Brown Drake Update

We continue to sit by the river each night awaiting the first big emergence of the Brown Drake. We have yet to see more than one here and one there...In the meantime the Callibaetis and Baetis hatches in the evening have got plenty of fish up. We figure we are still a few days away from any giant Spinner Falls, and of course the first big emergence will mostly happen in the dark, but that could come on any night, or maybe even during an afternoon storm...We will continue to wait and keep you posted!

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

Fishing Report - May 2, 2017

A special season is about to begin on Silver Creek. Flows have been holding steady at around 226 CFS for nearly a week. There is little fluctuation, so there is no reason to expect any significant drop before the opener! We could start the season at a higher flow than we ever saw all of last season! This means a healthy fisher, healthy fish, and more fish spread throughout the system! So far the hatches have been awesome. The giant size 14 Baetis have been joined by daily PMD occurrences. Expect the Baetis to get smaller at Opening Day approaches, and the PMD action should continue to ramp up as the spring temperatures rise.

The ongoing question about Brown Drakes is anyone’s guess right now! With a return to more normal historic flows, we wonder if we will also see a return to the mid-June event that has occurred at the end of May for the past three seasons. We’ll go kick up some nymphs soon and give you our prediction. Stay tuned!

With Opening Day around the corner, don’t forget our second annual “Evening with Hank Patterson” on Friday night the 26th. Doors and beers will open at 6:00 p.m. with Hank taking over the entertainment at 7:00 p.m. This is a free event to fundraise for the folks at Reel Recovery. We encourage you to attend, lend your support and mostly get a nice long laugh in the night before we all go fishing!

The only other options for opening weekend will be tailwater like the South Fork of the Boise and the Lower Lost River. These areas are flow dependent though. The South Fork of the Boise will be boating water, with major flows, so experienced boaters only!

The Lower Lost River may fish depending on the flows, but at this point we think it would be a long shot to have fishable waters over there once the irrigation starts and the water is needed downstream.

The good news is we are blessed with Silver Creek, and we are blessed with the kindness of the anglers that fish here. Don’t worry about how many people are out and about on the opener. It is a celebration! Not everyone is fishing, many just come to be a part of this wonderful weekend. So plan a trip to Picabo on May 26th for an Evening with Hank Patterson, and again on the 27th for Opening Day! Heck, you may as well camp out!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

April 13th, 2017

The recent cooler nights have opened up a little more fishing opportunity this week, but don’t expect it to last as the true spring run-off is around the corner. Fresh snow on Galena made more than one Steelhead angler smile as they drove to the Salmon feeling pretty good about the water clarity. Despite a tough season, anglers are still catching fish in the Salmon when the water conditions allow.

If you head up that way, and have never been, just treat it as glorified trout fishing, with larger rods. Using strike indicators fished over large trout nymphs, colorful Steelhead flies and even some Saltwater flies, will get fish to bite. Walk sections of river, and literally look for the fish laying up. Once you find one, get that fly to the fish’s nose and you have a great chance to catch a Steelhead in Idaho!

Keep an eye on the flows before you go. Avoid going after any large spikes in the CFS. Be very careful wading and avoid fish sitting on Redds please.

The Lost River is also having moments of fishing well for the conditions. Again this is a river you want to be sure to check the CFS before you go. It is a long way to drive to find out the flows came up and you have no options but to turn your wagon around.

Moving closer to spring we encourage anglers to get out and explore. There are many great places to take a fly rod in the spring. If you get to a point where you are just struggling to find places to fish, think about getting Google Earth out.

Google Earth is a wonderful way to find fisheries and out of the way places. Google Earth had personally led me to 12 pound Bonefish, numerous Baby Tarpon spots and Snook spots. It has allowed me to find trails and more importantly routes without trails into world class Idaho fishing. You are only limited by your imagination. If you can’t fish now, how about planning a route into a high mountain lake this summer? How about looking for trails into nearly inaccessible canyons? They are there. You just have to find them. Take your sense of adventure to your computer for a few hours and you may be blown away by the adventure you can find there!

Google Earth is a free download, it is easy and quick, and a great way to plan a fishing adventure!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing Report or The Importance of Kindness on the Water.

