And Early Spring and Better Fishing

Snake River

Better fishing on most of the Snake over the past two weeks as both air and water temps warm. Chironomids dominate, but we are seeing a decent smattering of Capnia winter stones, particularly on the middle reaches from Moose down to South Park. The best surface activity is occurring from approximately 11am to 4pm. Target side channels with moderate depths and slow currents, eddies, and ledge rock pools (the latter in the Canyon reach from South Park down to Sheep Gulch.

Nymphs are producing from around 9am until dusk when fished in the tail of riffle pools, eddies, confluences, and ledge rock pools. In the afternoon, most of the action is occurring at the top of the water column, so fish your nymphs as part of a dry-dropper rig with two to three feet of dropper tippet.

Streamers are working best when fished in confluences and the current margins of seams and eddies. Use small baitfish imitations and go with floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range. Slow retrieves with long line strips has most effective.

Dry flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Micro Peanuts, Klinkhammers, Parachute Adams, Parachute Midges, Ritt’s ARF Nymph, CDC Midge Emergers, and Bubble Head Midge Emergers.

Nymphs – Peach Fuzz Jigs, Brush Hogs, Pinky Jigs, Copper Johns in red or black, Perdigons, Zebra Midges, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupas, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Baby Clousers, Rickards’ Seal Bugger, Slump Busters, Pine Squirrel Zonkers, and Mohair Leeches.

South Fork

Warmer March temps and we are seeing more consistent surface feeding by trout on chironomids. The best action is occurring on the upper reaches from the dam down to Cottonwood from approximately 11am until dusk in riffle pools, riffle current margins, and seams along backwater side channels.

Nymphs have been working best from the dam down to Byington throughout the day with the most consistency occurring from around 10am until dusk. The deeper you go in the afternoon, the more worthwhile it is to fish higher in the water column (think two to three feet).

Streamers continue to work best on the lower river from Wolf Eddy down to Menan with the sweet spot being from Heise to Lorenzo. Floating and intermediate sinking lines and sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range have been most productive. Go with moderately sized baitfish imitations and moderate speed line strips (with pauses thrown in every now and then). Target seams, structure, and the inside margins of riffles.

Dry flies – Griffith Gnats, Mating Midges, CDC Wing Midges, Parachute Midges, Bubble Head Midge Emergers, and Krystal Wing Midge Emergers.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Duracells, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Lightening Bugs, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Pupa, Zebra Midges, and Ice Cream Cone Midges.

Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Kreelux, Booty Call Minnows, Clouser Minnows, J.J. Specials, and Mojo Minnows.