SUN VALLEY AREA FISHING REPORT - APRIL 25, 2019

Fishing in the spring is not always easy, but for the creative angler it is a great time to search for new opportunities and get outside of the comfort zone. There are numerous places to fish and more each day as roads begin to dry and open, the high country begins to be accessible.

Lakes, Reservoirs, Ponds, and Canals all remain open to fish. We may need to wait on a few of these fisheries, but if you are looking for an adventure check out many of the opportunities that can be found with snowshoes, boats, bikes and your feet! There are many ways to find these spots, and Google Earth is a great place to begin your search.

If you want to stick with the norms, the Lost River remains open for fishing, although keep an eye on that gauge! If the CFS jumps well above 300 CFS, you may want to look elsewhere. Currently the color red on a nymph is going to produce fish. The Baetis hatches in the afternoon are sporadic, but certainly a possibility when the wind isn’t blowing.

Magic Reservoir should begin to turn back on as the reservoir begins to fill and stabilize a bit more than it has been. The upper narrows is a great place to fish in the spring, as well as the coves near the dam. Fishing the legal sections of the Big Wood and Camas arms of the reservoir is also a good idea if they aren’t too muddy.

Anglers are catching fish in the canal system below Magic Reservoir as well. It is a bit hard at first wrapping one’s mind around the setting as you search for fish, but once you feel one of those big Rainbows pull on your line, it will suddenly feel like a much more attractive area to fish!

No matter where you go in the coming weeks, please be safe! The flows are high, road conditions can be iffy, and the weather may not always be stable. It is a good time of year to leave your dog at home if you are near the rivers and a great time to take them fishing when you are on the still waters. Try to fish with a friend when you can and like always, tell someone where you are going! Fishing safely makes it more fun! Opening Day is May 25th this year!

Happy Fishing Everyone

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 4, 2018

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John Huber & a winter rainbow. Silver Creek

Identifying winter water is the biggest key to catching a lot of trout when the snow is on the ground. In the winter the fish tend to gather up and winter over in certain sections of river that offer them a few advantages to getting past the long cold months. You can save yourself some prospecting time by keying in on the places where fish want to be.

Food source is certainly a driving factor for these fish when it’s cold. The winter months really only provide the fish with one insect to eat. That is the Midge. Although this insect can be found all year, it becomes prevalent in the winter and the main food source for trout, outside of eating other fish. Midge water normally consists of slow moving water. It may be a smooth surface, a riffled surface or even a foam filled back-eddy. These are places where fish can easily sip Midges from the surface. Often times, finding these areas is as simple as looking at the snowy banks and looking for the bug peppering the bankside snow. If you see this, watch the nearby water closely for rising fish! This normally happens between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Water depth is also a key component to finding winter holding water. Try to find areas that are from thigh to waist deep water. Avoid the thinnest water at the head of the pools, unless the Midge activity is off the charts. Than you may find fish moving into skinny water. Mostly though, watch the middle of the pools. Avoid going super deep, unless there are no bugs and its super cold outside. Runs that have boulders and other structures are often great places to watch for rising fish.

Slow water is among the most important attributes to finding winter fish. Fishing can be broken down into the simplest math. Fish will not spend more calories to take in food than they are expending. This means a fish will not sit in fast water when there is no available food source, or not enough food to make up the calorie exchange. Finding water where a fish can fin easily in the current or lack thereof is huge. The fish need water slow enough to see the tiniest Midge, but fast enough to keep their gills pumping oxygen. A good rule, if the water is difficult to wade or cross, it is too fast!

Happy Winter Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing Report

SUN VALLEY / PICABO AREA FISHING REPORT — NOVEMBER 16, 2018

Cold nights that are turning into brilliant blue sky days seem to be the norm right now. By the time we reach the warmest parts of the afternoon fish are still rising to Baetis and Midge activity. We can expect this to keep up until we get more inclement weather. In the meantime enjoy the extended fall season!

Silver Creek is fishing well. The Browns are off of their Redds and are looking to put weight back on before the dark winter months. There are still some small Baetis hatches happening after the noon hour. This activity peaks by 2:00 p.m. and then tapers off slowly. Fish are also being caught with Streamers and it really doesn’t matter what time of the day you fish these. Fish bright colors on bright days and dark colors on cloudy days.

