Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - November 1, 2018

Here comes the cold! A significant change in our weather patterns means temperatures should be dropping about 10 degrees less than what we’ve been experiencing. This could mean the beginning of the end of the dry fly season in the Sun Valley area. The heat of the day could produce some small dry fly windows, especially if it is calm out. Think late afternoons if you want to try to fish the surface.

Silver Creek has a few more hatches left. The Fall Baetis here can sometimes last until Thanksgiving, but that fishing window could shrink down to an hour or two of decent rises. The Brown Trout will be coming off the spawn soon. This means a lot of big hungry trout are going to be out hunting and looking to pack on the calories before winter sets in. This means Streamer fishing and especially on cloudy days and low light periods. The Creek can be a spectacular place in the late fall, just watch the weather and try to find some nice fair days to go fish.

The Big Wood will still fish surprising well with some large attractors in the fall. Consider large Royal Wulffs, H and L Variants and even some Orange or Royal Stimulators. The Midge activity in the early evening is also a nice precursor and warm up for this winter’s Midge hatches! If nothing seems to be working get out an Olive Bugger and fish a lot of water. You will find some nice fish with the proper Streamer techniques. Now, if all else fails, fish a Prince Nymph / Red Copper John tandem under a strike indicator!

The Lower Lost River is still a great place to be in the Fall. Manageable flows and hungry fish mean anglers are finding good success. Nymphing is the norm and a variety of Midge patterns and small Baetis patterns will do the trick!

O.K. it is time to pay closer attention to the weather before you travel to fish. We would suggest taking time this week and putting together a winter fishing / travel kit. Fill an bag with a dry change of warm clothes. Pack some food and water and throw a good sleeping bag in the truck as well. Freak storms, muddy or snowy roads and short daylight hours means we all need to take precautions as we enter the winter fishing season. Be safe and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - October 24, 2018

A fall mix of weather is upon us. Sun, rain and clouds are all in the forecast, but daytime temperatures should remain comfortable. Cloudy days are certainly going to influence the hatches, but still no need to wake up and get to the water early. Best fishing times should remain between lunch and dinner.

Silver Creek hatch activity remains strong in the middle and later half of the day. The Baetis is the dominant hatch, and this activity could increase with the cloud cover this week. The Mahogany Dun is also still out and about, although in fewer numbers. Expect to see this hatch along with the Baetis late in the day. Don’t hesitate to check out the downstream access points like Silver Creek East to see the best hatches of this insect. Lastly, the October Caddis is still hatching. Anglers can pick up a few fish with this fly during the day by treating it like a Grasshopper. The actual occurrence of the bug should take place closer to the evening hours.

The Big Wood is still fishing very well. We haven’t had a season this good on the Big Wood since our first big forest fires a decade ago. Great hatches, lots of fish and sizable fish have all been in the mix. Now, with angler numbers down for the season, its’s a great time to be out there! Fish Baetis wets and dry and be prepared for some Streamer fishing or Nymph Fishing when the fish aren’t rising. Olive Streamers fish while moving at a decent pace will take plenty of fish. Copper John’s in Red and Copper under a strike indicator will also produce fish.

The Lower Lost remains a great place to fish this fall. Decent Baetis hatches and lots of fish distribution are making for happy anglers. Nymphing is the norm and fishing tandem nymphs will produce good catch rates. Try large nymphs as the lead fly, like a Prince Nymph or Copper John. Drop a small micro-nymph behind these, like a Zebra Nymph or your favorite Tungsten Beaded pattern.  Move slowly up the river and even fish the shallow riffles. Move slow enough and you should be able to site nymph a few fish if the sun is out!

The South Fork of the Boise continues to pump out cookie cutter days of fabulous Baetis hatches. This is a great place to cast and blast as well! Chukar hunt all morning and catch the hatch after lunch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley Picabo Area Fishing Report - September 26, 2018

Nice brisk mornings are upon us in the Wood River Valley. The chilling water has made the fish a bit more aggressive as their instincts tell them to fatten up now! Winter is coming and with it means scarce hatches and a more limited menu for the fish. In the meantime there are still good hatches, lots of bugs and lots of aggressive fish out there!