The winter fishing season is all but behind us at this point. Looking back at 2016 and the first part of 2017, we can say with certainty that we had a really good season. Looking forward we can look at the snow pack and we can feel very confident we are about to have an epic season.

We will renew the season on May 27th this year, and with that we begin to renew another facet of fly fishing. That is the facet of kindness and a spirit of helping each other in the Silver Creek Valley. Gone are the days of the uppity angler staring at everyone that walks past. That angler has been replaced by one that says “Hello” and “Good Morning!” and “How’s your day going?”

In Picabo we want to celebrate fly fishing and we want to share fly fishing. We don’t want to fill the river with guides and tell you to buy the flies we tied. We have guides that will go out of their way to help other anglers they think may need a hand, our guides will make room for other anglers and will always ask anglers at access points which direction they intend to fish.

In the fly shop at Picabo Angler, we want our guests to feel at home. We want them to ask all the questions they want without any question being too small or too silly. We know we all had a starting point and we want to honor those that are just getting their feet wet! We want you to learn in a place of calm and a place of peace.

If you are fish obsessed to a point where you cannot manage your manners, or seem to think there is ownership of a river or run, we encourage you to fish the high country! You can have all the space and fish you want. If you want to come to Silver Creek and challenge yourself and find out how good you are at dry fly fishing, by all means please do, but never at the expense of someone else’s good time.

We can all take away a lot from fly fishing, and it doesn’t all have to be about the fish and fishing. When you get home, we hope you will tell your loved ones a story about how you helped someone catch their first fish on Silver Creek, or maybe the story about the person that helped you catch yours!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Silver Creek and Carey Lake in Flood Stage from the Air.

We took these images on Sunday. The Creek peaked a few days earlier around 420 CFS. These pics reflect 377 CFS. We expect this to be a very healthy flushing for the Creek and there should be little to no residual effect for Opening Day. It's going to be a great season!!!!

Silver Creek, Idaho - Like You've Never Seen Before! (click photo to scroll images)

Picabo "Drake" Water

"S-Turns"

The Creek has been rising and taking over the valley. The waterfowl are loving it and the fish must be seeing a lot of food!

How high is the water Momma! Silver Creek, Idaho

Silver Creek, looking downstream toward Picabo. March 20, 2017 

...still rising...!

Silver Creek, looking downstream at Point of Rocks (Silver Creek West)

Johnny Cash wants to know...How high is the water Momma? 5 feet high and rising?

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report, March 15, 2017

Spring is slowly arriving in the Wood River Valley and with the arrival of warmer days comes the arrival of rising waters. We are approaching the last few weeks to fish on the Big Wood River and the timing is about right, as the river probably won’t stay in great shape much longer!

Silver Creek remains closed to all fishing until May 27th.  We floated the Creek this weekend. The majority of the fish were upstream of the Sign in Cabin on the Nature Conservancy. They were eating huge size 14 Baetis. We are sometime away from fishing here, but things are looking very, very good! The Big Wood will remain open to Catch and Release fishing until the end of March. The South Fork of the Boise and the Lost River are also open to Catch and Release fishing, although both come with their own challenges. The Little Wood is also open to fish in the spring.

If you decide to fish the Big Wood, the normal Midge hatches are in play and the addition of the Little Black Stones has the fish looking for slightly bigger meals. Large Prince Nymphs and smallish Girdle Bugs will get the job done. Fish these flies close to the banks and always stay ready on the lift…when you go to pick the flies out of the water. The fish are very much keyed into the motion of this fly. If you fish the Midge hatch, the normal flies like Brassies and Zebras are in play and big Griffith’s Gnats and Tie-Down Midges will suffice for the fish eating off the top.

The Lost is running high enough to make wading challenging and slightly dangerous. If you try to fish the Lower Lost, wear your wading belt very tight, fish with a friend, tell someone where you are and just use common sense when moving up and down the system. Take the same flies you would have for the Big Wood, but include small Parachute Adams, in case of Baetis hatches.

The South Fork of the Boise is fishing day to day. Recent conditions included some mud flowing into the river. The distance is far enough that it’s a roll of the dice, but we expect the fishing to remain strong and most likely worth the effort.