The Big Wood just continues to impress as we enter into the early part of winter. Midge and Baetis hatches are still occurring when the wind is down. The Baetis hatches are matched well with a Gulper Special. The Midge hatch imitation is the Tie-Down Midge. Fish a Griffiths Gnat against the glare and then fish a dry-dropper with the Tie-Down Midge behind it. Keep your eye on the Gnat, as it will be easier to see. If anything rises within a foot of the fly, then set the hook! Most of the time you’ll find yourself tied to a fish at the other end. If the fish aren’t rising in the Wood, then try olive colored Buggers or Hares Ear Nymphs and Brassies fished under a strike indicator.

The lower Lost River is on par with the Big Wood these days, providing excellent fishing through the warmest hours of the day. Fish are still keyed on the color red from the washed down Kokanee dying as well as their eggs flowing though the water stratus up and down the river. The closer to the Dam you fish the more you will find this “red” effect.

The South Fork of the Boise is still a great place to go “Cast and Blast” as the Chukar population is solid this year. The Baetis hatches are getting shorter with the days, but the South Fork is still an excellent place to go for slightly warmer temperatures. The Midge and Baetis dry fly activity is wind dependent, but is the wind is down, there should be some decent, if not difficult dry fly opportunities!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun valley Area Fishing Report - January 31, 2018

There are certain winters on Silver Creek where conditions line up to create very good fishing. We haven’t had one of those winters is quite some time, but this winter things have lined up nicely on the Creek. Duck season has ended on the river so things are once again quiet and the river has been relatively abandoned.

Daytime temperatures are getting high enough to create the perfect amount of daily back runoff to put a little tint in the water. Anglers that have fished the Creek extensively under these conditions know what a treat is can be. The turbid water keeps the big fish feeling safe and out in the open. This gives anglers with Streamers a perfect opportunity to fish the Creek in a way we rarely get too much of the season.

Fishing with unweighted Streamers is pure visual joy on the Creek and the next best thing to watching the dry fly take in the summer. Silver Creek fish make their presence known when they are after bait and the hardest part of fishing this way, is not setting the hook too soon, with the anticipation caused by the waking fish chasing the fly!

If you fish the Creek, you have until the end of February to get your licks in. The Creek is open to catch and release fishing downstream only from the Hwy 20 Bridge. Streamer fishing is where is at. Basic Black Buggers and Mini – Zonkers are a great choice. The key to catching fish is not the fly nearly as much as location. Stay on the move!

If a predatory fish in the Creek wants to chase your Steamer (bait representation) they are not going to be fussy about it. Be sure to keep the fly moving slow enough that they can see it, but fast enough they can’t analyze the fly. This may take some trial and error, but you’ll figure it out as soon as you hook that first one.

Try to stick to Fluorocarbon leaders in the 0X to 3X range. Having a length to 9 feet is just fine. The lack of stretch in the Fluorocarbon will lead to more hook ups as the hook will bury quicker in the fishes mouth without the leader stretching before the hook has time to penetrate. These leaders are more expensive, but they last twice as long and based on hook rates, they are worth the extra money when Streamer fishing the Creek!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fly Fishing Report - January 3, 2018

There is no end in sight to this spring like weather. There is a chance for snow over the weekend, but probably not enough to influence the fishing. If anything it may dampen the urge to travel to the lower Lost River or the South Fork of the Boise. The good news is, when its 40 degrees outside in January, you won’t have ice freezing in your guides!

The fishing on the Big Wood has been generally good, although the constant high pressure and bright sun make for diminutive Midge hatches on most days. Trying to find that classic winter day with Midges lining the banks and fish heads up everywhere is hard to come by. The good news is, with less than stellar skiing conditions we have a bunch of great winter fisheries to fall back on!

If we do get a short low pressure system in over the weekend, anglers may find the conditions right for some great dry fly activity. If you see heads up try Griffiths Gnats and Tie-Down Midges fished in tandem. If nothing else the cloud cover should provide a darker day and perhaps get some of the bigger fish out in the open and moving about the river systems. This could be especially true on Silver Creek, where a darker day should turn the Streamer fishing on.

The weekend system should be brief, so be prepared for more of the same the rest of the time. Expect Nymphing with Midge patters like Zebra Nymphs and Brassies to take fish and have some Streamers to fish in brighter patterns on the bright days. Mini Zonkers are one of our favorites on any of our area rivers.

