Before I get started with the latest report, I would like to announce that Teton Valley Trout Unlimited Has been awarded an Embrace-A-Stream Grant from TU National for work on habitat restoration on Trail Creek in Teton Valley. Trail Creek is an important spawning and nursery tributaries near the headwaters of the Teton River. The project will clear sediment from the streambed, reduce channelization by directing the creek to its original bed, and stabilize stream banks by planting native forms of vegitation. The finished project should also reduce sediment buildup in the Teton River further downstream. TVTU is collaborating on this project with Friends of the Teton River and the Teton Regional Land Trust. I will provide reports on this project as it progresses over the next couple of years. So stay tuned.
And now for the latest report:
Snake River
The weather has turned a bit wet and cold in western Wyoming/eastern Idaho over the past two days. Nonetheless, good, early spring fishing continues on the Snake River, specifically from Wilson Bridge down to Dog Creek and Pritchard's Landing. Chironomids and blue-winged olives are the primary fare at the moment. Below the surface, fly fishermen have been taking healthy cutthroats on Ice Cream Cone Midge Nymphs (size 16-18), balck or cream Zebra Midges (size 16-20), and Rainbow Warriors (size 16-18). But in the afternoon as water and air temps warm, trout are coming to the surface. During this two to four hour period, take the nymphs off and start fishing top water. There is a lot of activity on standard surface midge patterns, but most of my activity (during the two short sessions I have been able to get out on the water) has been on patterns suggesting blue-winged olives - Extended Body BWOs (size 16), Parachute Adams (size 14-18), and Q's Looped Wing Emerger (size 16). When fishing these patterns target the full length of riffles from their head to the tailouts. Your midge patterns will work here too, but my luck with these is happening on mainly on the seams of confluence lines and eddy pools.
If you get out on the Snake over the next couple of weeks, keep an eye out for little green stoneflies, which should be making their appearance soon. When you see them, think about using a Lime Trude (size 12-14), Chartruese Humpy (size 12), or a Jimmy Z (size 12), which are generally thought to be suggestive of this obscure stonefly.
South Fork
Fishing on the South Fork is still a bit hit or miss. Fishing is fairly decent from the Reservoir down to Palisades Creek where water temps are a little warmer. Rainbows and cutthroats are feeding here on mysis shrimp which are making their way out of the reservoir, something they tend to do at this time of year. Below Palisades Creek it is whitefish heaven with a smattering of cutthroats and browns in certain pieces of holding water.
Reports from and for other waters
Lower Henry's Fork: The lower Henry's Fork from Warm River down to St. Anthony is fishing as good as anything else in the region. I have not had a chance to get up there in the short time that I have been back, but some area guides who have been getting on it are providing me with enough info to spur me in that direction sometime over the next week. At least that is the plan. Midges and baetis are showing up and providing consistent activity with raibows in the 10 to 14 inch range with some larger 15-16 inchers scattered about. Rainbow Warriors (size 16-18), Lightening Bugs (size 16-18) and Bubble Back BWO Nymphs (size 16). Surface activity is less than consistent but is happening when the water and air temps are right.
Salmon River: Over the the last decade or so, late winter/early spring steelhead fishing on the Salmon River has been seeing more and more fish with each year. This year has been solid with thousands and thousands of fish in the river. Just pass over a bridge and look down into the stream. You will probably see them stacked up in several places. Best of all, those bringing back reports to our shop are claiming that between 40 and 50 percent of their catches have been wild steelhead. Thats good news for the Salmon River. Lets hope that such a trend continues. We might be setting up for a terrific April as more fish are entering the river each day.
While the entire river upstream of North Fork is producing, the best fishing has been from the town of Salmon and on upstream of Challis. Nymphing is providing much of the action with standard egg patterns. Still, swinging classic wet flies like Purple Perils and General Practitioners through runs is also doing the trick. It is getting crowded up there, so if you find a pool or run, you might want to stay there for the better part of the day.
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