Steelhead are slowly moving up the Salmon and fly anglers are beginning to explore the waters here and are catching the occasional fish!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Spring is knocking hard on our door! A week of temperatures in the low to mid 40’s on the Valley floor means that our local fish are going to feel a pretty significant change in the conditions. They should begin to act accordingly. Look for fish to begin turning spawning colors. They should also go into a prespawn mode, meaning they are going to become more aggressive and eat with a little more abandon. The warmer weather may spur on the hatches as well. So the long and short is the fishing should get really good this week!

Silver Creek remains closed to all fishing until May 27th. The Big Wood remains open to catch and release fishing until the end of March. The Big Lost River is also open and remains open year around now. The South Fork of the Boise is fishable until the end of the month. Finally, the Salmon is open and a few Steelhead are being caught well downstream of Stanley. Expect that action to increase as the days begin to warm.

March is a wonderful time of the year to fish. It is a great time for beginners to learn as catch rates are generally high, and there are fewer anglers on the river than in the high season. The hatches are also limited to Midges and Little Black Stoneflies. The fish will also take big nymphs and streamers aggressively.

Warm weather also means tough walking conditions through the soft snow. A pair of snow shoes will get you a lot farther from main access points than not having them and you can move a lot faster than walking in the river.

Try to get out as often as you can right now, as the true spring months are setting up to show us a lot of high water. The gradual melt will help for now, but when it begins to come down as run-off things are going to get crazy.

A few things you should think about for the early summer season this year include getting studs on your boots. They make a huge difference in gripping the bottom and the pushy currents this season are going to be significant. You should also find a really good wading staff to help navigate the heavy water that is coming. A really good wader belt is also important and could be the one piece of equipment that could save your life in a worse case scenario. Anglers don’t need to be scared, but a little common sense goes a long way!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

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 Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report

February 15, 2017

Our wintery mix continues with precipitation, snow, rain, and temperatures that hover around freezing. This mix of weather will make for an equal mix of great, decent and slow fishing. It is all going to depend on your timing. The end of this week and the beginning of the weekend should bring some clouds and low pressure. This should put the fish on the bite and should also spur on the Midge activity, hopefully making for some nice surface opportunities with a Midge dry fly.

If you choose to wait until the sun is out, be prepared to fish a little deeper with Nymphs or Streamers. The bright sun definitely makes the fish a bit more shy, or on Silver Creek, a lot more shy. If this is the case, you need to go to where the fish is. This may mean they are finning tight to structure or sitting in the bottom of a deep hole or they are under a cut bank.

When the fishing is tricky under bright light it is the angler willing to set up differently for each situation that will excel. The flip side to that coin is to rig up something you are confident in and fish it through all the water types, with a goal of staying on the move and covering more water, and less “situations.”

While we move closer to spring, be prepared for some serious volume of water moving through our systems. Currently there are many reservoirs draining, or about to be drained to make room for the spring run-off. This could mean we are cut off from many of our favorite late winter fisheries, like the Big Wood canyon below Magic Reservoir, the South Fork of the Boise and the lower Lost River. So far these rivers remain fishable, but it is advisable to check the CFS on the USGS website before you go.

Any true flows below Magic Res require a boat to fish most areas as the riparian area here comes right to the water’s edge, the South Fork of the Boise needs to be around and below 300 CFS for the best wade fishing, and the lower Lost needs to also be around 300 CFS and lower for safe and productive wade fishing.

One quick caution: With rain coming this week, stay away from the Big Wood River where the steepest slopes are. We had avalanches cross the river in several places last week. No matter where you choose to fish this week, be safe and have fun doing it!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fishing Report 

February 7, 2017

A very slow melt has begun near Sun Valley. This should really get the fish on the bite and turn our local fly fishing into something special as we head toward spring. The warming water may get a few fish even thinking about the spawning season. Midge hatches should really pick up and the Little Black Stonefly may make an earlier than normal appearance.

Silver Creek remains open for catch and release fishing below the Highway 20 Bridge. Streamers are the way to go. Non-weighted is your best bet. Fish with olive and black colors, or a Sparkle Minnow. The Creek has received very little pressure this winter and the next 3 weeks could be very good!

If the warming days begin to tint the rivers, don’t be discouraged. The fish are aggressive in the late winter and early spring, so even though the water may be off color, that doesn’t mean the bite won’t be on!