Silver Creek is transitioning into full blown fall mode. The only summer remnant is the Hopper action which continues to produce fish. The pace may not be as furious as it was, but they are still being eaten throughout the river system. The afternoons and early evenings are seeing hatches of Baetis and Callibaetis. The late afternoon is October Caddis time. This hatch has been picking up steam and is one of the best for picking up big fish on the surface. Mousing has slowed some as the nights are getting pretty cold and the Browns are going into spawn mode. There is still some night fishing to do, but dress appropriately!

The Big Wood continues to shine with Fall Baetis and Western Red Quill. These are afternoon hatches and the best fishing is from lunch until dinner time. Think about fishing close to Ketchum as the hatches are moving well upstream. The Fall Baetis and October Caddis on the Wood can be really strong north of Ketchum when the weather is calm and warm.

The Upper Lost is still producing some nice fish, but not at a furious pace. If you go, cover lots of water and bring all your same flies you fish on the Big Wood. Start your fishing late and stay until the first evening chill sets in!

The Lower Lost is fishing well with Nymphs and Hoppers still. The fish are eager to eat red colored nymphs and micro nymphs. When in doubt on this river, cast your favorite pattern and have faith in it. The fish aren’t too picky and often showing them something new or different is all one needs to do in order to have a banner day out there!

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise continues to produce afternoon Fall Baetis hatches that are great fun to fish in the riffle water. A lot of fish come to the top for this bug, but be patient as the hatches can start well after lunch!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - September 19, 2018

How long will the Hopper fishing last? We get this question a lot. The answer is until the first couple of hard frosts! We have fished Hoppers well into November in past seasons, so keep an eye on the weather and ground. If it gets warm and you are still seeing them hopping and flying, then by all means, fish them!

Silver Creek is seeing a decent October Caddis emergence in the evening. This should switch to early evening / late afternoon as daytime temperatures drop. The Fall Baetis is getting stronger and stronger, the Callibaetis is still present on calm afternoons. The Mahogany Dun will also begin to show more in the middle of the day as temperatures drop. Brown Trout are still making their spawning run and they are ripping into baits at low light. Needless to say the evening Streamer fishing can be very good! Looking forward expect more of the same, but with a narrower and narrower fishing window. The mornings are awfully cold for fishing these days!

The Big Wood continues to show its beautiful fall colors both below and above the water line. The changing leaves and backdrop on the Wood make it worth fishing for that reason alone. Add in a few colorful Rainbows and you have one heck of an awesome day of fishing near Sun Valley! Try fishing Hoppers, Red Quills and Baetis. You may find some October Caddis north of Ketchum. Streamers are also a great bet as well as large standard nymphs like a Pheasant Tail.

The Lower Lost is fishing well. Use your favorite red nymph, like a Copper John, San Juan Worm, or Micro-Nymph in red. If you want to fish the surface Crane Flies and Hoppers are your best bets. There are some Baetis present as well, but anglers willing to fish subsurface will find more action.

The Upper Lost has a few fish willing to eat flies, but there is a lot of walking between them. This area remains a great place to go to have nearly a whole river to yourself and after a busy summer, there is plenty of appeal in that statement alone!

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise continues to pump out the Fall Baetis hatches in the afternoons. This should continue as long as the mild weather holds. Hoppers are also a great bet in the canyon!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

The fish are adjusting to our new weather patterns, as are the anglers! Cooler mornings and evenings, coupled with perfect daytime highs are making for some more outstanding fishing. The higher elevations are seeing a slowdown in the catch rates, but locally, we couldn’t ask for better angling. Things should be nice and quiet on the water in the coming weeks, as school has started and the hunters are all out hunting!

Silver Creek continues its magnificent run of Hopper fishing. It could be the best season we’ve ever had on Hoppers and we don’t see any reason this should stop before the first big frosts of the season. Some of the fall bugs are also starting to make their appearance. Most notable the very early arrival of the Mahogany Dun. The Fall Baetis are showing in the mornings and evenings as well. The Brown Trout are in full blown pre-spawn mode, so Streamer Fishing, Mouse Fishing and Hopper Fishing should all produce nice sized fish in the coming weeks.

The Big Wood just finished a busy stretch of days with angler numbers, but that should all be in the past for the rest of the season. Expect the Western Red Quill to take over the Hopper bite in the coming week or two, and be ready for blanket hatches of Fall Baetis. Keep fishing Hoppers and Droppers until you see the fish actively taking the fall hatches off the surface.

