Sun Valley Fishing Report - August 4, 2016

The heat has subsided quite a bit the last few days. The smoke is clearing some as well, although that seems to change by the day and with the wind direction. The highs that were in the 90s are now in the 80s making the day more comfortable. It also means getting to Silver Creek and most area rivers at 7:30 or 8:00 instead of first light!

The Hopper action is picking up and the Trico action is not slowing down! There is still a lot of fun to be had on the Creek prior to Mouse fishing hours! Fish are still eating Callibaetis dries on the slough and this ads to the afternoon offerings on the Creek. If you fish the Hopper, have PINK bodies on them. They are keyed on that color this season.

Our other area waters are fishing well all day with the biggest fish getting caught at low light periods. We are almost to the Flying Ant time of the year, so be sure you have them in your fly box. Last August we saw many days where you had to have an Ant to catch any decent amount of fish. Don’t get caught without them.

John

Sun Valley Fishing Report - August 2, 2016

One of the purest joys in fly fishing is discovery. Finding the right fly, finding that big fish, finding that secret creek are all joyous occasions. This week Silver Creek has put forth a hatch that is akin to discovery. The Damsel Fly is the hatch, and despite it being a hatch we see each summer, the activity we’ve seen in the past week is unparalleled on this river! Starting around noon, Damsel Flies are blanketing the water in numbers large enough to hear their wing beats. Even when the wind is blowing anglers can find places where the fish are taking Damsels.

Look for the biggest weed beds on the Creek and then spend some time watching the edges and the drop offs behind these patches. The fish have been eating with such vigor that even on the windy days they can be seen eating weeds off the surface due to mistaken identity and pure hunger.

If you fish the Damsel Flies on the Creek, keep in mind the hook set is very, very different. When a fish takes your Damsel you must wait, and wait and wait, and then set the hook hard! Your tippet material should not be lighter than a 3X. The old adage about saying “god save the queen” before your hook set is true here, and maybe even say it twice.

While you search for fish feeding on Damsels a pink colored Hopper is working very well on the Creek. Windy days are best, but they aren’t required. The calmer the day, the tighter you want to fish your Hopper to the bank.

The Big Wood is fishing well. Plan in Trico in the morning, Hoppers in the afternoon and Caddis in the evenings. Fish light tippets like 5X and 6X. Small nymphs are also an effective way to fish if things get slow on the surface.

The upper Lost River is fishing on par with the Big Wood. Light Tippets and Flying Ants are a great way to go. If you get stumped fish small steamers into the pools and certainly fish the low light periods and coolest times of the day.

The South Fork of the Boise is still at boating flows and Hoppers fished near the bank will take some fish. Pink Albert is the big hatch and happens in the heat of the day.

Over all despite the heat and smoke, the fishing is very, very good right now. Cover up from the sun and get out there!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fishing Report - July 13, 2016

Fishing season is in full swing and we are enjoying the benefits of 100% snowpack! The rivers are full of water and the fish and bugs are benefiting the most! Some area rivers are just coming into fishable shape, while others are already into the second round of summer time hatches.

Silver Creek is a great place to be as Trico activity is fast and furious. Try to catch this spinner fall as soon as the air temps hit 70 degrees. The big secret right now is the early morning activity taking place prior to the Trico. Prairie Caddis and Callibaetis Spinners are putting on a crack of dawn show for those anglers that can drag themselves from summer slumber. Baetis are following the Trico and by afternoon Callibaetis, Damsels and Hoppers take the stage. Baby Hoppers on the windy days and Damsels on the calm days. In the evening the PMDs are the main players and at night it is mousing time!

The Big Wood is fishing well with a variety of small attractors like Royal Trudes and Olive Stimulators. Baby Hoppers are also on the scene here. The last of the Green Drakes should be around this week. Nymphing and Streamer fishing is very productive right now. Prince Nymphs and Sparkle Minnows are all you need.

The Upper Lost River is fishing well with big dry flies, but the volume still dictates fishing with someone, tight wading belts and no dogs. The East Fork and the North Fork at a very reasonable volume right now and very fishable for anglers of all skill levels. Fish Royal Stimulators and Irresistible Adams.

The Lower Big Lost is still running very high. A few fishable spots can provide a few hours of fishing, but the mobility on the Lower Lost is limited until the Fall.

