in the Big Wood drainage and 98% of average in the Big Lost drainage. There is more precipitation in the forecast this week, so keep your fingers cross that we keep adding to this total! With residual water still in the aquifer we are heading for another outstanding summer on Silver Creek and other area rivers.

The Steelhead have arrived in Stanley. Expect the numbers to increase by the day. We are currently running guide trips on the water between Challis and Torrey’s Hole if you are interested. Our guides can teach you the traditional ways to swing flies, cast two handed rods or fish the regional strike indicator method used closer to Stanley. There are a few fish in the Sawtooth hatchery as of this writing.

We are on the last week and half of fishing the Big Wood River and the South Fork of the Boise. On the Wood, Midges and Little Black Stone Flies are the fish’s mainstay right now. Expect great dry fly and Streamer action. Fish nymphs if you must, but anglers willing to walk, and slowly hunt for rising fish will most likely find them. If you head to the South Fork, Nymphing may be more productive. If you go, keep in mind fish will be migrating toward spawning grounds. This normally means an upstream push of fish as they stage up for prespawn mode.

The Lost River remains open to fishing all season, with no closures. The tailwater area in Mackay is fabulous Spring time water. Expect Midges and maybe an afternoon Baetis hatch on the right day. Walk the river slowly and look for fish sitting on gravel bars near the drop in points of the runs. Be careful to stay of fish that may be using gravel areas for Redds. These are spawning beds and are they clearly distinguishable by the clean swept gravels on the bottom. If you see clean gravels in an area the size of a serving platter, don’t walk in these areas, and don’t mess with the fish if they are sitting on these beds.

We are entering a great time of the season, where exploration pays in big ways. Prespawning fish are generally big and aggressive and they can be found in big groups in a variety of areas. Get out there and find them!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 13, 2018

Outstanding fly fishing continues this month as the mild winter weather continues in the Sun Valley area. The skiers may be having an off season this winter, but the fly anglers are all smiles right now, as high catch rates and sizable fish continue to be the norm. We see no change in this pattern in the immediate future, so get your waders on and get out there!

Fly anglers that have been on Silver Creek the past few weekends are sending us pictures of one giant Brown Trout after another. These are normally the pics we see taken in the darkness of a summer night while Mouse fishing. This February the “Hog Shots” on the Creek just keep coming! It is the perfect conditions of warm enough weather and just enough tint in the normally gin clear spring creek waters.

The weather is very comfortable, allowing anglers to stay out throughout the course of the day. Couple this with the tint in the water that keeps the big fish out in the open and on the hunt all day and you have the makings of an epic fishery.

We have about two weeks left to fish Silver Creek before the season closes for spawning. The fishing is almost all Streamers and is relatively easy for those that can cast big flies decent distances. Even if you can get your fly only halfway across the river, you have a great chance to catch a nice fish.

Try to stay on the bank while you fish, so they don’t feel your presence in the water. DO get in the water for releasing the fish and especially for photos. It is super important to “Keep ‘em Wet” while releasing. Try to get your photo of the fish partially in the water, or a quick lift for a picture while the water is still dripping off the fish. Keep in mind, handling fish is a skill set that is as important as casting, reading the water or any other part of fly fishing.

The Big Wood and Lower Lost remain very productive fisheries with the typical winter flies like Zebra Nymphs and Tie-Down Midges. Anglers can expect a nice combination of nymph fishing and dry fly fishing throughout the day. With March quickly approaching keep your eyes open for the Little Black Stonefly! This wingless bug should start showing up soon. If you see it, tie on a Prince Nymph and swing your fly close to the bank!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

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 Fly Fishing

Fall is here and the fish and the bugs they eat are all acting accordingly! The fall hatches of Baetis and October Caddis are strong on almost all our area rivers. Flows are very wadable and the fish are up eating off the surface. The Brown Trout are approaching their spawning season and in the meantime they are attacking everything in their path, including our flies!!!

Silver Creek is on fire with Fall Baetis and October Caddis. The Mahogany Dun is just getting going, and should really turn on this week! The Baetis action is all day when it is cloudy. If it is clear they tend to come and go throughout the day. The wind does not seem to be a factor, as they are going to hatch this time of the year, regardless of conditions. The October Caddis that grew to magical proportions on the Creek last year, is even bigger and more prominent this season! It is a great way to search the river is nothing else is happening. Try size 14 and 16 Orange Stimulators.

The Mouse Fishing for monster Brown Trout is underway and it is working! If you are out during the day and want to catch a big one, get your streamers out and fish hard. The Browns are still moving up river in their prespawn run.

The Big Wood, the Big Lost and the South Fork of the Boise Rivers are all experiencing different degrees of Fall Baetis right now. This is such a great hatch and tends to bring all the fish to the surface for one last eating binge before the true winter weather arrives. October Caddis is also in play on these rivers. The Big Wood can be especially good north of Ketchum in the fall. The Lower and Upper Lost can have great hatches, but be sure to check the weather for travel conditions if things start getting stormy again. The Western Red Quill continues to bring fish up throughout the river. Your Green Drake patterns are all you need!

The biggest miss this time of the year for most anglers, if giving up on Hopper season too soon. Be sure the fish saw plenty of Hoppers this year and they are still happy to eat them. The first few frosts we have had kills most of them, but they fish don’t know that!

It is the time of year to carry supplies in your vehicle. Start bringing extra food, water, clothes, matches, and a sleeping bag. This is not the time of the year to get caught stuck overnight on a river without supplies!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 6, 2017

A slow cool down is headed to the Mountains. With this we should expect to see the first big changes from our summer fishery to our fall fishery. In the meantime all the same bugs and techniques we’ve used over the past few weeks are still in play this week!

Silver Creek is beginning to see more and more Baetis activity. A sure sign fall is coming. The Trico Spinner Falls begin to wane as the Baetis cranks up. Expect to see a few Callibaetis Spinners mixed into the morning show as well. The afternoon activity continues to percolate with Callibaetis activity. Expect this to remain strong as long as the heat continues. The Hopper action on the Creek remains outstanding and the fish are also still looking for Damsel Flies. The evenings on the Creek are a smorgasbord of bugs, and we are quickly approaching the best Mouse fishing time of the season.

The Big Wood continues to impress as the fishing remains excellent. Parachute Adams in a variety of sizes is a great choice as well as Hopper patterns. A Dave’s Hopper on the Big Wood is a deadly fly this time of year. It is also time to start putting the Western Red Quill in your fly box and a few October Caddis also.

The Upper Lost is also impressive with fish being caught throughout the system. It doesn’t seem to matter where you fish. Flying Ants, Royal Trudes, Parachute Adams and Hoppers are all good choices. Anglers may see a few Trico takes in the morning as well. It’s just a matter of finding flat enough water for a big fish to eat them!

The Lower Lost has been slightly underwhelming as the Hopper bite continues. The Nymphing has been o.k. with Copper Johns and small Tungsten patterns. The Crane Fly action is still happening, and skating flies remains one of the most fun ways to fish the river!

The South Fork of the Boise remains stuck between optimum wading flows and optimum boating flows. Smaller boats will have an easier time on the river and the wade fishing anglers will find things slightly more manageable. Hopper, Flying Ants, Pink Alberts and be sure to have October Caddis in case this bug shows early this year!

It’s a good time to fill your fly box for fall. Upcoming hatches include Fall Baetis, Mahogany Duns, Western Red Quill and October Caddis.

Happy Fishing Everyone!