The Upper Lost River is the only water that is not fishing very well. We hope after the fish adjust to the cold water caused by low nighttime temps at elevation and the fall insects come out in force, we will get a little spike in the fishing here before winter sets in.

The Lower Lost is fishing very well. Crane Flies and Hopper – Dropper set ups are catching fish. Some areas a double nymph rig under a strike indicator is the way to go. Fish small flies deep if you are going to nymph. The color red is a key, and should be on at least one of your nymphs if your favorite nymphs aren’t working. Small Black Zebra Nymphs are also a great option.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish well with Pink Alberts and Hoppers. Although angler numbers peaked the past few weeks, we should see a drop off in people as more hunting takes place and kids get back to school!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 29th, 2018

Get your sweatshirts and jackets out, someone took summer and quickly replaced it with fall! The fish went into a bit of shock over the weekend on some area waters, but don’t worry, the fall hatches will soon be here and will bring the fish up to the top again!

Be sure in the coming week you stop and get your fall flies in your box. This means all your old Green Drake patterns get to be used again! The Green Drake and the Western Red Quill are so similar in size and color you can fish one fly for both hatches, even though they exists at opposite ends of the season. Besides Green Drakes, Quill Gordons are a great fly, as well as Parachute Adams, Irresistible Adams, Royal Wulffs and Gray Wulffs.

The Fall Baetis has already begun on Silver Creek, but it should be hitting the Wood, the Upper Lost and the South Fork of the Boise very soon! This little Baetis is maddening in size and movement, but some days in the fall it blankets the rivers and is the only thing a fish will eat. Tiny Parachute Adams are a great fly for this. Anglers can also fish small Sparkle Duns, or other trailing shuck patterns as well. Try fishing your favorite Thorax pattern on an open loop with a generous amount of dry shake. This will get the fly wiggling just like the real thing!

Hoppers continue to be the best fly an angler can fish right now, and we should be able to keep fishing them all the way until the first hard frost. This could be a week from now or a month from now, but don’t stop fishing them until it happens.

If you really like the big bug fishing you may want to stock up on October Caddis. We are a month away, but with cool temps we could see this bug sooner. The best places to fish it are Silver Creek, and the Big Wood north of Ketchum.

Hunting season is almost upon us and reports on Dove numbers and Grouse numbers are strong. It should be a great start to the season. If you want to get a jump start on Chukar and Pheasant Hunting, the Picabo Angler Shooting Preserve is now open for guided, released bird hunts. We keep our hunts authentic and natural in a traditional farm and ranch setting! Call John for more info – 208.788.3536

Happy Fishing and Bird Hunting Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 22, 2018

Cooler nights have given us a hint that fall is coming. The local trout population sure knows it. The Brown Trout have started their upstream migration into ideal spawning areas and both Browns and Rainbows are packing on the calories. The nighttime temps have certainly cooled the water and the fish are acting accordingly.

Silver Creek is fishing well as the day progresses. The Trico and Baetis in the morning has been less than spectacular, but the Hopper fishing when it’s windy in the afternoon and the Callibaetis when it’s not windy, has been off the charts great! Anglers staying until dark will find great fishing as the sun sets. Hoppers are very effective under low light and the Mouse fishing will continue to get better and better as fall approaches.

The Upper Lost and Big Wood remain strong fisheries. This should continue and even improve as we move closer to fall. Be sure you have the Western Red Quill in your fly box in the coming weeks as this hatch is the next big one. In the meantime keep fishing Hoppers and small attractors like Parachute Adams. The Streamer fishing is also good, as the fish in these systems also try to pack on some weight before the true cold sets in.

The Lower Lost River is fishing pretty well. Flows still make moving about a bit of a challenge, but the Trico action in the a.m. can be great if you are in the right water type. Mainly the flatter the water the better! Crane Flies are active as well as a variety of Baetis. If nothing is going on surface wise, then try nymphs like Copper Johns and Zebra Midges. Fish these in Red and Black colors and be sure to move slowly looking for sight Nymphing opportunities.

The Fall is also a great time to get out on Magic Reservoir. This fishery really lights up as we move toward cooler days and nights. If you’ve had enough river fishing this summer, Magic is a great break from the norm!

The South Fork of the Boise, although busy most days, still has good Hopper and Pink Alberts fishing throughout the day. The flows remain at driftboat levels and this should remain the case for the rest of the month and most of September is the summer heat continues.