The South Fork of the Boise is moving from spring hatches like Stone Flies and Salmon Flies to summer bugs like Pink Alberts and Grass Hoppers. Drift boat flows are still the norm with some limited wading opportunities.

The Little Wood is fishing well with nymphs. The Mosquitos remain prolific in this area, but if the wind and the heat come up, this may be worth exploring for an afternoon.

The best part of fishing right now, is anglers can choose what they like to do best and go do it! It feels a bit like the starters gun has gone off and now it’s time to fish it all!

Happy Fishing Everyone,

John

Sun Valley Fishing Report - July 12, 2016

We begin our return to summer temperatures today. Plan on Trico activity on Silver Creek to really ramp up as we head closer to the weekend. The Hopper activity on the Creek, although not red hot yet, is as good as we've seen for a few years. The Baby Hopper flies are bringing fish to the surface on the windy afternoons, and there seems to be plenty of those lately!

Cool nights are really helping keep water temperatures in the perfect range on the Creek. This is spurring on great hatch activity and is great for the general health of the fish! 

Our freestone streams remain in great shape and are fishing really well with Stimulators, Parachute Adams and other small attractor flies. Standard nymph patterns are also taking plenty of fish.

Get your sun screen and bug spray back out for the week. It is going to be a good one!

Sun Valley / Picabo Fishing Update - June 27, 2016

What a great week to be a fly angler in Idaho! Rivers are coming into shape all over the place. Major hatches are starting on many of these rivers and the fish have yet to see a fly! 

Silver Creek is going to be an early and late show with the heat this week. The midday hours should produce some really decent Blue Damsel fly activity on the afternoons when the wind stays down. The Mouse fishing remains very good!

The South Fork of the Boise should come to life with Salmon Flies this week as well an uptick in the Baby Hopper action. It's a good time to have your large foam flies out!

The Big Wood should erupt into full blown Green Drake madness this week! I can think of few other places I'd rather be fishing right now. 

The Upper Lost is coming into form quickly. Dropping water and massive amounts of insects make the exploring "up top" as fun as it gets! 

There is a lot to do. Play hookie and go do it!

John

Sun Valley / Picabo Fishing Update - June 24, 2016

A fun weekend is ahead of us. There is a lot of exploring to do on all our area waters. Pick what you like to do best and get out there! 

The Big Wood is coming into shape quickly and anglers are beginning to catch fish and see Green Drakes in the Bellevue area. 

The Upper Lost is clearing and right behind the Big Wood for fishability. 

The South Fork of the Boise and the Salmon are both floatable and are fishing well, with better fishing still to come. 

Yesterday, I asked our guide Andrew Thomas to fish with me and also to start in the middle of the day under bright sun. The results are in...(If you'd like to set up a guide day with Andrew give me a call! 208.788.3536

John

Sun Valley / Picabo Idaho Area Fishing Update - June 13, 2016

A cool week ahead should provide plenty of afternoon action on Silver Creek. Baetis and PMD will continue to be the mainstays. The Mouse fishing is unaffected by the lack of heat, so that action should stay strong. Expect Green Drake and Damsel activity to resume Sunday when the heat comes back up.

The Big Wood and Big Lost are dropping quickly, mostly due to nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing at altitude. They should be fishable by this time next week, although the volume should remain high.

The South Fork of the Boise should unlock this week, or with the return of the heat on Sunday! It’s a great time of the year to be fishing! Get out there and have fun!

John

Sun Valley / Picabo Area Fishing Update - June 10, 2016

Silver Creek continues to be one of the only games in town for anglers. The good news is the fishing is still great! The wind yesterday kept the hatches from bringing a lot of fish to the surface, but anglers in the Sloughs did well. Guide Chad Chorney put some of his guests on beautiful Rainbows despite the wind. 

The weekend should be cooler on the Creek. Expect more Baetis and a continuation of PMD madness! The Green Drakes are showing more and more as well as the Blue Damsels. 

Ants and Beetles are still your best friend when things get tough on the river. 

Our other local rivers remain high, off color and dangerous. Hopefully  cooler temps will brig the flows down and we can be fishing these rivers sometime next week. We'll wait and see and report back on Monday.

