Snake River
With the possible exception for a two to three week period in late August and early September, the anglers on the Snake River are experiencing the best dry fly fishing of the season. Cool weather and precipitation has resulted in a lot more PMDs, blue-winged olives, Mahogany duns, micro caddis, October caddis, and tricos emerging throughout the day. Add to this the fact that flows are now down to winter levels, and what we are left with is a stream in prime fishing condition. The middle sections running from Moose to South Park are fishing very well, as is the Canyon reach from Astoria down to Sheep Gulch. In the morning, from approximately sunrise to 12 pm, nymph rigs are producing best, with Lightening Bugs (Size 12 to 16), Day -2 Midges (size 14 to 18), black Copper Johns (size 14 to 18), Zug Bugs (size 12 to 14), and RW's Chamois Caddis (size 10 to 12) taking the lion’s share of trout during this time period.
In the afternoon, the trout really begin to look as hatches intensify. Booty's Mahogany Emerger (size 12 to 14), Booty's Snake Drake (size 12), PMD Sparkle Comparaduns in pink and cream (size 12-14), Parachute Extended Body PMDs (size 12 to 14), Parachute Extended Body BWOs (size 16), Quigley Cripples (size 12 to 14), Hares Ear Emergers (size 16), Copper Hazes and Purple Hazes (size 12 to 14) and Furimsky BDEs (size 12 to 16) in black, olive, and gray are producing in riffles, the tails of shallow seams, and along shallow banks and structure. Fishing these flies as part of a tandem rig separated by 18 to 24 inches of tippet is a fine tactic at the moment.
South Fork
Like the Snake, the South Fork is fishing the best it has since the end of August and the first week or so of September. Flows from Palisades Reservoir are currently at approximately 4500 cfs, still higher than normal but still at a very good level for this time of year. PMDS and BWOs are the most evident insects on the water with mahogany duns and October caddis also making appearances when the weather is cloudy with some precipitation. Both the upper Canyon and the Swan Valley reaches are fishing well on nymphs in the morning - from sunrise to noon - with Pat's Rubber Legs (size 8 to 10), Lightening Bugs (size 12), Prince Nymphs (size 12 to 14) and Zug Bugs (size 12 to 14). These flies are working best when presented two to four feet from banks, one to two feet from steeper banks. Riffles are also active with these patterns. Flats can also produce in an intermittent fashion.
In the afternoon, surface action picks up in riffles, recirculating eddies, and along banks with mayfly imitations like Purple Hazes (size 14 to 18), orange or yellow Stimulators (size 10), Quigley Cripples (size 12), Pink Sulfur Emergers (size 16 to 18), and Parkin's PM Muskrats (size 16 to 18). Tandem dry rigs are a big help in terms of effectiveness with these flies.
Salt River
The Salt is currently flowing at 800 cfs at McCoy Creek and is fishing really well as tricos, BWOs and PMDs get active on the surface throughout the day. Black or olive Air-Flo tricos (size 16 to 20), black or olive Furimsky BDEs (size 16 to 20), Purple Hazes (size 18) Booty's Mahogany Emergers (size 14 to 18) and Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 16 to 18) fish well from early morning to early evening along banks, in flats, and in eddies. Another option is to fish a small attractor like a Stimulator (size 10 to 12) or a SRA Chernobyl (size 10 to 12) in red, pink, or pearl in tandem with the smaller patterns mentioned above or with a dropper like a Lightening Bug (size 16 to 18), Bubbleback Pheasant Tails (size 14 to 18), and black or olive Copper Johns (size 16 to 18) dropped 12 to 14 inches from the surface fly.
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