Have fun out there, and don’t forget, the Picabo Angler Shooting Preserve is now open for you bird hunting enthusiast out there!

Happy Fishing and Wing Shooting Everyone!

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 Report

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - August 1, 2018

Good news and bad news this week. Bad news is someone started a fire and the sky can be smoky depending on wind direction, and we’re done fishing the Little Wood River for the season. The good news is the fish have decided to lock onto the Hopper patterns once again this summer!

The Big Wood remains a good place to find respite from the heat. Dave’s Hopper is a tough one to beat on the Wood. We fish foam on a lot of rivers, but the traditional Dave’s Hopper works really well here and better than foam flies. If you want to fish a dropper under your Hopper try basic nymphs, like Prince Nymphs and Pheasant Tails. Try medium sized around a 16 or 14.

Silver Creek is in great summer form as Tricos and Hoppers are the norm in the mornings and afternoons. Hoppers are best fished without a dropper on the Creek, as they will float more natural and you can cast them closer to the bank. Trico Spinner Falls are the norm in the mornings. Plan on being on the water by 8:00 a.m. and fish until late morning. Keep in mind, Trico fishing is all about the presentation. Don’t overthink the fly or look in your box for a magic bullet. The magic bullet IS your presentation. The evenings on Silver Creek are a smorgasbord of insects, so bring all your flies and then fish your Hopper anyway!

The Lost River is fishing well again, even in the heat of summer. The Upper Lost River is Trico mornings on the flat water, and then Hoppers and small Attractors in the afternoons and evenings. Parachute Adams, Royal Trudes and small Stimulators are all great flies for this area. The Lower Lost River is fishing well in spots. If you can find wadable water, you can find some fish. Red Copper John’s, Heavy Baetis Nymphs and most nymphs fished at the proper depth will work well. This means adjusting your set up when you find fish laying in the shallow gravels, versus when you decide to fish the deeper slots.

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise is fishing with Hoppers and Pink Alberts. It is just far enough to the East, that anglers may find less smoke over there, although this time of the season, there are no guarantees you can escape it.

Watch the weather, pick the the right winds to go out in. Try not to expose yourself to heavy smoke for very long. Fish with a Buff and keep it damp. This will help with the smoke!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fly Fishing Report - July 25, 2018

Heat and more heat continues to cover South Central Idaho as we move closer and closer to August. The fishing is fine though and the heat makes the rivers the best place to be on a daily basis. Wet wading is a joy and the rivers running under the Cottonwood forest canopy send waves a cool breezes up and down the river corridors.

Silver Creek is an early and late fishery for those anglers looking to catch the daily hatches and spinner falls. Trico and Baetis rule the mornings, while the evenings are the normal smorgasbord of bugs, including Baetis and Caddis. Anglers that want to stay and fish in the afternoons will find great fishing under the heat, just stay fully covered up with buffs, sun gloves and the like. The afternoons are all about Hoppers and Damsel Flies. The Hopper bite is really coming on strong. Once again, pink or tan bodies are the way to go.

The Big Wood and Upper Lost are fishing well. The reports of bigger fish this season are great. The forage created by last year’s flooding has seemingly increased general fish sizes all over the place. Again, be early and fish late. Plan on Rusty Spinners and Caddis being mainstays out there. Dave’s Hoppers are an excellent choice in the afternoons. Small attractors are also effective. Parachute Adams and Royal Trudes are excellent choices.

The Lower Lost River is slowly coming into fishing shape. A few Crane flies are around and plenty of Hoppers. A Hopper – Dropper set up is a good choice. Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, San Juan Worms and small Baetis and Midge patterns make great droppers. If you go, the wading is still difficult. Wading belts are a must.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to fish well. What is happening depends on where you fish. Some sections the fish will still respond to big foam flies like Salmon Flies and other big Stoneflies. On other sections Hoppers and Cicadas are bringing fish up. If you are floating the river, stop every once in a while and look at the streamside vegetation. If you are seeing big bugs, fish accordingly, if you are not, think about the Hoppers and Cicadas.

It’s been a busy month thus far on the rivers, but that should all begin to ebb at the end of the month, so please remain patient and kind, and please treat your fellow angler how you would like to be treated!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Report - July 18, 2018

Fabulous fishing is the norm right now, but anglers should be adjusting their fishing times. A lot of anglers have been showing up to Silver Creek midmorning and wondering why they aren’t seeing stronger hatches…chances are they are just too late. The earlier the better right now and that also means the later the better as well.

