Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 14, 2017

THE SUN IS OUT! A slow return to summer temperatures means we can expect a slow return to the epic fishing we saw on Silver Creek the first two weeks of the season. Plan on seeing a large variety of bugs and plenty of rising fish with each warming day.

Anglers should expect to see quite a few Green Drakes on the Creek this week. The Brown Drakes are all but gone for the season, but with the warmth, if we saw a freak occurrence some nights this week, we would not be surprised. The PMD “Pale Morning Dun” should also begin to come off in force this week. The Callibaetis action remains strong as well as the small Baetis “Blue Winged Olive” hatches and spinner falls.

Terrestrials are still a great bet and a few Damsel flies should appear with the sun. Baby Hoppers have made their way onto the scene and we should be able to cast smaller patterns in the next few weeks. The Streamer action on the Creek has been really good under the cloudy weather, but bright sun is the forecast, so this action may drop off a bit.

Elsewhere, our freestone rivers, the Big Wood and Upper Big Lost remain really high and really dangerous. Flows should increase all week. Stay away from this water, and be sure to keep your dog miles from this mess! If you want to swim them, take them to a local lake, pond or reservoir.

The South Fork of the Boise flows have been dropped some. The outflows below the dam could increase if the flows coming in increase, so keep your eyes on the CFS before you make the commitment to go. If the flows haven’t been stable for a day or two, it’s probably not going to fish well. If the flows remain constant, we may begin to see the Salmon Flies on the lower river.

Reaching way out, the Henry’s Fork and the Owyhee are two outlying rivers from our area, but they are at least fishing. For up to the minute reports on the Owyhee you can check out Idaho Angler in Boise, and the Trout Hunter in Island Park can fill you in on everything Henry’s Fork.

Magic Reservoir continues to fish well and it is a nice alternative and change from fishing the same areas until the waters drop on our local rivers. Finally, we are blessed in the sense that we may not have a lot of places to fish, but Silver Creek has been a world class fishery since opening day!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - May 11, 2016

Spring continues with several days of sun followed by several days of rain, otherwise known as normal! It’s about time we had a normal winter followed by a normal spring. It suddenly feels like the 1990s again! The reservoirs are filling while the rivers get a good scrubbing. The benefits to the fish will be outstanding.

The fishing in the reservoirs continues to be good. Catch rates at Magic are averaging about 2 fish per hour for fly anglers. These fish are footballs and are a joy to hook and fight. Fish in Magic include Rainbows, Browns, Smallmouth Bass and Perch. Anglers fishing near West Magic are doing well. Look for the line of demarcation, where the mud meets the clean water. This is often a productive zone.

Little Wood Reservoir is really full and fishing pretty well. The fish are slightly smaller than Magic fish, but the catch rates can be outstanding when the conditions are right. Try the bay behind the dam and along the dam itself. Rainbows are the mainstay with the occasional Brook Trout.

Mackay Reservoir is always a favorite in the spring. Although best fished from a boat, the back of the reservoir where the old river channel gets covered by rising reservoir water can be excellent fishing and on a good day it can be fast and furious. Rainbows and Brook Trout are the targets.

The Lost River remains open, but the flows continue to fluctuate wildly. Do not go over without checking the flows first! The river fishes and wades best below 200 CFS, but right now the fluctuation if hurting the fishing more than the higher flows. It remains to be seen how this effects the spawning activity, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Opening Day is coming so stay tuned to our website www.picaboangler.com as we begin to head out on the Creek to give you up to the minute updates on conditions, hatches and especially the Brown Drake. Don’t forget the night before Opening Day we will have Hank Patterson here hosting movie night in our airplane hangar. Bring your camp chair, tickets are $5 at the door, bring your friends, have a beer and enjoy “The Mystery of the Cuttyrainbrown Trout.” A lot of the movie was filmed here in Picabo! It will leave you laughing and ready for the midnight Opener after the movie lets out!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - May 6th, 2016

The sunny side of spring is upon us! This means big, muddy waters, dangerous currents, and limited fishing. The good news is the rivers are getting a long overdue scrubbing from bottom to top. The elevated waters should go a long way toward removing more of the ash from the fires in our recent past.

