From Cold to Warm so Far this January

Snake River

Still midging most waters at the moment and it will take some effort to get to prime water with all the snow we have had so far this month. Nonetheless, it can be worth it if you hit the primetime period of around 11am to 3:30pm. Nymphing in slower water types and slow current eddies is the name of the game. Deeper riffle tailouts are worthwhile targets as well.

Dry fly action is not off the charts but is respectable from about noon until 3pm. Target the same water as you would with nymphs. Shallow holding water with slow currents are offering opportunities from 1pm to around3pm.

Small streamers fished on floating or hover lines are working in deeper backwater channels and on seam margins go with long slow retrieves with hesitations every now and then. Fishing tandem rigs – separated by a three feet of leader/tippet – can pay off when single streamers aren’t doing the trick.

Dry flies – CDC Midge Emergers, Mating Midges, Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emergers, and Parachute Midges.

Nymphs – Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail Jigs, Copper John Jigs in red, Zebra Midges, Lightening Bugs, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Slump Busters, Rickards’ Seal Bugger, and Fruit Roll Ups.

South Fork

The best fishing has been on the lower reach from Heise Bridge down to Menan with the upper reaches below Palisades Dam being a distant second. Dry fly action has been best from around 11am until 4pm on midge imitations fished in slow water targets such as deep side channels, seam margins, and eddy current margins. Nymph rigs have been producing from around 10am until after 4pm in the same water. Fish these rigs mid-water column. Midge patterns are working best, but there has been decent action on larger nymph attractors in the #10 to #12 range.

Streamers have been producing in bits and pieces in side channels with slow currents and when fished in riffle pools and eddies. Full sinking intermediate lines and sinking tips in the 3ips to 6ips range are working best where depths allow for long, slow retrieves. Go with small to moderately sized baitfish imitations.

Dry Flies – Furimsky BDEs, Griffith Gnats, Trico Spinners, CDC Midge Emergers, Parachute Midges, and Parachute Adams.

Nymphs – Brush Hogs, Egan’s Blue Dart, Copper Johns in red or black, Zebra Midges, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Krystal Buggers, Kiwi Zonkers, Lite Brite Zonkers, Rickards’ Seal Bugger, and Pine Squirrel Zonkers.