Have a great weekend. Be safe. Be kind. Have fun!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 29, 2016

With only a few days left in the season on many rivers, it is time to get creative! The Big Wood River is closed to all fishing on April 1st. Silver Creek is also closed to all fishing. Both rivers will open back up May 28th this year. Plan on the Big Wood being muddy for the opener as spring runoff should peak sometime in May. Silver Creek should be phenomenal on the opener!

In the meantime, the Lost River remains open to fish all year. Reports have been getting increasingly better on the Lower Lost. When the wind is down the Midge and Baetis fishing has been excellent. When the wind comes back up the fishery can be downright difficult. When this happens switch to Nymphing techniques and cover the water thoroughly and be prepared to use a variety of flies. Be sure to have some Pheasant Tail Nymphs to cover the Baetis and plenty of Zebra Midges for the Midge days.

Places to consider for the next few weeks include Carey Lake. This is an excellent time of year to catch a mess of Blue Gills for a fish taco fry. Small nymphs stripped through the water is all one needs. If you are in the area, the Little Wood in the desert stretch can be an o.k. place to wet a line and catch a few trout. It’s never gangbusters in this stretch, but it is beautiful and a great place to spend an afternoon.

Carp fishing in the Snake is going to get better and better as the weather gets nicer. Get your Google Earth on and search for the shallow water flats found all over the Snake River reservoirs. Try to pick the calmest days so that you can see the fish working.

The Reservoir fishing in both Mackay and Magic should be getting really good. Warming water gets those reservoir fish hungry and thinking about the pre-spawn. They will want to fatten up. Fish near the river mouths and even near seasonal Creeks. Anderson Ranch Reservoir and the Little Wood Reservoir are also great places to check out and catch a variety of fish.

Reservoirs can be fished from a boat, float tube or just off the bank. If you head out on the water, take a friend. Beware of the wind, and have proper floatation and emergency flares and whistles, just in case. Always check the weather first and have fun!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - March 23, 2016

Adaptability and having a lot of arrows in your proverbial quiver seems to be the key to success on most of our local rivers these days. Rapidly changing conditions both in the atmosphere and the water itself have made for some challenging days. It seems as though the anglers that have the willingness to switch techniques from run to run, river to river are doing just fine. Anglers that are stuck with one bag of tricks are not doing well.

The Big Wood is fishing well if you are switching to dry flies when the fish are up, nymphs when the water type is perfect and streamers the rest of the time! Anglers fishing closer to Ketchum are doing better than anglers fishing closer to Bellevue. Skwala Stoneflies have suddenly made an appearance on the Wood, signaling an early start to this year’s hatches perhaps? It is also a signal of change in the Wood as this is not an insect we consider most years in March.

Again, adaptability, letting go of what we think we know and believe to be true on our area rivers is important. There is no doubt that we are seeing a fundamental shift in how we fish in the Sun Valley area. Brown Drakes keep coming to Silver Creek earlier and earlier each season, Callibaetis is becoming a season long hatch instead of a heat of summer occurrence and more and more we are seeing odd events on the river and even bugs we’ve never seen before on our area waters.

No alarms here! It is all good. In fact we love the change and we love that it keeps anglers on our toes and keeps fishing interesting, especially for anglers that have been plying the Valley waters for several decades.

If you head out this week to any of our area waters, load for bear! This spring should continue to bring us events we were not expecting. Some good, some bad, but all interesting. Enjoy the warmish daytime temperatures and get out there!

Your best bets this week are the Lost River, the Salmon River for Steelhead, the Big Wood below Magic Reservoir, and the Big Wood north of Hailey continuing north of Ketchum a few miles. Don’t get discouraged by a tough hour or bad run on the river, just stay on the move, stay flexible with your technique and enjoy one of the best times of the year to be a local angler!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - February 24, 2016

Warmer daytime temperatures are beginning to coincide with the approach of our single best month for catch rates on many of our area rivers. With March right around the corner there is no better time to get out and fish! Enjoy some pre-spring time sunshine and easy fishing while it lasts! March is also the last month many of our rivers are open before the spring closures for spawning fish.

Silver Creek is closed for its entire length at the end of February. That means you have until Monday to get on the Creek and fish Streamers. The last week of February is generally the best week for doing this, and with temps in the high 40s near Picabo you could not ask for a better scenario. If you are a mouse fishing fanatic the voles near Picabo are begging to emerge in big numbers with the warmer weather as well. We have guides available and private water for you to fish with them at no extra cost! Give us a call if you would like to get out there. Picabo Angler is also open for breakfast and lunch daily.

