After almost two weeks of bitterly freezing weather, the cold front has passed through and temperatures have now climbed into the low 30s in Jackson Hole and the high 30s in Swan Valley. This has allowed the window for action on flies to pick up a bit, including some surface activity on both streams. Don't plan on being on the water before 12 am. The most productive time periods have been from about 2 pm to 4 pm. It is during this small, two hour window that some surface action is occurring as midges and a FEW bwos make an appearance.
Ice Cream Cone Midge Nymphs (size 16 - 18) in black, cream or olive, as well as black or olive Copper Johns (size 16 to 18) and Rainbow Warriors (size 18) have been the most productive nymphs on both streams. These are being fished as a double rig with a large (size 10) Prince or Pheasant Tail Nymph as the lead. The tails of riffles and shallow inside turns on riffles is where the majority of the action has been. These pieces of holding water, as well as long flats, is where much of the surface activity has been as well on midge and BWO imitations like black Furimsky BDEs (size 18), Griffith's Gnats (size 16 - 18), Parachute Adams (size 16 to 18) and Purple Hazes (size 16 to 18).
Throughout the afternoon period on the Snake and the South Fork, streamers that are swung and stripped through riffles and in the deeper parts of the flats. The action is not off the charts, but it can be worthwhile and the possibility of hooking into a large brown or cutthroat is certainly there. Furgus' Strung-Out Leech in olive-over-gray and gray-over-white Clouser Minnows have been working best for anglers who are reporting back to our shop.
Another cold front will be moving into the Snake River area starting on Sunday and will last through Tuesday before another warm spell, and perhaps better and more comfortable fishing, returns.
Ice Fishing! - Its On!
There is one nice thing about standing on an 18-inch thick sheet of ice while being blasted by icy wind storms - the fishing can be excellent if you can withstand sub-zero temps. The ice fishing has just kicked into gear this past week and there are good reports coming in from Slide Lake and Jackson Lake. Some big lake trout are being taken from Jackson Lake with blue-over-white and olive-over-white jigs, as well as sculpins and large rock and shiner minnows. Certainly enough action for most fish bums until the fishing on our rivers pick up in earnest.
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