Fishing Report

What a week it’s been! The weather has been the major factor that is affecting the fishing. Those of you that are up here know exactly what I am saying! Monsoon type rain, snow and a hail storm that trashed my garden! Island Park is beautiful and green as it gets. I have seen salmon flies, golden stones, March browns and even some pale morning duns. While all that sounds wonderful the thing, we are not seeing is constant fish up eating the dry flies. While there are fish eating dries you have to be in the right place at the right time. I always watch the river across the road and there has been a great March brown hatch almost daily. However, the time of the day they hatch is the tricky part. I have seen them hatching between 10:00 am and as late as 2:00 pm. I have watched them just get started and then the rain or hail shut it right down. It seems that some days the fish are on them and other days they want nothing to do with the hatch. The point being is that being mobile is a good idea so you can check multiple areas.

The flows in the box are fluctuating with the rain and snow. They have been as high as 1200 cfs and low as 300 and everywhere in between. The reservoir is at 100 percent they plan on keeping it there as long as possible. As crazy as it sounds, we are in a drought and all this wet weather has helped but we are not out of the woods so water in the reservoirs will be conserved for as long as possible. If you are fishing in the box or any of the waters on the Henry’s Fork, go armed with a little of everything. I would have salmon flies, golden stones, March browns and even some pale morning duns. Don’t forget to have caddis. The usual nymphs. Rubber legs, bullet quills and Duracell’s are must haves.

Much of the same as above. High water and sometimes off color but fishing has been ok. I would fish a dry dropper rig. A foam stone with a rubber leg dropper will fish well. Mic drops and Duracell’s will also work.

I don’t have any silver bullets to tell you on the lower river. There a lot of boats down in this section and tensions seem to be getting a little high. I will say that in my opinion that dropping an anchor in the middle of the river and fishing a bank that is 80 feet away is not cool. Can we stop with the calling everybody “Bro”? Please for the love of God stop! I got no problem with setting up on some rising fish but if somebody is trying to get around you on the opposite side you’re fishing on, I think that’s ok. The pmds are starting to show up on the lower river so don’t forget to have some no-hackles and some split back nymphs. I would also have some golden stones and there are still some March browns.

The South Fork has really been fishing well. Fish nymphs deep. Look for fish eating blue wings in the riffles and don’t be afraid to fish streamers in tight on the banks. Focus fishing the drops with your nymph rigs. I think the whole river fishes well so go where you want.