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 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 23, 2015

Beautiful spring like conditions persist this week. Warm, overcast, to partly cloudy days spell Baetis on the rivers we can fish! Expect some limiting conditions to continue as far as water quality goes the Big Wood, and closures for spawning fish in other areas begin at the end of the month.

The early run of Steelhead continue to find their way to the Stanley area. The fishing has been very good this season with the early run of fish making for fewer anglers. Locals have done very well, and most likely anglers that are waiting or have waited for the April time frame, may be a little too late for the best of the action. For now though, get up there if you want to catch one of these Sea-Run Rainbows.

The Big Wood is most likely going to continue to run off color. Maybe, the last few days of the season will provide some opportunity. But right now the best bet for Big Wood anglers is to head for the water in the canyon blow Magic Reservoir. Although, not easy fishing, the quality of the catch can be outstanding. Plan on streamers, and perhaps some decent dry fly action with Midges and Baetis.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish in a fair fashion. With a little bit of Baetis and Midges being the main hatches. When in doubt, a red nymph like a Copper John, will bring a few fish to the net.

The Lost River remains the best fishery we have right now. The increased pressure from anglers is something you should plan on, but also plan on great hatches of mainly Baetis with some Midges. The spawning action on the Lost is also picking up, so please be aware of the Redds, in the river. These are the gravel depressions that appear white or “fresh” as the Rainbows have swept the gravel clean to deposit their eggs. One misstep onto a Redd can destroy hundreds to thousands of trout eggs. It is probably best to not fish the fish seen “sitting” in these Redds as well, as they need every last bit of energy they have to complete their spawn and recover before the water gets too high. This same activity takes place with the Steelhead on the Salmon, so if you fish in Stanley, please be aware of the fishes activity you are fishing to.

Happy Fishing Everyone!