If you fish the Creek, be aware that Duck Hunting season is still happening for a few more weeks, so please don’t approach areas where you see decoys in the water or hear shooting. The Creek is open to catch and release fishing downstream from the Highway 20 Bridge.

With the holidays complete, we know a lot of anglers will be heading to the Salt Water in the coming months to chase flats species. Picabo Angler has a ton of experience in this warm water arena and we are happy to help advise you on your trip, build you a trip, or even host you and your small group to one of our favorite destinations! Get out there and explore!

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, November 9, 2017

Winter has arrived in the Sun Valley Area, and with that comes winter fishing! We are blessed to have some of the best winter fishing in the west. We will slowly transition to full blown Midge season, and with that comes all our winter dry fly opportunity. In the meantime though, get your strike indicators out, your double Nymph rigs and your Streamer box as well!

Silver Creek remains open to fishing upstream of Hwy 20 until the end of November. Anglers may continue to see a few rising fish on Baetis hatches in the middle of the day, if the day gets warm enough. The Brown Trout should be mostly done spawning and although they may be thin, they should be looking to put some fat stores away as fast as they can this month! The river downstream of Hwy 20 remains open until the end of November. This water is best fished with Streamers between now and the end of the season.

The Big Wood is always a steady fishery this time of the year. The Rainbows feel the water cooling and they will eat with a little less caution than they have been the past few months. Fish Nymphs or Streamers throughout the system. Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs and most Olive colored Streamers will bring plenty of fish to the net.

The South Fork of the Boise is another decent early winter fishery where a nymph rig fished in the deeper runs and holes will produce some nice sized fish. Use caution when driving down the hill to the river in inclement weather. If it snows, don’t go without tire chains.

The Lower Lost River is also a fun place for early winter fishing. Double Nymph rigs fished with a heavy fly paired with a small Midge patterns can be very effective. Red or Black Zebra Midges are an excellent choice when fished under a Bead Head Prince Nymph, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail or Copper John.

Keep an eye on the weather in the next few days and weeks. Pay special attention to the day after change…the second of two consecutive sunny days or the second of two consecutive cloudy days is the time to be fishing. Not to beat a dead mule here, but also please remember a change of warm dry clothes when you fish, charge your cell phone and be ready for a cold weather emergency!

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!

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!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - May 30th, 2017

The fishing is fine on Silver Creek these days! After a wonderful opening weekend we were able to see just how positive the influx of water has been for the Creek. Anglers reported decent numbers fish being caught, but more than anything was the overwhelming volume of anglers talking about how big and how strong the fish in the Creek are right now. The months of flooding water must have put a lot of forage in the river for these fish. One angler after another keeps asking why the fish are so much bigger than last year!

The fishing is starting mid to late morning, although it should be earlier over the next week or two as daytime temperatures rise. We have been treated to Baetis hatches, PMDs and Callibaetis. The Brown Drake hasn’t appeared as of this writing, but that could change, so be ready!

The river should be very quiet the next few weeks as we await the 4th of July holiday. Anglers can find some fishing on the South Fork of the Boise, the Owyhee and the lower Henry’s Fork as well, but Silver Creek is certainly fishing the best of all of these.

The evenings on Silver Creek have seen very few anglers and this should be the norm until the Brown Drakes start, but even then, anglers that want peace and quiet will find plenty of both on the Silver Creek Preserve stretches of the river in the evenings.

If you come to the Creek, dress warm under your waders, as the water is nice and cool this season. If you have a float tube, it will open up a lot of water for you, as the depths are making fishing from the bank and tubes a little easier than trying to wade some spots.

If you are headed to the South Fork of the Boise, plan on big flows, and right now the best thing is to keep very experienced oarsmen on the sticks. The river is powerful at high flows and it’s narrow enough, there leaves little room for error.

Fishing the South Fork of the Boise with big Stonefly Nymphs will produce a few strikes. Red Copper Johns are also a good idea and you may get lucky enough to find a rising fish or two in the back channels. Ants are a great bet if you can find these subtle risers.

We’ll see you in Picabo for the Drake Hatch soon! Get ready!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Second Christmas Comes to Picabo on Saturday!

Opening Day on Silver Creek is May 27th! That is this Saturday! There is nothing better than Opening Day in Picabo, it feels just like Christmas Morning, so why not Second Christmas in Picabo, Idaho! 