Reservoir fishing remains strong and anglers heading to Magic, Little Wood and Anderson Reservoirs will find some nice sized fish willing to eat flies! Be sure to watch the weather for the wind forecast so you don’t get caught in the wrong place in your float tube or small craft. The evenings of the reservoirs should be getting really productive, really soon.

The mountain lakes have iced off on the valley floors. Stanley Lake and Redfish hold a few nice sized fish for anglers willing to play the war of attrition. You never catch a lot of fish in these lakes, but if you work hard, you can catch some big ones.

The higher lakes aren’t open yet, as most of the trails are still being used by backcountry skiers instead of day hikers. Once the trails get mostly open it will be time to have a peak. At the rate we are going that could be mid-June!

The Lost River remains open for fishing, although the flows have been cranked up. They may come right back down to decent levels for fishing, but keep an eye on the gauge. Go to the water data portion of the USGS website for up to the minute flow graphs.

When all the rivers reopen, keep in mind that spring runoff should still be occurring. Make your opening weekend plans in advance and plan on fishing Silver Creek, the South Fork of the Boise from a boat, or maybe the Lost River, depending on flows. Spring Creeks and Tailwaters should be your focus as the month moves forward.

If you are looking for something to do the night before Opening Day, Picabo Angler will be showing Hank Patterson’s latest movie “Mystery of the Cuttyrainbrown Trout” at the shop May 27th at 8:30 p.m. Bring your beach chair for viewing and your tent for crashing on the banks of Silver Creek after the event! Tickets are $5 at the door.

We are only 3 weeks away from Opening Day of the general fishing season in Idaho. It will go fast, so make sure you are ready for it.   

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - April 19, 2016

There is a lot of water moving through the valley, the reservoirs are filling and anglers are anxiously awaiting the May 28th Opener! With the winter season ending and 100%+ snowpack, anglers can expect some of the best conditions we’ve had in a while. IN the meantime, the flows are high and dangerous. Please stay away from the banks of these rivers and without question leave your dog at home if you go have a look.

The Lost River remains the best and just about only game in town. It is a great game though! We have been seeing prolific Baetis hatches in the afternoon hours. This means have a nice selection of dry flies and Pheasant Tail Nymphs.

Reservoir fishing is slower than we would hope, but that is due to all the water getting dumped into them. Not a bad problem to have! Try your best to find clean(ish) water and fish it hard. Magic Reservoir is probably best near East and West Magic, while Mackay Reservoir seems to always have a nice spring fishery near the back of the reservoir where the water comes in. Anglers are doing pretty well with Smallmouth Bass fishing on Anderson Ranch Reservoir and of course Carey Lake is open and a good local spot for Bass and Bluegill.

With the melting snow, very adventurous anglers can begin looking at the Alpine Lakes. We are nearing a day when the trails will open enough, and just enough ice will melt near the inlets of these lakes to produce some of the year’s best Mountain fishing. This is all elevation dependent, as some lakes may not Ice off until June. Google Earth is a great place to start when making the decision to explore the mountains to our north. If you are interested in fishing alpine lakes, or your just looking for a good fishy read, check out Gary Lafontaine’s famous book Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes. It is an incredible book about fishing alpine lakes, exploring them, goat packing into them and of course diving under the ice to see how the fish react to flies dragged across clear as a window ice.

No matter where you decide to go please be safe this time of the year. High flows, muddy roads, crazy weather all come into play in the spring. Try to fish with a friend and enjoy this awesome time of the season!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - April 13, 2016

There is a lot of wonderful spring weather headed our direction this week! There is a limited amount of fishing to be had, but what is out there is a real treat. The Big Lost River is the only river system that remains open to fishing. It is a long drive to get over there, but the fact that the Baetis hatches are prolific and the big fish are up eating them coupled with the fact you can stop at Picabo Angler for breakfast, flies, licenses, beer, gas and a brown bag lunch make it all worthwhile!

If you head over to the Lost, be ready to see a few more anglers than normal, especially on the weekend. It is one of the only open places to fish, outside of Steelhead on the Salmon or Carp on the Snake. If you go, just be polite, ask your fellow angler where they are headed and then fish accordingly. There is plenty of fishable water on the Lost, but it is a narrow river channel. Be polite and respectful and help your fellow angler have a great time. It will add to your experience as well.