The Big Wood always rounds out the end of the season with explosive Midge hatches as well as the emergence of the Little Black Stonefly. The Little Stones are not much of a player on the surface, but they are an important food source for the fish and are found near the banks as they emerge. The best way to imitate the Stones is with a size 12 to 14 Prince Nymph. You can fish these under a strike indicator, but the best way is to find steep banks and swing the Prince Nymphs on a tight line presentation below you, allowing them to go all the way to the bank. Make sure you keep the line tight in your hand!

The Lost River remains open year around these days and warm days could mean great surface action. With that said, the fishing on the Lost has been hit and miss as of late. It’s a long drive to make for so-so fishing, but stay tuned to the report and we’ll let you know when the Lost is showing its true colors again. There are a few fish on Redds over there so if you go, please be mindful of where you step and avoid fishing to the vulnerable spawners.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

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 13, 2016

The return of low pressure this week should make for outstanding fishing throughout the Sun Valley Area. Light snow falls should signal excellent dry fly opportunities and Nymphing along with Streamer fishing should easily fill in the gaps when the fish aren’t looking to devour Midges off of the surface.

The Big Wood should be on fire this week with perfect conditions for big Midge hatches. Flies consists of the usual winter assortment. Have Zebra Nymphs, Tie-Down Midges, Griffiths Gnats and your favorite Streamers, even if that is a simple olive colored Bugger.

Driving conditions have improved enough that a trip to the South Fork of the Boise is possible, just keep an eye on the conditions before you leave. It’s all the same bugs you’d use on the Big Wood. There has been plenty of anglers down there, so a midweek excursion would be your best bet.

The Lower Big Lost River is another winter gem worth making an effort to get to. The difference on the Lost is you have the town of Mackay and a great opportunity to stay a night and fish multiple days. Mackay has a few nice little hotels and enough places to eat and supply, that the Lower Lost is actually very, very user friendly in the winter! If you want a little break from Sun Valley, this is a quick easy trip and all the same flies you’d use on the Big Wood.

Finally we still have an active, yet untouched fishery on Silver Creek these days. Perfect conditions in the open water below Hwy 20 exist and no one has been ripping Streamers through this water! Non-weighted Streamers are the fly of choice. A small bead is plenty of weight. Fish midday and start near the Hwy. Work your way downstream over the course of the day, both walking and driving to access points. You should end up near the Picabo Bridge before the day is over.

If you see a lot of cars near the Point of Rocks parking lot or Silver Creek East, don’t fret as these are mostly trucks for Duck Hunters. Please give these guys and gals a wide birth if you see them. Most weekdays you won’t see anyone. The waterfowl season closes on the 29th of this month, which gives us yet another month on the Creek where fishing is the only activity. The Creek remains open below Hwy 20 for catch and release fishing until the end of February.

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - January 5, 2016

Great news! 2016 is starting to look like it will be a decent water year. If the precipitation keeps coming it bodes well for all our rivers, streams and reservoirs. Cross your fingers for more winter storms and the big snowy dumps we’ve been getting!

With the winter dry fly season cranking up, it is time to talk Trailing Shucks. One thing we know about Midge hatches is they are prolific. When you walk the river and see that pepper shaker effect all over streamside banks you can pretty well count on seeing rising fish. This event occurs on the Big Wood, Big Lost and the South Fork of the Boise with regularity. The Big Wood is certainly one of the nation’s best winter dry fly streams. The easy access, volumes of fish and prolific Midge hatches make the Wood a winter destination.

The key ingredient when fishing over this hatch is the Trailing Shuck. Having this feature on your fly is the most important decision you will make all winter. Like Nike says – Just DO It. It can turn a sparse day into a banner day quickly. The Trailing Shuck fly looks like an easy target to fish. The way the Midge zips all over the water’s surface, it’s easy to see why the fish key in on an easy target. In a virtual stew of insects the trout will move quite a distance to eat a meal they consider a slam dunk. One that won’t fly away and leave them without calories for their efforts.

