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 Area Fishing Report - June 1, 2018

The Brown Drakes will make a strong showing over the next few nights. Expect things to ramp up into Sunday and Monday. Those are days you probably don’t want to miss. Where you fish shouldn’t matter by then. The weather has caused just a trickle of bugs over the past 48 hours. With the sun out and high pressure rolling in, expect things to go back to the normal low light activity we are all use to.

Most importantly when fishing the Drake – Please Be Kind! The Drake hatch is as much about kindness as it is fishing. Watching the show with friends and helping those that need it is the essence of this hatch. It’s an opportunity to make someone’s memory banks for a lifetime. Make memories on this river, not enemies! Peace, Love and Drakes!

Elsewhere on Silver Creek, the PMD, Baetis, Callibaetis and Beetles are still making a strong showing. Fishing reports up and down the river have been very positive. Plan on ramping up your stealth with the bright light and think about Finesse Leaders as the fish wise up over the coming week.

Enjoy the weekend. Stop by the shop for flies and beverages. We’d love to see you!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 28, 2016

A few weeks of up and down fishing looks like it is going to continue as long as the weather continues to switch between high and low pressure systems. We are getting small fronts once a week and the pattern continues this week. If your time on the water is limited, it’s time to start watching the forecast intently. Continue to look for that day after change. Once the pressure switches, give it 24 hours and go. This is always subject to change, as any “bright” day may be fabulous while a “perfect” cloudy day can be a disaster. The only way to know is go!

Silver Creek is open to catch and release fishing downstream of Hwy 20 until the end of February. The fishing has been better upstream as water clarity is slightly better. Having a little tint to the water is a good thing when Streamer fishing, but too much can make your efforts fruitless. On the days when we are near the freezing mark the water closer to Picabo has been very off color. The water near Point of Rocks seems about right for tinting and the water nearer the Willows is also about right. If you go, don’t be discouraged by some slow hours or a slow day because when the Creek is “On” in the winter it can be a big fish bonanza.

The Big Wood River continues to fish well and boggle the mind with true winter beauty. The freshening snow falls paint a surreal backdrop and show how recently and how far previous anglers have traveled up or down river. Throw in a mix of River Otters, Bald Eagles, Elk, Moose, Deer, Coyote and quietude and catching a bunch of fish fades into the background of the winter river experience.

On all our area rivers the usual suspects are in play this week! Zebra Midges, Brassies, Hares Ears, Buggers, Griffiths Gnats and Tie Down Midges are all one needs in the fly box. Head out with some forceps, nippers, strike indicators and tippet in your pocket, dress warm and hike far! Climb into some canyons, get your canoe out, bust out the snow shoes and a big bottle of water. Make sure you fish with a friend. 

Finally – Words of Safety, I have seen the canyon below River Run Bridge avalanche into the Big Wood on big snow years. We’re getting to that point where avoiding that ¼ mile of water may be wise!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 9, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - July 27, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Silver Creek Access Primer #4

Here is our latest Silver Creek access primer and it's on The Willows access point. We have done these videos starting at the farthest downstream public access (Priest Rapids Video Primer #1) and we are working our way upstream showcasing all of the public access points on Silver Creek.

Silver Creek Access Primer #3

Below is our 3rd video on Silver Creek access points. This video is on Point of Rocks. Check it out.

Silver Creek Access Primer #1

Below is a short video primer on the farthest downstream fishing access on Silver Creek called, Priest Rapids. This is our first video in a series that showcases all of the different public access points on Silver Creek. Priest Rapids is completely different both aesthetically and hatch wise than what people ordinarily think of as Silver Creek. It flows over basalt and has a much steeper gradient making for pools and fast water and pockets. See the video below for more...