Fly Fishing Report for June 22nd, 2011 by Boots Allen

Snake River
The runoff continues on the Snake River but the section of water running from Jackson Lake Dam to Pacific Creek has fishable clarity and continue to show signs of additional clearing each day. The standard double nymph rig consisting on large rubber leg stone nymphs (size 6 to 8) and red or pink San Juan Worms are picking up cutthroat along banks, structure and the tail end of riffles. Big browns ranging in size from 16 to 19 inches are also being taken at the tail end of riffles and along flats and inside seams. Streamer fishing has also been moderately productive with large sculpin and leech patterns on intermediate and TYPE III sink tips.

South Fork
Flows on the South Fork have been increased to 17,100 cfs and fishing remain really tough. One bright spot is that there is some clearing occurring although visibility remains limited. Heavily weighted nymph rigs that includes Pat's Rubber Legs with either San Juan Worms or Egg patterns are producing in bits and pieces on flats and in riffles on the Swan Valley section of river running from Palisades Reservoir down to Spring Creek Bridge.

Henry's Fork
With the opening of the Railroad Ranch section on June 15th, all reaches of the Henry's Fork are now available to fly fishing. Good reports are coming out of Henry's Lake with mid-sized streamers, including Clouser Minnows in olive-over-white, gray-over-white, and brown-over-white, and Lite Brite Zonkers in olive, black, and purple. Box Canyon is flowing at 1276 cfs. Anglers are having moderate success with double nymph rigs consisting of large stonefly nymph patterns trailing Prince Nymphs (size 14 to 16), Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14), and Copper Johns (size 12 to 18) in olive, black, and red. Riverside to Hatchery Ford and Lower Mesa are fishing well with the same nymph rigs as in Box Canyon. There is also decent surface activity on March brown patterns (size 12 to 16) as well as old standbys like Parachute Adams (size 14 to 16), and Ausable Wulffs (size 12 to 16).

Yellowstone National Park
The Firehole recently rose to above 350 cfs but has now dropped to below 200 cfs and is fishing very well with yellow, cream, or olive Soft Hackles (size 12 to 16), Batmen (size 12 to 14), Glasshouse Caddis Nymphs (size 14), olive, black, and blue Copper Johns (size 14 to 18), and Biot Bugs (size 12 to 16). Riffles and undercut banks remain the hot targets.

Yellowstone Lake is ice free now and fishing very well with mid-sized sculpin and leech patterns. Ice is coming off Lewis Lake but access is still difficult with heavy snow still blocking the boat ramp.

Green, New Fork, and Salt Rivers
Still high and off-color. It will still be a few weeks before we can begin to fish these streams.