Approaching The End Of A Very Warm Winter

Another March day with temps well into the 50s

Snake River

Little brown and little black stoneflies have been out over the past couple of weeks, adding a little bit more variety to the surface and subsurface game, which prior to has been mostly midges.  Ledge rock pools, eddies, and ledge rock troughs remain the most productive water to target, but now seams and riffles are starting to show more life, and this is no doubt due to the presence of the tiny stoneflies that have shown up on the scene.

Streamers are getting into more fish, primarily when targeting eddies, seams, and the mouth of backwater side channels.  This action can go from as early as 9 am until as late as 3 pm most days.  Floating lines and small to moderately sized patterns are the best way to go.  Slow to moderate retrieves are a must, and really lean in on slow.

South Fork

Decent fishing on both the upper and lower reaches.  Surface action has been good with midge adults and emergers from around noon until 3:30 pm, with the most consistent production coming in riffle pools, seams, and eddies.  BWOs are starting to show up with more consistency and regardless of weather conditions.  Their emergences are generally starting around 1 pm and going past 4 pm.  Nymphing with these imitations has been fairly consistent from around 10 am and going until 4:30 pm.  Riffles, seams, eddies, troughs, submerged structure, and slow current banks are prime waters to target.

Streamers have been hit-or-miss but some really good days are there if using small patterns at hitting banks and structure with slow to moderate currents, troughs, backwater side channels, eddies, and seams current margins.  Steady, moderate retrieves are performing best, but not to the point that varying your retrieves doesn’t pay dividends.  Use short sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range. 

Henry’s Fork

Solid hatches of midges are occurring on most reaches, but we are seeing BWOs as well and, as is the case on the Snake, little brown and black stoneflies.  Nymphing has been most productive when targeting submerged structure, seams, and eddies and can last most of the day.  Surface action is sporadic but when it is happening, the best water to focus on has been riffles, seams, and banks with slow to moderate currents.  Midge adults and emergers are working best, with BWO adults and emergers also producing.  Focus on the 10:30 am to 4 pm timeframe.