Monday, January 25, 2010

Another Storm Cycle Drives Water Content in Snake System Higher

In reviewing my last few posts, I have come to realize that I am sounding more like a climatologist than and fly fisherman. Nonetheless, winter weather is critical to what happens on trout streams in the summer. We have just had another storm roll through the eastern Idaho/western Wyoming area and this one packed a solid punch. 33 inches dropped in a 24 hour period at Grand Targhee (January 23rd to the 24th). More importantly, the Snake River watershed experienced a big upsurge in its water content. It went from 56% on January 22nd to 62% on January 24th. Five percentage points is a big jump over a two day period. We will keep hoping for more snow over the next couple of months to help drive the water content even higher. This could spell good things for the second half of the 2010 season on the Snake, especially on the South Fork.

The upper Green River basin is moving p a bit, too. It now stands at 55%, which is better than last week.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Steelheading the Northwest in November

Jason Sutton and I were in Oregon and Washington in early November for the Northwest tour of our film Where Hope Resides. We had a terrific time with some very enthusiastic audiences. But the fringe benefits of the tour was several days of fishing on the Klickitat and the Lower Deschutes. This 27 inch steelhead was taken on a tube fly on the Lower Deschutes. I froze my rear end off, but the fishing was freakin Awesome! I'll have to add this river to my repertoire when I am up there in November again.

Warm High Pressure System Equals Lower Water Content in Snake Drainage

The Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho area is experiencing a strong high pressure system that is leaving us high and dry Total snow fall is at 63% of the 30 year average and the snow water equivalent is at 57%. Droughts are not good in this part of the West, but if this trend continues, we might see some incredible early season fishing on the Snake, South Fork, and Green this year. That means good stuff in May, June, and early July. Luckily, the Reservoir system on the Snake Jackson Lake and Palisades Reservoir ar each at 74% capacity and should fill to near capacity with the spring runoff. Nonetheless, pray for more snow. If we don't get it, we should still have a terrific early season.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A New Development in Snake River Canyon?

Jim Stanford from JH Underground recently posted some disturbing news about the possibility of another development in Snake River Canyon, this time just south of the ill-fated Canyon Club/Snake River Sporting Club. Could the recent designation of the Snake River in Wyoming as a Wild and Scenic River help thwart these latest plans by Dick Edgecomb (yep, the same Dick that created the Canyon Club). Edgecomb is requesting Bridger-Teton National Forest to provide road access through the BTNF regulated land to his this property. Read Jim's Piece at http://www.jhunderground.com/2009/12/23/edgcomb-seeks-access-for-another-development-on-snake/. In addition, the Jackson Hole News and Guide (1/06/10) features a story on Edgecomb's plans.

Latest Storm Pushes Total Precipitation to 70%

The Snake River region has been getting less than average precipitation so far this winter season. Fortunately, the latest storm cycle has left an extra 18 inches of snow at the 10,000 ft. level and has pushed the total precipitation for the season so far to 70% (www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/nrcs/snowprec/snowprec). The Madison Drainage in Yellowstone is at 78% and the Green River basin is at 64%. I should remind everyone that the past two seasons had less than average precipitation for December and January, yet we ended up with above average snowfall for the year and a lot of water in the system. So this could spell good things for our trout this coming summer. Lets keep our fingers crossed.