The nymph fishing on the Wood is very good right now, with a combination of Copper Johns and Midge imitations like Zebras Nymphs, Brassies, and Hare’s Ears. Fish these at one and a half times the water depth of the area you are fishing. The New Zealand Strike Indicator is a great tool for quick depth adjustments. This Strike Indicator set up moves up and down the line freely and quickly without having to take the Indicator off and then back on again. It floats really well and anglers won’t notice it when they are casting as it is nearly imperceptible on the line.

The Streamer fishing is also very good on the Big Wood these days. The Wood River Sculpin is the target for these fish and most Streamers fished in an Olive color will get the biggest fish in the system chasing! If you haven’t tried Streamer fishing the Wood, this is a great time to get out there and do it, and also a great time to learn Streamer fishing if you have never done it!

Finally, the dry fly fishing on the Wood, the Lost and the South Fork of the Boise should begin to really to perk up. Expect these hatches to continue growing through the month of March! It’s a great time to be out there right now, as many techniques are catching fish and the weather is warm enough for things to be very comfortable winter fishing!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Sun Valley Fly Fishing

Sun Valley Area Fly Fishing Report

February 1, 2017

Warming temperatures, clouds and some snow are moving into the Sun Valley area again this week. This should make the local fly fishing fabulous! Last week all of Silver Creek thawed for a few days and 1 or 2 anglers took advantage of this! It has since refroze in some places, although there is still some open water to fish. With the warmth coming we can expect Silver Creek to open back up from the ice, and we should have the normal fantastic winter fishing all of February.

If you come to Picabo to fish, keep in mind that Point of Rocks is the best place for access. Snow shoes and / or a float tube could really open up some water for you. Plan of fishing Streamers most of the time, with a little chance for Midge activity. Remember, dark flies on dark days and bright flies on bright days! Treat the fishery like you are Steelhead fishing. Cast across the river, let your streamer come across the current with your rod tip on the water following the line across. When the fish hits you will see the boil in the water. Let the fish hook himself why you gently raise the rod. If you don’t get a strike in a few casts, take a few steps downstream. Repeat this through all the best looking water. Do keep in mind that the fish in Silver Creek like to spend the afternoon in shallow water sunning themselves, so don’t ignore those big flat areas, especially adjacent deep water.

Expect the Big Wood and Lower Lost to have great Midge activity this week. The low pressure and clouds should spur this on, providing some great dry fly fishing in the hip deep riffles and runs up and down both rivers. February is the month we start seeing the first signs of the Little Black Stoneflies. They may not occur until later in the month, but be prepared. A Prince Nymph or large Zug Bug fished on the swing is the best way to imitate this insect. Fish it all the way into the bank as these bugs crawl to the shore and the fish look for them in the shallows before they climb out of the water.

Remember, take extra clothes, food and water with you when you fish. Tell a friend where you are going and try not to fish alone! Safety First!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

2017 Sun Valley Fly Fishing Update

I’m sitting here in Picabo, halfway through winter storm Iras. Not sure when they started naming these storms, but alas Iras is an ass-kicker! Heavy wet snow, mixed with wind, some light rain and some sleet! Yet, how do I love Iras? Let me count the ways. O.K. there is one way. I love her for her water content…

This should make two years in a row where we finish a winter at 100% snow pack or above. This does wonders for Silver Creek and the fish, bugs and anglers that call these waters home. Today we stand at 120% snow pack with more storms on the horizon.

I’m here in January with eternal optimism and excitement for the fishing season ahead! It’s been so long since we’ve had quality water years, much less back to back years, I wonder if people forget how good the fishing on Silver Creek can be. I’ll tell you this; invest in a float tube if you don’t already have one. Let me know if you’re in need and I’ll throw it on my spring order.

Get ready anglers. This season is going to be one to remember. It is not too soon to start tying your P.M.D. patterns, your Callibaetis and your larger Baetis patterns as well. If you aren’t tying or buying Beetles and Ants right now, then what are you doing?

O.K. it is lining up to be an epic summer, enough said. Picabo Angler will be in Boise at the Expo center Friday and Saturday! Come over and see us and we can talk about this in person!!!

