Silver Creek New Regulations

The Sun Valley / Picabo Fly Fishing crowd has been given an early Christmas present this year. From now into the foreseeable future, sections of Silver Creek will be open for fishing through March! The Creek has traditionally closed at the end of February from Highway 20 downstream. This section is now open to Catch and Release fishing for an additional month. March traditionally has days with massive Midge hatches that we’ve never been able to fish over. Now we can! Couple this with outstanding winter Streamer fishing and it quickly becomes clear how great a gift this is! If you would like more information or would like to reserve a guide for the month of March, let us know ASAP, we expect this month to book up quickly!

Guide Trips make great Christmas gifts if you’re in need of a last minute present for the aspiring angler in your family!

Sun Valley Fishing Report

SUN VALLEY / PICABO AREA FISHING REPORT — DECEMBER 15, 2018

Winter on Silver Creek

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With the spirit of the Holidays upon us, now would be a great time to stop for a moment and think of all the ways we could give back to the rivers, lakes and fish we all love so much. On a local level that starts with the most basic things, from how we deal with one another, to how we take care of our resources.

To find a beginning let’s look at access points and what takes place there. We rig our rods, make a plan, and maybe fuel up on water and snacks. Many access points on our local streams are found in neighborhoods or close to local businesses or on beautiful country lanes. One thing they all have in common is “access.” To keep these access points from ever being contentious places with those who live near them, it is up to us, the angler to keep them clean and better than we found them. This means picking up after ourselves, and if need be, picking up after others. Without question this simple act also needs to extend up and down the river corridors as well.

Access points also offer us an opportunity to encounter our fellow anglers, who are also out looking to have fun. This is a moment for us to practice kindness and a spirit of shared experiences! When we encounter our fellow angler, the number one thing we can do is engage them. Ask a few basic questions, like have they fished much in the area? Is there somewhere particular they were wanting to fish? Then we can act graciously. We can acquiesce and fish elsewhere. We can go about our plan, and kindly make clear what we planned to do. We can share a fly or a tip about the hatches, or maybe we can be the benefactor of someone else’s kindness and good nature!

Finally, we can use the access points for just that! Access!!! We can appreciate all the public access in the state of Idaho and vow to always fight to protect these areas from fences or those who would try to turn everyone’s Idaho into their own private place. Our public lands and supporting laws are part of what makes Idaho great!

So, this winter, take a moment, breathe the fresh air, feel the cool on your cheeks, and then ask yourself, “How can I make a fellow angler happy today, while I pursue my happiness!”

Silver Creek In February

February is arguably one of the best months of the year for streamer fishing Silver Creek. Fish 20" and larger are frequently caught. Keep in mind Silver Creek is only open this time of year from the HWY 20 Bridge downstream. This section closes on March 1st so now is the time.

The water clarity is off a little bit at the moment and will likely continue to stay off color with the super warm weather we have been having. It was about 55 degrees in Picabo yesterday. The lack of water clarity is exactly what we want for good streamer fishing as the fish are far less spooky.

We are offering free access to our private water on Silver Creek with a guided trip through all of February. This water sees very little to no pressure this time of year. This is a great opportunity to catch that elusive monster brown!

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A beautiful brown trout caught yesterday (2/5/18) on Silver Creek

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John Huber with a bent rod.

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John Huber with another nice brown. 2/5/18 

Images: Nick Price

The fishing, especially the nymphing, has also been very productive on the Big Wood River. Our unusually warm weather has been and is continuing to provide some of the best winter fishing we have had in years. High temps over the course of the next week are supposed to be somewhere between 40 and 50 on the Big Wood and will be warmer on Silver Creek in Picabo.

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

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - August 1, 2017

When everything is fishing well, it is easy to get spread out, and the past week on the local rivers showed that. Great fishing is happening in so many areas right now that angler numbers in any one area have dropped dramatically. Anglers are exploring all the new runs on all the rivers that were “rebuilt” during this year’s epic spring run-off. Anglers are beginning to boat as the water drops during a time of year when rivers are normally becoming too low to float! The end result is great fishing with fewer anglers.