There is afternoon fishing to be had out there, but plan on Nymphing and Terrestrial fishing if you want to tempt the fish in the heat of the day. The best hatches are early and late and the Rusty Spinner is now among the best flies you can carry in your fly box. This dead or dying imitation of most mayflies is deadly when we move into the heat of summer. Just fish it in the appropriate size to match the mayflies you are seeing at any given time.

The Big Wood is fishing really well, although with a slight drop in the action as the Green Drake has waned. Expect the Wood to continue to fish well, although the early / late game is going to become more and more important here as the water drops. Dave’s Hopper is a great midday choice, as are small Stimulators, Parachute Adams, Irresistible Adams and Cicadas. Early and late fish the small flies like the Rusty Spinner or Baetis Sparkle Dun.

The Creek is fishing well with the arrival of the Trico Spinner Falls. The Baetis also continue to show up daily. Anglers can normally find these bugs from 7 to 11 in the a.m. There is a Baetis return in the evening as well. The midday is all about Damsel Flies, Baby Hoppers, Ants and Beetles. Fish these near the banks and the weed beds.

The Upper Lost River is fishing, but can be day to day. Reports have been everything from fabulous fishing to head scratching on days the fish are hard to find. Generally when we find this condition on the Upper Lost system it means the fishery has also become a low light fishery. This is not normal at current volumes, but neither is the extreme heat we have had for weeks on end now.

The Lower Lost is still running high. There may be spotty fishing at spotty access if you’re in the neighborhood. Be able to drop nymphs to the bottom quickly if you head to the Mackay area.

The South Fork of the Boise continues to have decent fishing with Salmon Flies and Cicadas!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fly Fishing Report - July 11, 2018

The summer bugs are here and the hatches are gaining steam daily. With the water dropping and more and more fishing areas opening, it should be a great week on the water! Expect fewer anglers this week and great conditions! More hot weather is in the forecast, so begin to think about fishing early and staying late. The afternoons will provide nice fishing opportunity as well, but be prepared for the sun with full coverage. Buffs, sun gloves, and long sleeved shirts and pants will make your day more comfortable.

The Trico action continues to slowly ramp up on Silver Creek. It is still a month away on most other rivers. The more the heat builds the more the Trico action should build. To catch the spinner fall, be on the water when the air temp hits 70 degrees. If the Trico action isn’t heavy, or even if it is, stay until mid to late morning for the Baetis Spinner Falls. You’ll know it’s happening when you see them crawling down your waders to lay eggs on the bottom and flying into your glasses!

Damsel Flies are also bringing fish to the surface up and down the Creek. This afternoon activity normally starts after lunch. Watch the downstream side of the weed beds for fish scooping the Damsels off the surface.

The last of the spring hatches can be found on the South Fork of the Boise as the Salmon Fly continues to make its way up to the dam. If you want to fish this hatch you better go now. The weekend should see plenty of boats on the water. It is a great opportunity to watch fish eat giant foam flies!

The Upper Lost River is almost in shape and there are fish to catch in the areas where you can find holding water. This may involve walking a bit between spots, but there is hardly a lovelier place for a walk between fish! If you go, try attractors like Trudes and Stimulators. Try dropping a Green Drake Nymph below these if you aren’t getting the fish to look up.

Finally, the Big Wood although busy is fishing very, very well. The Green Drakes should be on their last few days of the season upstream of Ketchum this week. Keep fishing the fly though, and mix in Stimulators, Parachute Adams, Chernobyl Ants and Copper John’s as droppers!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 27th, 2017

Happy New Year from Picabo Angler! Cold days are upon us, but the fishing is great! With little snow to speak of fly fishing our local waters is a great fall back in the Sun Valley area. The rivers are open to catch and release fishing and the anglers that have taken advantage of this are catching some nice sized fish.

The Big Wood is a wonderful winter fishery. The fish have begun rising to winter Midge hatches and the biggest fish are coming to Streamers and Nymph rigs with regularity. Expect fishing windows to last from about 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Find the slow moving water and watch the heaviest foam lines and back eddies. The rising fish are found in thigh deep water where they gather and slowly move their way toward shallower lies as the hatches progress. Fish Streamers virtually anywhere with a focus on water without heavy currents. The same can be said for Nymph set-ups. Fish double Nymph rigs under strike indicators and keep on the move until you start hooking up! If you find one, you’ll find several as they are much less solitary in the winter and tolerate each other a lot more.