Go winter fishing!

John

john@picaboangler.com

Sun Valley Fishing Report - December 21, 2016

Cloud cover, snowy days and low pressure should add up to some really, really good winter fishing this week! With the recent cold spell, the fish were most likely shutting down, and saving energy. With the coming low pressure we can expect the fish to become active as the rivers begin to wake up with hatches and baitfish activity.

Silver Creek remains open to all catch and release fishing from the Highway 20 Bridge – downstream to the Picabo Bridge. This area has been seeing a lot of ice flows lately, but this could open up some this week, making for great Streamer activity.

The Big Wood River is a gem of a fishery in the winter time and the current weather conditions could prompt some of the first big Midge hatches of the season. This is especially true when the snow is falling. Nymphing is also going to be productive under the clouds.

Our favorite winter flies include Griffith’s Gnats and Tie-Down Midges on the surface. Coffies’s Sparkle Minnow for a streamer and your nymphs should include Copper Johns, Red or Black Zebra Nymphs and Prince Nymphs.

There are great opportunities to fish some farther away fisheries this week, as the weather should be mild enough for great fishing and travel shouldn’t be too tough, unless the snow predictions are higher than forecast. In any event you will find great fishing on the Lost River the South Fork of the Boise and the Big Wood below Magic Reservoir.

If you travel to fish, be sure you have the essentials like water, extra food, extra dry clothes, charged cell phone batteries, a full tank of gas and it’s always a good idea to travel with a sleeping bag and some extra blankets, no matter where you go in the winter! Most importantly – Tell someone where you are going, and go there! If you change your plan, tell someone!

If you are a waterfowl hunter, the migration is in full swing down here on Silver Creek. Despite subzero temps, a lot of ducks are still in the valley ad should be very active with the snow falling this week. Finally, if you are in town for the holidays and enjoy wing shooting, we still have days available for both guided Duck, Goose and Pheasant hunts! We also have a store full of last minute Christmas gifts for the hunter or angler in your family!

Happy Fishing Everyone!

Picabo Angler's John Huber and a baby Tarpon in a mangrove hallway.

I just returned from my second exploration of Scorpion Reef and was able to get a day of Tarpon fishing in Campeche before I left. This situation is my church!

John Huber

john@picaboangler.com

Sun Valley Fishing Report - November 16, 2016

It looks as though we’re going to see a bit more character in our weather patterns this week. Expect some cloud cover, and maybe a small chance of precipitation. It is safe to expect temperatures to cool down another ten degrees. This in essence will shut the fishing window slightly more. We will also begin to see a big transition from our Fall hatches to our winter hatches.

If you get a calm enough day and it warm up enough in the afternoon, anglers still have a n excellent chance to see a Baetis hatch, but don’t expect to see a lot more than that. There may be stray October Caddis and Hoppers around, but this next weather system may put a stop to all of that.

With most of the Browns finishing up their spawning activity expect the Streamer fishing to pick up as these big guys try to fatten back up before winter takes grip of the river.

Silver Creek remains open through November 30th from the Highway 20 Bridge up through the Nature Conservancy. If you want to see the last of this seasons hatches, get to the conservancy in the next week and half. Once the upper section of the Creek closes the section from Highway 20 downstream through Point of Ricks and the Willows, all the way to Picabo Bridge will remain open for catch and release fishing only until the end of February.

With most areas river quieting down, this would be a good time to go through your winter fishing gear. Be sure you are well stocked with Brassies, Copper Johns, Zebra Nymphs, Griffiths Gnats and Tie-Down Midges. This selection will take you all the way through to the spring! Streamers are also a very effective way to fish these times of low hatch activity. The Wood River Sculpin is always a meal on the Wood, and the same style of pattern can be used on all rivers, all winter.

A Coffies Sparkle Minnow on the South Fork of the Boise right now can be deadly. This streamer also fishes really well below Magic and anywhere Big Brown Trout swim.

With the weather changing it is time for us to remind you to throw in emergency food and water when you head out to fish. Pack a warm sleeping bag and make sure your cell phone is completely charged when you leave home. Getting stuck somewhere in the summer is one thing, in the winter it can be deadly, but much less so, with a little preparation!

Happy Fishing Everyone!