Silver Creek just continues to impress as the Trico spinner falls continue to build and move upstream. When the wind stays down in the morning the show has been starting around 8:00 a.m. The Baetis and Callibaetis are on the water in the morning as well. This action has been lasting until almost lunch time. Anglers that are willing to go back after lunch are finding days of epic Damsel Fly activity. The Hopper action is building quickly!

It’s Adams Season on the Big Wood these days. A complete line of Adams Flies can take an angler through a day or week of fishing on the Big Wood right now. Parachute Adams, Adams Irresistible, and Standard Adams are producing fish. The Irresistible Adams fished in large sizes is a great searching pattern, while the Parachute and Standard Adams in a variety of sizes work wonderfully on rising fish. If things get slow, hang a Prince Nymph from a Royal Stimulator and search all the water you can.

The Upper Lost continues to come into shape. Large dry flies, Streamers and Nymph rigs are all working throughout the system, but with the falling water, anglers have a great chance to cast large, bushy dry flies to big fish. The flows on the main Lost are still high enough to be dangerous, so be careful on the main. The flows in the tributaries are reasonable and wade-able.

The South Fork of the Boise is Hopper central these days, with some Cicadas and Pink Alberts in the mix as well. Anglers staying late are seeing a nice evening rise, as many fish are refusing to play in the bright sun! The river is still at boating levels and things have changes some, so if you haven’t floated this year, be hyper aware of these changes.

With another hot week upon us, expect the fishing to remain hot as well!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 5th, 2017

The rivers are becoming fishable! There is still a ton of volume on our area waters, but the clarity is pretty well there. The rivers will become more and more fishable with each passing day from this point on, but be aware they are still dangerous. Good decision making is a must. There are no fish worth getting hurt over.

If you decide to explore rivers other than Silver Creek, please leave your dog at home. Fish with a friend. Wear a wading belt tight. Don’t take small children with you, and do not try to cross a river that is pushing you.

If you head out on our freestone streams like the Big Wood or Upper Lost take large attractor dries and drop big bead head nymphs below them. You may have to walk or drive some distance between spots, but exploration can be a fun part of the sport! Streamer fishing can also be a great way to fish high water, as it allows anglers to cover more area in a short amount of time. Double nymph rigs under a strike indicator can also be productive.

The South Fork of the Boise is mostly open again. The boat ramps are open and there are a few campsites still closed, but the fishing is getting better and better. Salmon Flies, Cicadas and Hoppers are all in play. We have had reports of logs fully crossing the river below the Cow Creek Bridge and in the Canyon stretch. If you float, make sure you scout, make sure you have the skill set to deal with these obstructions.

Silver Creek continues to produce great fishing. The Trico has been coming and going on the lower river in the morning hours and we’ve even had a 3rd reoccurrence of the Brown Drakes at Point of Rocks. This may last until the weekend if we are lucky. If nothing else it shows what an odd year we are having, but also how productive the Creek has been with the influx of more spring water! Callibaetis, Damsel Flies, Ants and Beetles are all still good afternoon and evening bets. The afternoon action has been starting around the noon hour. The Baby Hoppers are growing fast and they should come into play in the next week or two.

Sullivan’s Slough on the Nature Conservancy property is beginning to fish better and better as the Callibaetis action continues to grow. It is a great place to check in if the river fishing is slow.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Chuck Huber and a gorgeous Brown Trout from Silver Creek, Idaho

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - June 30, 2017

It has been a long time since we reported on rivers with decreasing flows...We are knocking on the door to some pretty good fishing, as things finally begin to normalize. We are not there yet, as some rivers are clearing but the volume still means very little holding water and places to cast a fly. Other rivers are on the cusp of being explored in areas, and trust us, there is going to be plenty of exploring to do as the rivers runs and holes have most likely changed big time! Caution is still a must, and please continue to leave your dog at home when approaching these local rivers. We should be fishing on almost all our area waters in the coming 2 weeks, with a few exceptions. In the meantime Silver Creek continues to produce and fish well and the Trico spinner falls continue to garner steam!

