Snake River
PMDs and caddis are moderately active on the surface. There is also a very noticeable activity with craneflies all along the river and its tributaries. In addition, we are now seeing some of our autumn hatches, including Claassenia stoneflies and hecubas, although only in minimal numbers.
The Snake is still offering some of the best dry fly fishing in the region. Small to moderstely sized cutthroats are being taken in riffles and seam. Parachute Adams (size 12 to 16), Purple Hazes (size 12 to 14), Quigley Cripples (size 12 to 14), X-caddis (size 12 to 16) in black and olive Thorax PMDs (size 12 to 16), Snowshoe Hare PMDs (size 14 to 16), PMD Comparaduns (size 12 to 14), and Harrop CDC PMDs (size 14 to 16) have been productive in these waters and along flats and confluence points.
Bigger fish have not been as active as they were a week and a half ago, and the warm weather may have a lot to do with this. However, recently we have experienced overnight temperatures dipping down into the 30s for an extended period of time, and this, along with the slightly wetter weather we have coming, should improve things significantly. In the meantime, it is possible to get into larger, and significantly larger, cutthroat by fishing hard along banks, structure, and in deep riffle pools with large attractors that imitate grasshoppers and short-wing stoneflies. Rubber Leggeed Double Humpies (size 8) in red or yellow, Tara Xs (size 8 to 10), Circus Peanuts (size 8 to 10), Kaseys Creature (size 8), Melon Bellies (size 8 to 10), gold, red, or purple Chubby Chernobyls (size 8 to 10), SRA Water Walkers (size 8 to 10), and a variety of Wills Winged Chernobyls are working in this regard, especially when skittered on the surface or fished in tandem with a trailing cripple or emerger that is fished just below the surface.
South Fork
Fishing continues to pick up on the South Fork where flows from Palisades Reservoir are stable at 9,000 cfs. Fishing has been best in the lower Canyon from Cottonwood Flats down to Byington and on the upper reach in Swan Valley. PMDs and caddis have been the most active aquatic insects, but we are also starting to our mutant stoneflies and more terrestrials like carpenter ants and grasshoppers.
Large attractor trailing deep droppers (around 24 to 30 inches) are working well throughout the day along banks and in deep riffles, seams, and recirculating eddies. SRA Chernobyls (size 8 to 10), Chubby Chernobyls (size 8 to 10) and Parachute Hoppers trailing Fuegos (size 14), Lightening Bugs (size 12 to 16), Flashback Pheasant Tails (size 14), LOF Pheasant Tails (size 12 to 16) and Copper Johns (size 12 to 16) have been the most successful in this regard. The vast majority of the action has been on the dropper nymphs, but it is still possible to pick up big browns and cutthroat on the surface flies, especially along banks and in the head of seams.
Towards afternoon, trout is riffles, seams, and eddies become active on the surface. This is an ideal time and situation to make a switch to imitative PMD and small terrestrials like tan, black, or purple Sparkle Ants (size 10 to 12), Bi-Viz PMDs (size 12 to 16), CDC Bubbleback PMDs (size 14 to 16), and Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 16).
Green River
Flows at Warren Bridge are currently at around 425 cfs. This is usually an ideal water level to fish the Green, but there has been showing definite signs of slower fishing throughout the day as water temperatures continue to warm into the low 60s by early afternoon. The best fishing is being found in the early morning hours from approximately 6:30 am until about 10 am. The exception to this has been those days with substantial cloud cover that can produce some precipitation. When this occurs, dry fly fishing can be very productive with Tara Xs (size 10), Wills Winged Chernobyl (size 8 to 10), Melon Bellies (size 8 to 10), Jimmy Zs (size 10 to 12) and Turcks Tarantula (size 8 to 10). In riffles and in slow currents along structure, Parachute Hares Ears (size 14), Hair Beetles (size 10 to 12), Furimsky BDEs (size 12 to 14), and Quigley Cripples (size 10 to 14) can also be very effective.
But even when fishing is slow, a good bet is to fish a nymph as a dropper with a large attractor. Biot Bugs (size 12), 20-inchers (size 16 to 18), Rainbow Warriors (size 16 to 18), and Zug Bugs (size 14 to 16) have been working when nothing else is happening.
Flat Creek
Its the typical Flat Creek that we are so familiar with at this time of year. Fishing is best in the early morning hours from sunrise to about 9 am, and then again from about 7 pm until dark. PMDs, caddis, tricos, and grasshoppers are the most active trout foods on Flat Creek during these hours and throughout most of the day. Expect mahogany duns and baetis to make an appearance soon as fall temperatures begin to drop. Rusty Spinners (size 14 to 18), gold Sulfur Emergers (size 16 to 18), PMD Parachute Extended Bodies (size 14 to 16), and PMD Thorax Duns (size 14 to 18) are the go-to patterns currently.
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