Something else to consider this week, Silver Creek is warming and shedding surface ice, making for world class winter Streamer fishing. Silver Creek remains open downstream (north) of HWY 20 until the end of February and the ice out occurrences on the Creek are key times to concentrate on this fishery. –

Swing non-weighted Streamers from bank to bank, keeping an eye on the spot where you think your fly is. More often than not, you will see the wake of a fish chasing your fly and you will see the subsequent boil when they eat it. Strip strike the fish and be ready, as these are sometimes the biggest fish of the season.

Fish heavy tippets for Streamers like 2X fluorocarbon. Fish lighter tippets when fishing the dry Midge like 6X. In either situation use stealth when approaching the water, also please keep the fish submerged when you release them!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - December 29, 2015

Happy New Year from all of us here at Picabo Angler!

Let’s talk pressure systems. We had wonderful low pressure fishing conditions for nearly a month now. We couldn’t ask for more or better in the winter months. The low pressure provides the snow and the ideal conditions for fish. Yet, not here we are with a few weeks of high pressure and artic cold temperatures. Does this mean bad fishing? Absolutely not.

Change is the most important factor when considering barometric pressure and how it effects your fishing. Is low pressure better? Yes, more often than not it is, but what we are really after are those days of change. More importantly we are looking for the day after change!

Regardless of whether Sun Valley is under a low or high pressure system, one thing is for certain. When the day comes that we go from cloudy skies to crystal clear skies, that is the precursor for some great fishing as the next day, or second day of the pressure change, is almost always a red hot catch rate day.

With that said, keep your eyes on a web site like weather underground that shows a graph with the pressure. This will help you pick the right days to be on the water no matter how cold it is, and it will help you save those less fishy days for fly tying, rod building, or reading a good book.

If you head out on the water this week, Silver Creek is pretty well frozen over. With that said stay tuned with us as we will let you know when the ice breaks. The day after that happens we can expect some world class streamer fishing and some great opportunities to catch some massive Silver Creek trout.

The Big Wood will fish through the cold snap as the current speed will keep parts of the river from freezing and give anglers an opportunity to pursue fish through the middle of the day. Be careful around icy river banks and also where you park. Bring a snow shovel just in case. There have been days when I’ve needed a snow shovel to carve out a parking area at some of the public access points!

If you don’t want to hassle with that, we do run our winter guide service at a reduced rate through the month of March. Call us at 208.788.3536 if you’d like to learn more or book an afternoon with one of our world class guides!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 17, 2015

The streams are at their brightest when the sun shines on a winter’s day. Perhaps the reflection of light off of the snow makes the bottom sparkle. Maybe the lack of moss on the rocks and a summer of polishing makes them shine. Regardless of why, it is a beautiful thing to see. Although beautiful, the next week or so promises less light and some cloudy weather. The good news is this also means low pressure and great fishing.

We are still too early for massive Midge hatches, but the Nymphing on almost all our rivers is in full swing. Fishing standard nymphs as well as anything bright like an egg color is going to produce fish. We are seeing fish schooling up into winter holding groups. If you catch one fish in any particular area, plan on catching several more. Don’t move on too quickly from productive spots.

The weather in the South Valley has been warm and mild, so if you aren’t ready to fish in the snow yet, look to Silver Creek and the South Fork of the Boise.

Silver Creek, upstream from Highway 20, closes at the end of this month. There is still time to find decent Baetis hatches between now and then. Just try to find the calmest and warmest days. If nothing is working on the surface and the weather goes bad, fish Streamers. With the Brown Trout coming off of the spawn they will be eager to fatten back up. The rest of the Creek, downstream from Highway 20, remains open until the end of February and should fish very well with streamers coupled with cloud cover this week!

If you really want to get the last of the hatches for the 2015 season, the South Fork of the Boise is the place for you! Milder days are producing nice rises of big bows on Baetis! No need to get there too early. 11:00 is plenty early with most action peaking around 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. If you go, be sure to check the weather and road conditions. Being at the bottom of that hill when the snow flies can lead to tire chains and 4-wheel drive.

Enjoy the pre-holiday quietude on the rivers this week! We should have excellent fishing on all our area rivers as long as anglers are willing to fish subsurface. Big Midge hatches are coming so if you are a fry fly junkie – you won’t have long to wait!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report - November 9, 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Fishing Everyone!