If you go, have plenty of Baetis flies in your box. Gulper Specials, Transitional Duns and Parachute patterns will all do the trick. Plan on fishing with 6X tippets and preferably a soft rod, to protect those light tippets. There is also a chance to see Midge hatches too, so don’t put that fly box away for the winter quite yet. If you have to fish subsurface, be sure to bring plenty of Zebra Nymphs for the Midge imitation and plenty of Pheasant Tail Nymphs to replicate the Baetis.

The Salmon River has been blown out lately, and although there is some fishing to be had upstream of Valley Creek, most of the fish in that area are in full blown spawning mode right now. Keep in mind these fish swam through many, many dams and swan 900 miles UPSTREAM to spawn. Keep this in mind when you see fish paired up or in their Redds, and leave them alone.

Elsewhere, we have some great reservoir fishing on Magic and the Little Wood. Try fishing from the banks or a float tube if you need a quick fix. Carp fishing on the Snake is always fun when the weather turns nice and be sure to keep your eyes on low lying lakes as the ice begins to come off!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 29, 2016

With only a few days left in the season on many rivers, it is time to get creative! The Big Wood River is closed to all fishing on April 1st. Silver Creek is also closed to all fishing. Both rivers will open back up May 28th this year. Plan on the Big Wood being muddy for the opener as spring runoff should peak sometime in May. Silver Creek should be phenomenal on the opener!

In the meantime, the Lost River remains open to fish all year. Reports have been getting increasingly better on the Lower Lost. When the wind is down the Midge and Baetis fishing has been excellent. When the wind comes back up the fishery can be downright difficult. When this happens switch to Nymphing techniques and cover the water thoroughly and be prepared to use a variety of flies. Be sure to have some Pheasant Tail Nymphs to cover the Baetis and plenty of Zebra Midges for the Midge days.

Places to consider for the next few weeks include Carey Lake. This is an excellent time of year to catch a mess of Blue Gills for a fish taco fry. Small nymphs stripped through the water is all one needs. If you are in the area, the Little Wood in the desert stretch can be an o.k. place to wet a line and catch a few trout. It’s never gangbusters in this stretch, but it is beautiful and a great place to spend an afternoon.

Carp fishing in the Snake is going to get better and better as the weather gets nicer. Get your Google Earth on and search for the shallow water flats found all over the Snake River reservoirs. Try to pick the calmest days so that you can see the fish working.

The Reservoir fishing in both Mackay and Magic should be getting really good. Warming water gets those reservoir fish hungry and thinking about the pre-spawn. They will want to fatten up. Fish near the river mouths and even near seasonal Creeks. Anderson Ranch Reservoir and the Little Wood Reservoir are also great places to check out and catch a variety of fish.

Reservoirs can be fished from a boat, float tube or just off the bank. If you head out on the water, take a friend. Beware of the wind, and have proper floatation and emergency flares and whistles, just in case. Always check the weather first and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 16, 2016

The weather keeps coming and with it comes the water our fish so desperately need all summer! Great news for fish and anglers alike! With nighttime temps in the 20s for the coming week, we should be holding onto this snow until the end of the month.

On the Big Wood anglers should expect a return to winter fishing conditions. Expect exceptional Midge hatches accompanied by the Little Black Stones. Be prepared to nymph and fish the dry. Standard winter patterns are all you need; Zebra Nymph, Brassie, Tie-Down Midge and Griffiths Gnat. If you start before the hatches try Streamer fishing. The pre-spawn Rainbows should be very aggressive right now.

Silver Creek remains closed, but the water levels are to the tops of the banks, giving the Creek a good flush. Expect an amazing Opening Weekend down here in Picabo!

The Lost continues to fish well. Bring all your same Big Wood River patterns and enjoy some of the season’s best fishing near Mackay for the next month or so. Don’t forget the Lost can be a great fall back for Steelhead anglers when the Salmon decides to blow out. That shouldn’t be the case this week as temps remain cold and the forecast isn’t showing a lot of precipitation.

Steelhead should be getting on the move up on the Salmon River with a little influx of moisture and daytime temps warm enough to melt some snow off the banks and giving the fish the sign that it’s time to start moving up the system. Fishing should be better closer to Challis the next few weeks than the upstream portion, but the fish are where you find them!

