Fishing Report

The access for the Box Canyon has finally opened up this week. Current flows out of Island Park are only 254 cfs. I don’t like to float the box until the flows are around 400 cfs just because I don’t like beating the hell out of my boat. Chris and I took a drive to have a look at the water conditions and things look great in the box. I would make sure to have plenty of the usual, small bead heads and rubber legs. I would make sure to have some blue wing olives. There have been fish rising around the outlet. The weather has been a bit of an issue this spring. We are seeing snow storms, rain storms and hurricane winds! I would be prepared to see just about everything weather wise.

I don’t have much new to report on this section. The weather will be the determining factor on this section. Wind and more wind! Possibly blizzard or maybe blinding rain. Regardless the fishing has remained solid. You will see blue wings, March browns and Mother’s Day caddis. Even in the howling wind fish are up eating blue wings. I have rolled some rocks near the bank in this section and there are a few salmon fly nymphs near the bank but the water temps are still a little cold. My thermometer says 48F to 50F degrees. It seems to me 55F degrees is the magic number. At those temps’ things really get moving.

Weather will still be an issue and on top of that there is road construction. I have heard that the road into the Vernon Bridge is now open but I would guess that is temporary as they have not paved the road yet. Hwy 20 is also under construction so plan on some delays. Once in the river plan on some good fishing. Mother’s Day caddis, March browns and blue wings are all hatching in good numbers. I have had success fishing the banks with a blue wing. The key is taking your time and spotting a rising fish. You might have to put a fly over your target 10 times but they usually will eat.