Spring Fishing Specials

March always starts off with some great midge activity. Some of my fondest memories of March dry fly fishing are the days spent fishing the flats below the Ashton Dam. I also had some great days fishing midges on the Madison River near Reynolds Pass. Eventually both of these great stretches of water were closed to fishing in March, April and most of May for many years. Both sections of these rivers are open again on a year-round basis which provide a wonderful opportunity for some great dry fly fishing. It is also important to realize that the Upper Henry’s Fork including Box Canyon and Last Chance were also closed to fishing at this time of year are also open for year-round fishing. Other waters that also provide great March dry fly fishing are the Lower Henry’s Fork near St. Anthony, the upper and lower sections of the Teton River, and the South Fork of the Snake.

Our mayflies start to kick off in April. Blue Winged Olives (Baetis) often first make their appearance in March, especially on the upper Henry’s Fork at Last Chance. These little olive/gray mayflies always quicken my excitement. Instead of the soft, quiet rises I often associate with midge fishing, the rise forms are much more enthusiastic. While these little two-tailed mayflies average a size 18, you can almost always get by with a size 16 with 5X tippet. You’ll need it as these early season trout fight hot and hard. Later in April larger mayflies start to show up. Commonly called Western March Browns, these dark mayflies belong to the genus Rhithrogena. In most cases these size 12 mayflies are not prolific but when the trout are already focused on the surface when BWOs and caddisflies are on the water, they are hard for trout to resist.

We get one of our best caddis hatches of the year in late April and early May. Commonly called Grannon or Mother’s Day Caddis, their larvae are case makers of the genus Brachycentrus. They constitute some of the most intense emerging and egg-laying activity of the entire season.

You’ll be receiving much more specific information of these hatches and more about our spring fishing during the weeks and months ahead if you keep current with our website. It is difficult to understand why we don’t have more interest in our fantastic spring fishing. We will be doing everything we can to change this. The pre-runoff months of March and April offer low clear water conditions. The weather can be the only drawback. It could rain or even snow and March is a great month to fly kites for good reason. However, the best dry fly fishing usually occurs when the weather is less than ideal. Nymph and streamer fishing is also a great option if dry fly fishing conditions aren’t what they should be.

If you check our guide rates you’ll quickly see that we are offering an almost unheard of promotional rate of $425.00 per trip, a discount of almost 25% from our regular season rate of $550.00.

We have also teamed up with Bill Fuchs who owns the Henry’s Fork Ranch. The cabin, located on the banks of the Henry’s Fork just upstream from the Chester Backwaters offers a very unique, relaxing, comfortable and quiet accommodation. The ranch also offers two miles of private access to the Henry’s Fork. Now that the river is open year round below the Ashton Dam your guide can put in at the Ora Bridge access and drop you at the cabin, offering one of the most unique day trips possible. The Henry’s Fork Ranch is also only a short drive from some of the other great spring fishing spots including Box Canyon, the Lower Henry’s Fork and the Teton River.

The cabin at Henry’s Fork Ranch is always booked completely full with a waiting list from May through October. However, it is also being offered with a spring special through the end of April for $150 per night, a discount of almost 25% from their normal rate with a 2 night minimum for two people. The cabin comfortably sleeps 4. The cost is $25 per night per person for each additional guest. There is an additional cost of a $95 cleaning fee and 8% tax. The makes the total $426.60 for two nights / $213.30 per person.

This a deal that is hard to beat. While it doesn’t include meals, the cabin has full kitchen facilities. If guests would like additional services like meals, this can be arranged with prior notice. When coupled up with our deeply discounted spring guide rate, the full package rate for two days of guided fishing and 2 nights in the cabin is a total of $1276.60 or $638.30 per person. The float from Ora Bridge to Chester has always been one of our most popular trips. With the option of the Henry’s Fork Ranch you can now finish up right at your door and spend the evening relaxing and contemplating the fishing for the following day.