Anglers fishing the canyon water below Magic Reservoir have been treated to some excellent fishing. It may not be fast and furious, but it is a good place to try for some big fish, both Browns and Rainbows.

Watch the wind in Hagerman for the calm days. Those days are ideal for sight fishing Carp in shallow water. Bring “hook up” patterns like you’d fish for Bonefish. Damsel Flies tied with small bead chain eyes are very effective.

One thing is for certain this time of year, angles have decisions to make! There is a lot to do and a lot of room to do it. Get out there and enjoy yourself this spring. It is a time of year full of surprises and world class fishing!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - April 27, 2015

The early summer like conditions this week are going to make for some fine conditions for fishing. Perhaps the best way to enjoy this early season warm weather, when most of the rivers are closed, is from a boat. Even a float tube or canoe can open up a world of possibilities in our local lakes and reservoirs.

The best scenario for fishing this week involves sunscreen, maybe a driftboat and a cooler full of cold drinks and food. Now tow this set up to Magic Reservoir, Little Wood Reservoir, Mackay Reservoir or even Anderson Ranch Reservoir for a fun day of fishing trout or bass.

Keep in mind, most reservoir fish are big, most reservoir fish fight hard, and most reservoir fish live and feed in the top twelve feet of water. This is where the light is, and thus this is where the food is. You can use and intermediate sinking line, or just use your floating line with a really long leader. Taper your leader to 2X or 3X. One of the best flies to use in the spring are leeches. Retrieve them slowly and hold on tight. Wholly Buggers, Krystal Buggers, Zug Bugs and Seal Buggers are among our favorite Stillwater flies.

Reservoirs are big and can be intimidation to fish with a fly. Concentrate your efforts on areas of inflow right now, or areas that have submerged channels. A good rule is to look at the dry bank and then in your mind’s eye take the contours and cover you see on the land and extend it underwater. This is a good way to discover those underwater channels. Look for dry creek beds that enter the reservoir and then try to position your boat of float tube over them. Cast very near the shore and retrieve the fly with your rod tip on the water.

The Little Wood Reservoir has good numbers of Rainbow Trout and the occasional Brook Trout. Magic Reservoir has good sized Rainbow and Brown Trout as well as Smallmouth Bass and Perch. Mackay Reservoir has decent numbers of sizable Rainbows and Brook Trout. Anderson Ranch Reservoir has Rainbows, Bass, and a fair amount of bi-catch as well!

Be safe if you go. Dress warm for float tubing and boaters be sure to have life jackets, etc. One thing we know is a consistent on these reservoirs is the wind. It will blow hard at any given time, so even on a calm day, be aware of how far you are traveling and the wind direction. Be safe and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - April 13th, 2015

There is some pretty fine weather in the forecast this week. Warm days give fly anglers a great chance to explore. With temperatures in the mid-seventies down on the Snake, and a bright sun to go with it, the Carp fishing should be excellent! Use your favorite Damsel Fly Nymphs, tied upside down so that the hook point rides sticking up. Find yourself some Carp along the banks, bays and backwaters of the Snake and try to present your offering right on their noses. Fishing a 10 foot length of 2x Fluorocarbon is about right with minor adjustments for water clarity and finicky fish.

The reservoir fishing should pick back up if the wind will stay down a bit more this week, than last. A calm, warm day on Magic, the Little Wood or even Anderson Ranch for some Bass can be one of the most fun days anglers can have on the water. Take long leaders and your favorite streamers and enjoy the tight-line retrieve and take!

The Lost River and the Little Wood River remain open for fishing. The spawning activity on the Lost should be increasing in the coming days and weeks, so please be careful about not walking on the Redds of spawning fish. On calm days expect to fish Baetis Dries on the Lost and when the wind comes up plan of Nymphing. The Little Wood is primarily a place to cast Streamers right now, with a little bit of opportunity to cast some Nymphs.

There are still a few Steelhead to be caught on the Salmon River, although one can expect angler numbers to spike with the beautiful weather! If you go, be aware the fish are well into their spawning activity now, so be aware of their Redds also.