CFS  - Cubic Feet per Second

Silver Creek - 132

South Fork of the Boise - 3000

Big Wood - 1890

Lower Lost River - 1610

Upper Lost River - 1410

Little Wood - 454

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley short term fishing forecast.

Silver Creek, Idaho short term fishing forecast. The dark clouds, the wind, the cold, are all still with us today. Things should blow through tonight. By tomorrow we should see the late morning sun and a slow warm up to normal summer temperatures. When this happens expect the PMD action and Green Drake action on the Nature Conservancy to really ramp up. We should see good hatches throughout the system including Callibaetis, Baetis and Ants. If you are fishing today, think about casting Streamers, as the dark skies will have the biggest fish out in the open looking for bait fish.

Everyday is a good day to fish! Get out there!

Brown Drake Update 06/08/17

The "Big Show" may be gone for the season as last nights action began to isolate into smaller sections. Anglers will continue to find Drakes and see big events for the next 7 - 10 days, but those will be the anglers in the right place at the right time, or those aggressive enough to pursue the hatches and spinner falls morning and night. The good news is, the Creek continues to percolate with bugs of all kinds and the fishing has never been better! Keep chasing the big brown bugs. We will stop updating the Drake today, but we will continue our reports on the Creek. Thanks everyone for a great time during one of our favorite times of the season!

Brown Drake Update 6/5/17

Last night was an epic evening of Drakes! Stormy weather drove the bugs and anglers off the water early, but not before a lot of nice fish were caught. The action continued to turn off and on all night, and there is no reason we shouldn't expect another great event tonight. Things will most likely ramp back up over the next few nights, with many more BIG events to come this week. A lot of the crowds have left and anglers can expect more room on the river. Get ready for a wonderful week of Drake action!

Brown Drake Update 6/3/17

The Drake pattern seemed to normalize yesterday. There were huge Spinner Falls on the lower river and the mid-lower river. The bigger Emergence was upstream. Anglers fishing tonight should expect another huge event as the hatch begins to make its way upstream. The heaviest action should appear in the Point of Rocks area, although there should be Drakes from Picabo Bridge all the way up to Highway 20! So far all angler reports are consistent in regards to people being good to each other! Thanks Everyone! Let's continue to enjoy the Drake together as a tight knit  angling community!

Silver Creek Brown Drakes

Today was the second time this season we seined Silver Creek for Brown Drake nymphs. We have gone both times to the Picabo Bridge which is located only a few hundred yards from the store. While each time we have found plenty of Brown Drake nymphs, their wing pads have yet to darken which essentially means we have some time before they start their annual emergence.

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Picabo Angler employee, Wade Thomas, holds a handful of Brown Drake nymphs today, May 16th, at the Picabo Bridge on Silver Creek.

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Brown Drake nymphs also found in Silver Creek at the Picabo Bridge one week ago.

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report 

February 7, 2017

A very slow melt has begun near Sun Valley. This should really get the fish on the bite and turn our local fly fishing into something special as we head toward spring. The warming water may get a few fish even thinking about the spawning season. Midge hatches should really pick up and the Little Black Stonefly may make an earlier than normal appearance.

Silver Creek remains open for catch and release fishing below the Highway 20 Bridge. Streamers are the way to go. Non-weighted is your best bet. Fish with olive and black colors, or a Sparkle Minnow. The Creek has received very little pressure this winter and the next 3 weeks could be very good!

If the warming days begin to tint the rivers, don’t be discouraged. The fish are aggressive in the late winter and early spring, so even though the water may be off color, that doesn’t mean the bite won’t be on!

