Everything Seems to be Fishing Now

Snake River

Tributaries continue to recede and the Snake is getting into shape just in time for the heavy June hatches of caddis, yellow sallies, and the smaller golden stones. There is approximately two and half feet of visibility and decent surface action is happening in riffles, seams, eddies, side channels, slow current banks, and confluences. focus most of your attention on shallow riffles, as that is where there is extensive production from approximately 10am until 2:30 pm. Nymphs are working just as well in the same water but there is little reason to throw anything but a dropper, as so much of the feeding is occurring in the top one to two feet of the water column.

Streamers are hit or miss on much of the Snake but are undoubtedly working best on the upper reaches from Jackson Lake Dam down to Deadman’s Bar. Below that, there is still opportunity as long as you are targeting slower currents along banks, structure, in side channels, and riffle pools. Floating lines and sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range are working best, as are short five to seven foot lengths of T-8 to T-11. Go with slow to moderate retrieves.

Dry flies – Mary Kay’s, Trixi The Hooker, Willy’s Red Ant, Circus Peanuts, Elk Hair Caddis, Peacock Fluttering Stone, Goddard Caddis, Mathews’ X-Caddis, Galloup’s Butch Caddis, Quiley’s Stacked Sally, Elk Hair Sally, and CDC Sally.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, DB’s Speckled, Stone, Howell’s Schuck-It Jig, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Brillion’s Lucent Prince Jig, Foxy Sally Stones, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Mercer’s Jiggy Caddis Pupa, Juan’s Criptonite Caddis, Holla Back Girls, Lightening Bugs, Two Bit Hookers, and Perdigons.

Streamers – Double Fuegos, Craven’s Swim Coach, Ishiwata’s Gandmaster Flash, Mojo Minnows, Sparkle Yummies, Strolis’ Mini Masked Avenger, Kreelux, and J.J. Specials.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir are at approximately 13,500cfs. The South Fork is fishing well and should only get better in the coming weeks as water temps warm and more bugs begin to emerge. Salmon flies are present in bits and pieces below Twin Bridges. The main fare has been caddis and a smattering of PMDs. Riffles, seams, bankside troughs, and submerged structure are the best bet with double/triple nymph rigs. Dry fly action is in the cards with attractors and caddis/PMD imitations. It is nothing great but it does offer a respectable break from the morning subsurface game in the afternoon hours, primarily after 1:30pm. Target shallower inside turns in riffles as well as the head of seams and bankside troughs.

Streamers are producing better with each passing week on just about all reaches. Slow to moderate retrieves are the way to go. Use floating and intermediate sinking lines or sinking tips in the INT to 6ips range. There is decent action on large baitfish imitations, but more moderately sized streamer are working noticeably better. Target banks and structure with slow to moderate currents, riffle pools, side channels, and seam current margins.

Dry flies – Circus Peanuts, Snake River Water Walkers, J-Slams, Chubby Chernobyls, Mathews’ Sparkle Caddis, Parachute Adams, and Quigley Cripples.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, 20-Inchers, Deep Cleaner Stones, San Juan Worms, Squirmy Wormies, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Durcells, Lightening Bugs, Copper Johns in red or copper, and Perdigons.

Streamers – McKnight’s Home Invader, Goldies, Galloup’s Mini-Dungeon, Booty’s Tri-Bunny, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, and Kreelux.

Green River

The Green went through a few days of rising flows but is now receding again and starting to fish really well. Yellow sallies, infrequen PMDs, golden stones, and still some caddis are emerging strong to create a good mix of bugs. Some drakes are also starting to appear. Dry-dropper rigs are working on most reaches but seem to be getting into the best action from Warren Bridge down to Huston. Fish your riggings tight to banks and structure as well as in eddies and on seams. Two to three feet of dropper tippet is the way to go most of the day. Action is slowing noticeably after 3pm.

