Fly Fishing Report for October 22nd, 2010

Snake River
The best action on the Snake over the past week and a half has been subsurface with double nymph rigs and streamers. Zug Bugs and Prince Nymphs (size 12 to 14), olive or black Copper Johns (size size 12 to 14), Soft Hackle Pheasant Tails (size 14 to 16) and Soft Hackle Peacockle Princes (size 10 to 12) are working throughout the day on confluence lines, seams, and along the entire length of riffles. Heavy streamers on floating or intermediate lines are also working in similar water, but are definitely bringing in bigger cutthroats along banks and structure. Bright streamers such as the Zoo Cougar (size 4 to 6), rust Sex Dungeons (size 2 to 4), J.J. Specials (size 4 to 6), Beldar's Bugger (size 4 to 6), and gray-over-white Quad Bunnies (size 2 to 4) have been the most productive patterns. These streamers are not working consistently throughout the day, but when they are producing it is with some fairly large trout.


Dry flies are producing intermittently along banks and structure, but it is in side channels that we have had our best luck on the surface. Quigley Cripples (size 12), Mahogany emergers (size 12 to 14), and Snake Drake Emergers (size 10 to 12) fished solo have been the best patterns in this regard. The side channels running from Deadman's Bar down to South Park Bridge is where most of the action has been.

The coming low pressure system entering the area this coming weekend should make the surface action noticeably better.

South Fork
Releases from Palisades Reservoir are down to 4,000 cfs. While the dry fly fishing has been hit-or-miss, the subsurface action has been a bit more consistent. Riffles and eddies are working with Rainbow Warriors (size 16), red or black Copper Johns (size 12 to 16), Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14 to 16) and San Juan Worms. These nymphs have been responsible for bringing in some big brown trout as of late that are holding in the tails of long riffles. Streamers are doing the same along banks and structure and on long, skinny-water flats in the Canyon and in the upper reach of the South Fork in Swan Valley. Some of our favorite streamers as of late on the South Fork are various color schemes of articulated Quad Bunnies (size 2 to 4), brown-over-yellow or olive-over-white Clouser Minnows (size 4 to 6), Silvey Sculpins (size 2) in gray or white, and Stacked Blondes (size 4).

As on the Snake, expect dry fly action on the South Fork to pick up significantly after this next cold front moves in thsi coming weekend.

A Note on Area Brown Runs
October is the month for brown runs in the Rocky Mountain West. Much attention is paid to what is happening on the Green and the South Fork, but don't forget about the lake run browns coming up the Madison River from Hebgen Lake, the Lewis River Channel from Lewis Lake, and the upper Snake from Jackson Lake. The Lewis Lake browns are in the channel at the moment and more are on there way. The Jackson Lake browns is a quick-tempo run that generally lasts only about two weeks before spawning begins en masse. That run generally starts later than most and should be right around the corner.