Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 2, 2016

This is one of those weeks or two week periods where we like to say, “They don’t call it Sun Valley for nothing!” Bright, sunny days should not hamper the fishing as the fish still have to eat. What it does mean is that stealth is as important as any part or your fishing repertoire.

We are at a point in the winter season, where most fish have seen at least a few winter flies. They will continue to eat the Midges, but with less abandon, while they search for the true flies and trailing shucks amongst the foam lines.

The sky may be sunny this week, but you may want to layer up just so that you can creep up the snowy banks on your hands and knees in order to get the best casting position available. This holds true when Nymphing in shallow water, thin riffles and tail outs of pools. It is even more important is you are going to stalk rising fish.

For one reason or another it is an easy thing to let your guard down in the winter. Perhaps the easy nature of the fishing, at least in early winter, or perhaps it’s the starkness of it all. In either case, take a fly angler, put them in a dark green parka and silhouette them against the snow.  It is easy to see why you need to stay behind the rising fish while keeping a low profile.

Bright days on the Big Wood River generally means shorter fishing windows because of colder temps. If you are eager to get out the door before the temps hit a reasonable mark think about using the clear skies to travel.

If you don’t have the whole day, think about hitting Silver Creek with Streamers. The Waterfowl Hunting season is over and the Creek is very quiet right now. The Creek is open to fish downstream of Hwy 20. Think about fishing the Willows and Point of Rocks. Snow Shoes are not a terrible idea if you want to get well into the access points.

If you have more time, look at the South Fork of the Boise and the Lower Lost Rivers. The South Fork can have some decent Midge hatches, and is a good place to go for big fish. The lower Lost is similar, although maybe a bit more Nymphing in the bright sun. It is also a great place to catch huge Rainbows!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 19, 2016

The Wood River Sculpin is unique in that its home pretty much consists of the Big Wood and Little Wood Rivers. This dark olive bottom dwelling fish is not a target for fly anglers, but it is certainly a target of the biggest trout that live in the Big and Little Wood systems. The volume of Wood River Sculpin makes it a year around target of the fish and therefore a fly we cast all year long.

Imitating this Sculpin is not difficult and can be done with a variety of flies. Dark Olive Matukas, Olive Buggers, Sparkle Minnows and most olive colored articulated patterns work just fine. There is one fly tied as a specific imitation of the Wood River Sculpin, which is the Philo Beto. This fly is found at Lost River Outfitters in Ketchum and was developed by the owner Scott Schnebly and his son Blake in the early 1990s when Blake was a young boy. The fly is loosely named for Clint Eastwood’s character Philo Beddoe in the movie Any Which Way but Loose. Tied from the Philo Plume feather off an olive died Pheasant Rump, the Philo Beto Streamer is slam dunk when fished on the Big Wood, Little Wood or pretty much anywhere Sculpins swim.

Sculpin imitations are best fished with a bead-head, or some external weight. When I fish the Philo Beto I like to put a small split shot right at the head of the fly. This gives the fly a jigging action and also help me keep if from snagging on the bottom by controlling the depth right at the fly as opposed to several inches or feet above the fly. Try to fish the fly swinging across the river on a tight line, keeping the fly as close to the bottom as you dare. The true Sculpin will dart from rock to rock along the river bottom, trying to avoid being eaten, but plenty of them do get eaten and they represent a major calorie intake for wintering trout.

When fishing Streamer imitations fish them on Fluorocarbon Leaders so that when you strip strike the leader does not stretch, but instead buries the hook in the fish’s mouth. Fish a stout tippet, taper it to about 2X. Nine feet is plenty of length. Cast across the river and retrieve the fly with your rod tip on the water and the line coming into the tip in a straight line. Enjoy all the big fish you’re going to catch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!