Streamers are producing on all reaches but seem to be working best on the middle and lower sections as well. Large articulated patterns are getting into fish just as consistently as more moderately sized streamers. Go with moderate speed retrieves on floating lines or INT tips and target banks, structure, eddies and seams.

Dry flies – Winged Peanuts, Chubby Chernobyls, Turck’s Tarantula, Stimulator X, Quigley's Stacker Sally, Red Butt Sallies, Parachute Extended Body Gray Drakes, Booty's Drake Emerger, Parachute Hares Ear, Parachute Adams, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, Booty's DL Cripple, Film Critics

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Kaufmann’s Stone, San Juan Worm, Squirmy Wormies, Rabid Squirrels, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Duracells, and Rubber Legged Prince Nymphs.

Streamers – Silvey’s Sculpin, Galloup’s Articulated Fat Head, Headbanger Sculpins, Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Sundell’s Ghost Dancer, Mojo Minnow’s, Booty’s Tri Bunny, and Arum’s Lil’ Kim.

Salt River

Some very good dry fly action on the Salt River, particularly in the Grover-Auburn reaches and from Freedom to the reservoir. Alloperla stones are still emerging most days as are yellow sallies, PMDs, caddis, and drakes. Yes, it’s a smorgasbord at the moment. The most productive surface activity is occurring from approximately 11am until 5pm. Almost every type of holding water can produce – riffles, troughs, seams, eddies, banks, submerged structure. Good time to be fishing dries on the Salt for sure.

Nymphs, however, are working just as well and are getting into fish from 8am until dusk in every way. Trout are aggressively feeding in the top foot and a half of the water column, so going with a dry-dropper rig with 18” to 30” of dropper tippet is the way to go. Target the same water as you would with surface patterns, but pay particular attention to eddies, troughs, and the inside turn of riffles (the latter later in the day after 12:30pm or so.

Dry flies – Will’s Winged Chernobyl, Circus Peanuts, Mary Kays, Barrett’s Ant, Fat Alberts, Chubby Chernobyls, Hackle Stacker Sallies, Red Butt Sallies, Stimulators, Elk Hair Caddis, CD Caddis, Snowshoe Caddis, X-Caddis, Sparkle Caddis, Comparaduns, Parachute Adams, Quad Wing Drakes, Parachute Extended Body Drakes, Parachute Extended Body PMDs and Cahills, Booty’s DL Cripple, Booty’s PMD Emerger, Quigley Cripples, and Film Critics.

Nymphs – Rabid Squirrels, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Duracells, Copper Johns in red, olive, or copper, Sexy Lexy Stone Nymphs, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Robins, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymphs, and Flashback Hares Ear Nymphs.

Yellowstone National Park

Lewis Lake – Warming water temps but there is still more than decent action on drop-offs and shallow bars in the morning hours and, to be real, throughout the day. Flats and littorals can seem dead unless a hatch is occurring, at which time dry flies can be a productive way to go. Drakes continue to dominate the scene, but carpenter ants are starting to dot the surface on the southern half of the lake every now and then. Fish a nymph dropper or a parasol ant (if you can see it) to really tap into the feeding activity.

Yellowstone Lake – Still some damn good fishing on flats with leech, damsel, and dragonfly nymph patterns. OK, it might not be what it was a week and a half ago, but it is still pretty solid.n the best action has been occurring from around 9am until 12:30pm. So its and early game. Go with hover and intermediate sinking lines and use natural retrieves – figure 8/handtwists for damsel imitations, Pinch retrieves for dragon fly nymphs, and steady moderate retrieves for baitfish imitations.

Lewis River – Stoneflies have waned but there are still a decent amount around in the upper canyon reach. We have seen are first green drakes of the year near the confluence and even up past the confluence of Crayfish Creek. Either way, dry fly action has been good with larger attractor and drake imitations. PMD and yellow sallie imitation are working equally well on the Snake below the confluence when fished along submerged structure, riffle current margins, and in riffles. Nymphs droppers – lightening bugs, copper johns, etc – can bring the numbers game up in the same water.