The nymph fishing on the Wood is very good right now, with a combination of Copper Johns and Midge imitations like Zebras Nymphs, Brassies, and Hare’s Ears. Fish these at one and a half times the water depth of the area you are fishing. The New Zealand Strike Indicator is a great tool for quick depth adjustments. This Strike Indicator set up moves up and down the line freely and quickly without having to take the Indicator off and then back on again. It floats really well and anglers won’t notice it when they are casting as it is nearly imperceptible on the line.

The Streamer fishing is also very good on the Big Wood these days. The Wood River Sculpin is the target for these fish and most Streamers fished in an Olive color will get the biggest fish in the system chasing! If you haven’t tried Streamer fishing the Wood, this is a great time to get out there and do it, and also a great time to learn Streamer fishing if you have never done it!

Finally, the dry fly fishing on the Wood, the Lost and the South Fork of the Boise should begin to really to perk up. Expect these hatches to continue growing through the month of March! It’s a great time to be out there right now, as many techniques are catching fish and the weather is warm enough for things to be very comfortable winter fishing!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley / Picabo Fishing Update - June 17, 2016

A super cold and windy day sure made fishing tough yesterday. The only anglers that saw great hatches were the ones that fished the last hour of light. Things are returning to normal today. Temperatures are supposed to be near 80 degrees. 

Warmer temps should bring back the Green Drake and Blue Damsels on the Creek, giving afternoon anglers something to imitate. 

Baetis Spinners, PMD, and Callibaetis also remain big players along with Ants and Beetles. Anglers willing to stay late are going to catch more fish as the afternoon hours seems to be where it is at this season! 

The Wood and Lost are still dropping and clearing. Higher temps should bring them up a touch, but they may be fishable in a few areas. If you try the freestone rivers this weekend, PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Wading belts should be mandatory, fish with a friend and be sure to let people know where you are going. Most importantly - LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME - until the water drops to manageable flows. 

Have fun, but be safe.

John

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 - 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 - March 3, 2016

Oh March, how we adore thee! The number one month for catch rates in the Sun Valley area is upon us! The Big Wood River during the month of March may be one of the finest fisheries in the West. Massive hatches of Midges coupled with the Little Black Stones make the Wood simply magical! If you are learning to fly fish or know someone you want to get on the water for easy, rewarding fishing, the next few weeks are ideal. The same flies we use all winter are in play, Zebra Midge, Brassies, Griffiths Gnats, and Tie-Down Midges.

With the fish going into a pre-spawn mode, they will begin to eat with a little more recklessness than at any other time of the season. This means you can start bringing Parachute Adams with you and even small, sized 16 and 14 Stimulators with you to the river, especially as we head toward the end of the month.

The Big Lost River should also begin to show some fantastic fishing in the coming days and weeks. Be aware that the Lost River rainbows are a bit ahead of schedule this year. Some spawning activity is already occurring, although there are plenty of fish in the pre-spawn state ready to catch. Please be discerning where you walk and which fish you cast to. Spawning fish are not eating, so putting them through any length of fight is really putting them in a difficult position. Avoid casting to Redds, meaning any fish you see in shallow waters near gravels that have been swept clean. Use the same flies you would take to the Big Wood, although be prepared for Baetis hatches as well. This becomes more and more important as March progresses.

Silver Creek is now closed throughout its entire length for the season. The Creek will reopen the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. If you tie your own flies start cranking out P.M.D., Callibaetis, Midges and Baetis flies for the opener! It will be upon us before you know it!

Other places to fish in the next few weeks include the Little Wood River in the desert stretches near Preachers Bridge as well as the South Fork of the Boise. The Midge Hatches down there should start really ramping up and some spring Baetis is possible as well.

Finally, spring is a wonderful time of year to head on down to the Snake River and chase Carp on the fly!

Happy Fishing Everyone!