Spring is such a great time of the season here. Take advantage of the weather and the opportunity to explore! Search the Malad River and Billingsley Creek, try to time ice-out on the low elevation lakes, and look for arrowheads and morels while you look for fish! The Bass fishing on Carey Lake has been good, Fish Creek Reservoir may still hold a few surprises, even try little Brook Trout in Lake Creek, which can become an adventure in the spring! We are also on the cusp of the new season, so if you tie flies, now is the time! P.M.D, Baetis and Brown Drakes will all be upon us soon!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 30, 2015

It is time that time of year for anglers to branch out! With Silver Creek, the Big Wood, and the South Fork all closed for the next few months, anglers can chose to fish a bit closed than normal to one’s fellow fishermen, or get out and explore places that would otherwise go unfished.

Steelhead season is still going strong on the Main Salmon from Challis to Redfish. Anglers have enjoyed a great early season run, and we can expect this to continue and begin to taper off in the next few weeks. Sight fishing is the name of the game here, with more traditional “down and across” methods being employed in more of the downstream waters.

The Big Lost River remains open year around now. The fishing here has been great, with daily Baetis hatches greeting anglers and fish alike. Expect to see a few more anglers on the water as rivers close to spawning. Also, plan on seeing a few more fish sitting on Redds over the next couple of weeks. Work hard to avoid walking over these spots and fishing to the fish that are using them. Baetis hatches should continue and should remain strong in this spring like weather.

Getting out to explore is a great idea for many anglers, especially since it is easy for fly anglers like us to get into certain places that fish well, and not want to leave. This is absolutely one of our favorite times of the season to pursue Carp on the fly near Hagerman. The Snake River has all kinds of great places to fish for Carp, and normally anglers can have these places all to themselves. If you go, take a boat or just walk and wade the many flats that are easy to find along the rivers many reservoirs. Damsel nymphs are amongst our favorite flies for Carp.

Magic Reservoir, and places like Fish Creek and Little Wood Reservoir are also excellent places to fish in the spring. The fishing at Seagull Point on Magic has been very good this year. Anglers can employ the use of floatubes, boats, or just bank fishing. Use stout rods in 5 and 6 weights, and beef up your tippets to 2X and 3X fluorocarbon. A favorite fly in a Green Woolly Bugger, fished on a tight-line strip. You don’t have to be very deep. Most of the fish will forage in the top 12 feet of the water column! Have fun looking at new water this week, and let us know how we can help you find success on our many stillwaters!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 16, 2015

Spring has sprung in the Sun Valley area. With the consistent change to spring like weather comes new opportunities! Steelhead season is underway in the Stanley / Challis area. Early snowmelt and warm days have brought the river up, thus bringing the fish up with it. This doesn’t necessarily mean a prolonged season in as much as it means an earlier end to follow the early beginning. If you love chasing these Sea-Run Rainbows now is your time. We have guides available should you need a lesson or just want that extra set of eyes and knowledge for the day!

The Big Wood has continued its temperamental nature that has been common place since the recent forest fires throughout the drainage. Recent rains have blown it out, and this will continue with most big storms, but expect some o.k. fishing towards the end of the month, as long as clear skies prevail. There is a little bit of fishing to be had below Magic Reservoir, in the Big Wood’s canyon stretch, but the area is not quite as fishy as it has been in years past.

The Lower Lost is the place to be for most anglers right now. Pre-spawn is in full-swing and is timed nicely with frequent lunch time Blue Winged Olive action on the surface. If the fish aren’t working the surface, a nymph combo is a great choice. Think small Pheasant Tails to copy the Baetis (BWO) nymphs and try Red colored anything (Copper Johns and Zebra Midges) to imitate the midges and the eggs that early spawners drop throughout the river. This is a great day trip, and until anglers can drive over Trail Creek Summit, Picabo Angler is open daily with a great fly selection, gas, groceries and lunch. Stop by for a latte as well. We’re truly a one stop shop for anglers!

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish o.k. as well. Sporadic Blue Winged Olive hatches as well as some good Midge action are enough to bring a few fish to the fly. It hasn’t been gang busters, but it is a beautiful time of the year down there, and always a few degrees warmer as long as the wind doesn’t blow.

This is also an EXCELLENT time of the year to begin prospecting our local stillwaters, like Magic Reservoir or the Little Wood. Carp fishing the Snake is also very good right now, as fly anglers take advantage of another prespawn opportunity!

Happy Fishing Everyone!