Silver Creek remains virtually untouched so far this winter. The Streamer fishing here can be great and can often produce and anglers biggest fish of the season. If you head down here toward Picabo, keep in mind that the river is only open downstream of the Highway 20 Bridge and only open to catch and release fishing. Large streamers fished on the swing will take a few fish. Try to target fish with bright colors on bright days and darker colors on darker days. No weight is necessary as the fish will happily chase your Streamer just under the surface and the visuals when fishing here can be really exciting. Anglers will often see the wake and the take when the fish strikes.

The Lower Lost is a bit of a drive away, but with the current conditions, storms and drifting snow don’t seem to be a factor. Make this trip around through Picabo and we can show you the flies and even send you down the road with lunch in hand!

The lack of snow and easy winter driving also make the South Fork of the Boise an attractive place to fish until the first big storms arrive. Use the all the same flies you would fish on local rivers. Zebra Midges, Streamers, Brassies and Tie-Down Midges are all excellent choices!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 7, 2017

Cold days and short fishing windows are the norm right now, but the rivers are wide open and seeing very, very little angling pressure. This is a good time to get out on the water, as the day time temperatures are rising above the freezing mark, making fishing comfortable throughout the afternoon.

Silver Creek is now closed upstream of the Highway 20 Bridge. This includes the Double R Ranch as well as the Silver Creek Preserve. The river does remain open from Highway 20 downstream for catch and release fishing. It will remain open until the end of February. Streamers are really the best way to fish the Creek this time of the year. Think about using dark colors on dark days and bright colors on bright days. Cast your streamer to the far bank and retrieve it slowly. With the water turning colder, the fish will be more inclined to chase something they can catch without a huge expenditure of energy. Some days, just let the fly swing without stripping it. You may be surprised by the difference. In any event, the fish will want a certain speed and action, so keep adjusting until you find it. Once you know how they want the fly presented, stick to it!

The Big Wood is one of our best “offseason” fisheries, as it rarely freezes and the fish tend to pod up into winter holes. Look for slow moving, waist deep water is a good start. The fish should mostly be in the center of the runs, avoiding the fast currents, unless the big Midge hatches are going, in which cast look for the fish in the heads and tails of the pools. Fish Streamers and nymphs. A two Nymph rig under a strike indicator is a great way to go. Try Brassies and Zebra Midges.

The Lower Lost is still fishing decent and there is hardly anyone fishing it. The drive is enough to keep most anglers away, and throw in a dash of cold weather and you can have it to yourself! It is primarily a Nymphing river this time of the season. Normally the same flies you would use in the winter in the Big Wood will work just fine on the Lower Lost.

Finally, the South Fork of the Boise can be a nice excursion on a sunny day. Again, the same winter Nymph selection is all you need!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - September 6, 2017

A slow cool down is headed to the Mountains. With this we should expect to see the first big changes from our summer fishery to our fall fishery. In the meantime all the same bugs and techniques we’ve used over the past few weeks are still in play this week!

Silver Creek is beginning to see more and more Baetis activity. A sure sign fall is coming. The Trico Spinner Falls begin to wane as the Baetis cranks up. Expect to see a few Callibaetis Spinners mixed into the morning show as well. The afternoon activity continues to percolate with Callibaetis activity. Expect this to remain strong as long as the heat continues. The Hopper action on the Creek remains outstanding and the fish are also still looking for Damsel Flies. The evenings on the Creek are a smorgasbord of bugs, and we are quickly approaching the best Mouse fishing time of the season.

The Big Wood continues to impress as the fishing remains excellent. Parachute Adams in a variety of sizes is a great choice as well as Hopper patterns. A Dave’s Hopper on the Big Wood is a deadly fly this time of year. It is also time to start putting the Western Red Quill in your fly box and a few October Caddis also.

The Upper Lost is also impressive with fish being caught throughout the system. It doesn’t seem to matter where you fish. Flying Ants, Royal Trudes, Parachute Adams and Hoppers are all good choices. Anglers may see a few Trico takes in the morning as well. It’s just a matter of finding flat enough water for a big fish to eat them!