Join Picabo Angler for Opening Day, this Saturday for our free BBQ at 11:30 - until it's all gone! There will be art by Ed Anderson and Bern Sundell as well as Fly Casting with our guides, and a whole lot of friends, fun and a celebration of Second Christmas 2017 in Picabo!

WAIT! Let us not forget Second Christmas Eve!!!! That's right, on Friday, May 26th from 5 - 9 we will have special guest Hank Patterson here to speak about his talent and how he has mastered the Creek, we think....! We will also have the brilliant musician Travis Ward from Boise. We will have Art from both Ed Anderson and Bern Sundell. Idaho Angler will also be in attendance to talk all things Owhyee River and Boise River The casting course will be set up as well with our guides on hand!

We will have several great raffles for Reel Recovery and the admission to see Hank is free, with donations gladly accepted!

We are excited to see you! 

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 23, 2017

Excellent fishing conditions are upon us this week. Temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, and partly cloudy days should put us back in a rhythm. The last round of weather was very unsettled and it was apparent in the fishing. The action has not been fast or furious, but the fish that are eating well seem to be in the larger size range.

A trickle of pre-spawning Rainbows are beginning to make their way into the Stanton Crossing reach of the Big Wood. There are even a few early redds in some of the gravel channels. Give this area another week or two and it should be very good fishing. The biggest challenge now is the parking. Currently, Stanton Crossing camping area is it for the whole area. If you go, be willing to walk!

We only have a week left to fish on Silver Creek before it closes for the spring spawning season. The last two weeks of fishing on the Creek are often the best Streamer fishing days of the year. Concentrate on the Point of Rocks and Picabo Bridge areas as the fish will move into this stretch looking for slightly warmer water temperatures.

Anglers that are eager to get out and fish their favorite freestone rivers like the Big Wood better get out there now. There are about 6 weeks left of this style of fishing at these flows. When the rivers reopen at the end of May we can expect them to be high and unfishable until the first week or two of July. The run-off this year should be a spectacle as we approach nearly 200% snow pack.

With this said, June is going to be a Silver Creek month, so if you’ve been shy about fishing this spring creek, it’s time to come out of your shell! Silver Creek can be a forgiving fishery the first few weeks of the season. This is a great time for those looking to learn the Creek. Anglers can get a head start by studying the June hatches and gearing up for a spring creek fishery. This means fishing soft rods and long leaders. Now is the time to start practicing! It would also be a good time to get a lay of the land. Scout the Creek from top to bottom while it is closed and quiet. When opening day comes, you’ll know exactly where you want to be!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing Report - July 20, 2016

Anglers, we are entering another transitional time of the year again. The waters are dropping fast and the rivers that were barely wadable a few weeks ago are now approaching levels where stealth and fly pattern are important. With the coming heat we can expect the fishing windows to also become early and late. The good news is we are starting to see the beginnings of a really good Hopper year. This will keep the afternoons interesting!

Silver Creek is fishing very well with Trico and Callibaetis right now. There are some PMD opportunities still, but the Trico is heavy in the early morning and lasting until 11:00ish. The Callibaetis is also showing in the morning and can be a game changer on Kilpatrick Pond. In the afternoon hours, Streamers in the pond or Hoppers in the river are the main players.

The Big Wood is about to go into the August doldrums, meaning it is also going to start fishing early and late. If you head out in the evenings the Caddis activity will build and the Rusty Spinner fly can be your best friend for the next 2 or 3 weeks. During the day, think about fishing Hopper / Dropper combinations. Dave’s Hopper is the best Hopper on the Big Wood. Fish a Prince or Hares Ear Nymph underneath it.

The Little Wood has fewer mosquitoes then a few weeks ago, but by all means still go there prepared for the onslaught, no matter the time of the day. Be fully covered up and have spray. Short of that and it’s not worth the agony. If you get a bit of a breeze and you are prepared it is doable.

The South Fork of the Boise is fishing O.K. with Caddis at night and Pink Albert action building during the days. If you are fishing Pink Alberts pay very close attention to the shallow water and also know that the Pinks emerge with their wing fully exposed before they swim off the bottom of the river. Have flies to match this accordingly.

The Upper Lost is still fishing very well with large attractors and Hoppers. The Streamer fishing is also very good, but decreased flows should knock that action back a bit. Plan of Little Yellow Sallies and Flying Ants to become the main hatches this coming week and beyond.

The Lower Lost will come on strong as the waters drops moving closer to the fall!

Happy Fishing Everyone!