Snake River Fly Fishing Report for May 13th, 2012 by Boots Allen

Snake River
The Snake River is in runoff on most sections.  The hot spot currently is on the tailwater reach from Jackson Lake Dam down to Pacific Creek.  This section is crystal clear coming from the dam and flows are at 2,400 cfs.  We are picking up trout mostly on nymphs including Lightening Bugs (size 16 to 18), Tungsten Midge Pupa (size 18 to 20), Booty's Day-2 Midge Pupa (size 18), Prince Nymphs (size 10 to 20), Zug Bugs (size 10 to 20), black, red, or olive Copper Johns (size 18), rainbow Warriors (size 18 to 20), Batmen (size 16 to 18), black, or olive Pat's Rubber Legs (size 8 to 10), and RP Muskrats (size 8 to 10).

There is also intermittent surface activity as trout key in on midges and blue-winged olives in riffles and seams.  Will's Married Midge (size 16), Parachute Midge Emergers (size 18), Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 16 to 18), Booty's BWO Emerger (size 16), and BWO Comparaduns (size 16 to 18) are productive, especially on the upper half of the tailwater reach above Cattleman's.

South Fork
The South Fork is fishing better by the day and currently might be the best stream in the area for fly fishing.  Flows from Palisades Reservoir are currently at 10,500 cfs.  The upper reach in Swan Valley is fishing well, particularly from the dam down through the Sheep Creek Riffles.  Simple scud, shrimp, and egg patterns are bringing in big rainbows as they stack up in this reach to spawn.  From Spring Creek Bridge down through the Canyon, nymphs are also successful, especially in riffles and along banks.  Black, olive, or orange Pat's Rubber Legs (size 6 to 8), Sanchez's Sparkle Stone Nymphs (size 6 to 10), San Juan Worms, Hickey's Auto Nymphs (size 16 to 18), and Lightening Bugs (size 12 to 16) have been the most productive, particularly in the middle reach of the Canyon.

Streamers are working well in the Canyon when fished along banks and structure.  It is the classic May "White-Bite" and it is just getting underway.  Clouser Minnows, McCune Sculpins, gray or white Bow River Buggers, Stacked Blondes, and white Mohair Leeches have been amongst the most successful baitfish imitations and are bringing in large brown trout and cutthroat.  The trick is to keep these patterns moderate in size and not go too big.    

Dry fly action is good on days with cloudy and wet weather as trout key in on blue-winged olives and midges in riffles, seams, and recirculating eddies.  The same patterns being used with success on the Snake below Jackson Lake Dam are working in these water types on the South Fork.  In addition, we are seeing a lot of skwalas in Canyon, but we have yet to see a lot of movement to imitations of these stoneflies as of yet.