The Lower Lost has been slightly underwhelming as the Hopper bite continues. The Nymphing has been o.k. with Copper Johns and small Tungsten patterns. The Crane Fly action is still happening, and skating flies remains one of the most fun ways to fish the river!

The South Fork of the Boise remains stuck between optimum wading flows and optimum boating flows. Smaller boats will have an easier time on the river and the wade fishing anglers will find things slightly more manageable. Hopper, Flying Ants, Pink Alberts and be sure to have October Caddis in case this bug shows early this year!

It’s a good time to fill your fly box for fall. Upcoming hatches include Fall Baetis, Mahogany Duns, Western Red Quill and October Caddis.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - August 8, 2017

We have waited a long time for a good Grasshopper season. We now have a GREAT Hopper season underway! One of the greatest joys in fly fishing, is without question, “The Hopper Take”! We wait months and months and months as fly anglers for the opportunity to throw the big bug. We see the Brown Drake early season and the Salmon Fly on a few rivers and get the opportunity to cast big dry flies. Then every few years we get Hoppers in fantastic numbers. When it happen it seems to happen on all our rivers.

This season the South Fork of the Boise set the bar high early with Hopper action practically ties to the Salmon Fly hatch. The Hoppers continue to grow and be eaten on the South Fork. Drift Boats are the way to go if you want to cover a lot of water with a big foam Hopper. We carry the Morrish Hopper in Pink and Tan.

The Hopper / Dropper rig on any river right now is not a bad way to go. On Silver Creek, think pure and forgo the Dropper so you can see the big “Inhale” on the flat water! Silver Creek is still fishing well with Damsels when the wind is down. The Stalcup Damsel in Blue or Tan is the fly these fish really want to eat. The Callibaetis hatches and spinner falls seem to be growing again, as the size drops to nearly an 18. Try to find small size 16 patterns or big 18s. Tricos continue to bring up pods of fish if you are in the right place. If it’s 9:00 a.m. and you aren’t seeing fish podded up, think about trying a completely new area.

Both the Upper and Lower Lost rivers are fishing well with a Hopper, or Hopper / Dropper set up. The downriver flows are still challenging, but the tributaries like the North and East Forks are fishable. The flows on the Lower Lost are still challenging to wade while staying in the river channel, but some Crane Fly action and some Nymphing will catch fish. In most runs the Hopper is a great searching pattern.

The Big Wood is providing anglers with broad smiles as everyone learns new spots and new runs that the fish have also learned and love! Those medium sized attractors both wet and dry are the way to go. Oh, and HOPPERS!

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 25, 2017

We are halfway through our summer fly fishing season in the Sun Valley area. What a summer it has been! We knew with 200% snow pack that we would be in for a special season and a delayed start on many waters, and both have transpired. The influx of water made for an incredible June and July on Silver Creek. With the Creek being the only game in the state of Idaho at times, we were blessed with great hatches, cold water, good currents and anglers willing to work together to make sure a good time was had by all!

We move toward August now with all our area waters beginning to fish very well. Anglers are enjoying the Big Wood River while relearning it after a massive spring runoff. Green Drakes are winding down, but there are plenty of hungry fish out there looking for Stoneflies and Hoppers or your favorite attractor pattern! The water remains high with plenty of volume, so be aware and be careful.

The upper Lost continues to come into shape. The East Fork has seen plenty of angler pressure and modest catch rates, but as the water continues to fall the North Fork, Wild Horse Creek and the Main Lost should begin to produce some fun days on the water.

Silver Creek continues to be remarkable, and with all the area waters beginning to fish the angling pressure on the Creek is minimal. The Trico Spinner Fall in the morning continues to gain steam. Fish are still locking on Damsel Flies in the afternoon and the Hopper action is really gaining steam. We should be in for an epic late summer Hopper fishery on the Creek! The evenings are a grab bag of insects that include PMDs, Baetis, and Callibaetis. The Mouse fishing has remained productive and should pick up steam as the fall approaches.

The South Fork of the Boise is fishing well with Hoppers and Cicadas fished out of a driftboat. Pink Alberts are hatching in the afternoons and the magical evening hour on the South Fork always seems to bring fish to the surface.

The Lower Lost remains high and it will be awhile before we are fishing there. Magic Reservoir has been very good lately, with low light hours being particularly productive. Anglers are floating the Salmon River and catching fish from boats. Finally, the Little Wood River is coming into shape, but the mosquito factor is a 10 right now!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

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