Fly Fishing Report for August 10th, 2011 by Boots Allen

Snake River

Flows are dropping on a daily basis and it is safe to say now that the entire Snake River is fishing and fishing well with dry flies. Expect the river to only get better over the coming weeks. Light to moderate hatches of yellow sallies (especially in the afternoon), caddis and PMDs can be fished throughout the drainage. A tandem dry fly rig is perhaps the best option going. Will's Winged Chernobyl (size 6 to 10), Melon Bellies (size 8), Circus Peanuts (size 6 to 10),Chubby Chernobyls in red, purple or gold (size 8 to 10), red Rubber Legged Double Humpies (size 8), Barrett's Stonefly (size 8 to 10) and PMXs in red or olive (size 8) are taking small to moderately sized cutthroats. Small dries trailing these large attractors are generally taking bigger cutthroats and brown trout. Amongst the most effective have been Parachute Adams (size 10 to 14), Purple Hazes (size 10 to 12), yellow Humpies (size 10 to 12), and Quigley Cripples (size 10). Banks, seams, and structure are producing solidly throughout most of the day. If one is fishing in or at the mouths of the numerous spring creeks, go with smaller, more imitative emergers like Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 14 to 16) and Jay's Humpback Emerger (size 14 to 16).

During slower parts of the day, a double nymph rig or dry-dropper can bring up fish that the dry flies mentioned above can't. Red or olive Copper Johns (size 12 to 14), Lightening Bugs (size 12 to 14), and cream or olive Soft Hackles (size 12 to 14) are working very well in deep seams and riffles.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir are currently at 9000 cfs, an almost ideal level for this time of year. The South Fork is one of the best places in the region to fish at the moment, although nymphing with double and triple nymph rigs remains the most productive game in town, while dry fly fishing is occurring in fits and starts along some stretches of the river. Nymph rigs consisting on two Pat's Rubber Legs as wells (one size 8 to 6 and the other size 10) with a trailing San Juan Worm is working well along banks and flats and is producing in riffles and seams. Rigs with a Pat's Rubber Leg trailing a Brassie Spinner (size 14 to 16), red or olive Copper John (size 12 to 16), or a Rainbow Warrior (size 16 to 18) are working VERY well in riffles and seams.

The little dry fly action that is occurring is almost exclusively with large attractors - Chubby Chernobyls (size 8), red Rubber Legged Double Humpies (size 8), and orange or yellow Stimulator Xs (size 6 to 8) - trailing small mayfly nymphs. There is intermittent action on yellow sally dry fly imitations and PMD patterns in shallow riffles and flat. Quigley Cripples (size 12 to 14), Stack Wing Sallies (size 10) and Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 14 to 16) have been working best in this regard.

Flat Creek
Yes, most of the Snake River area streams are beginning to fish well, but Flat Creek, Blacktail Ponds, and Cottonwood Creek opened on August 1st and allow anglers a chance to fish to spooky, selectively feeding trout. Micro caddis (glossosoma), PMDs (infrequens), gray drakes, as well as grasshoppers and beetles are the most prevalent bugs on the water over the next several weeks. Some of the best patterns thus far have been Booty's Drake Emerger (size 12), gray Comparaduns (size 14 to 16), Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 14 to 16), and Halo Emergers (size 14 to 18). Below the surface, the best producing flies have been Sulfur Emergers (s9ze 16 to 18), Pheasant Tails (size 16), and black Copper Johns (size 16 to 18). 5X leader is still doing the trick, but think about 6X in the next few weeks as a better option. Early morning (sunrise to 9am) and evening (6pm to sundown) are the best times to be on Flat Creek and Blacktail Ponds, but cloudy and wet weather could push that time period deeper into the morning and earlier into the afternoon.

Salt River

The Salt River (currently at 1100 cfs) is now in prime fishing condition and should remain so over the next couple of months. Double nymph rigs consisting of Prince Nymphs (size 10 to 16), black, red, olive, an rust Copper Johns (size 12 to 16), Hares Ear Nymphs (size 12 to 18), and Biot Bugs (size 12 to 14) are doing well in seams and confluence lines. Still, one of the beautiful aspects of the Salt River is the excellent dry fly fishing that can be found under certain conditions. Purple Hazes (size 16 to 18), Parachute Adams (size 18), Quigley Cripples (size 14 to 18), and Krystal Midge Emergers (size 18) are working well along slow, undercut banks and long riffles. Hatches are not overly present, but the dry fly fishing is still pretty damn good.

Green River

With flows at 800 cfs at Warren Bridge, the Green is starting to fish exceptionally well. Clarity is near 100% and there are broad hatches of yellow sallies, PMDs (inermis), caddis, gray drakes, and small golden stones (Acroneuria). Fishing tandem dry fly rigs along banks, seams, and submerged structure is producing solid results from approximately 8am until 1pm. Red Rubber Legged Double Humpies (size 8), Tara Xs (size 8), Will's Winged Chernobyl (size 10 to 8), and SRA Chernobyls (size 10 to 8) trailing Purple Hazes (size 12 to 14) Parachute Adams (size 12), Ausable Wulffs (size 12 to 14), Booty's Drake Emerger (size 12 to 10) and Quigley Cripple (size 10 to 14) have been the most effective patterns.

Afternoon is leading to tougher fishing as water temperatures rise and Green River trout begin to feel the pressure of what has been more boats than usual each day, but trout can still be taken on large attractors like those mentioned above with a dropper nymph between 12 and 24 inches trailing behind or in front of the surface pattern. Black or copper Flashback Brassies (size 12 to 16) Copper Johns in red, black, and olive (size 12), Bloody Marys (size 10 to 12). These are producing along banks and seams.