High Flows, But We Still Have The Henry's Fork

Snake River

The Snake is in runoff, making the tailwater reach from Jackson Lake Dam down to Pacific Creek the most viable option for fishing within the watershed.  Flows from the dam currently stand at approximately 1,500cfs.  Water temps remain cool – maxing out at 40 degrees some days – but there is some surface action on midge imitations on deeper flats and in eddies.  Still, consistent production is occurring below the surface on midge larva/pupa imitations and cdc soft hackle nymphs.  Eddies and seams are producing best.  Going deep in the right water with seven to nine feet of leader from trailing fly to line/suspension device can lead to decent action throughout the day.  Streamers can work well at the spillway and in eddies, seams, and along banks and submerged structure with moderate depths.  It is important to go with slow retrieves fished on floating, intermediate full sinking, and hover lines.  Small to moderately sized patterns are outperforming larger streamers.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir currently stand at approximately 14,000cfs.  Water temps are cool and increasing flows have displaced fish, so concentrate on newly formed holding water and go quite a bit deeper in those that have been around for the past month of so.  The lower reaches from Cottonwood down to Lorenzo have noticeably more visibility than the upper reaches, although both are producing close to equal.  Going subsurface with nymph rigs and streamers is the best way to go.  Key target water include riffle pools, seams, and side channels.  Focus on the lower half of the water column with nymph rigs and around the upper two thirds with streamers.  Those employing streamers should focus on banks, parallel drop-offs, and the head of riffle riffles and side channels.  Large and moderately sized patterns are producing equally well.  Sinking tips in the 4ips to 8ips are outperforming floating lines and lighter sink tips.

Henry’s Fork

Caddis are popping right on time with a decent amount in the morning and fairly prolific emergences from around 11am until evening. Midges are also around in good numbers as are BWOs, especially on colder, wetter days.  There is decent dry fly opportunities on both the lower and upper reaches with the sweet spot being from around 1pm until 6pm.  Riffles, seams, banks with slow to moderate currents, and overhanging vegetation are all key targets for surface patterns.  The same water is producing with nymph rigs throughout the day.  Going short with your nymphing leader/tippet – two to four feet from trailing fly to suspension device – is the most productive approach.

Streamers continue to produce, especially on the lower reaches from Warm River down to Chester.  Moderately sized baitfish imitations are outperforming larger patterns with banks, structure, riffle pools, and eddies providing the most consistent action, particularly from around 10:30am to 4pm.  Fish these on short sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and go with moderate retrieves and hesitations in line strips from time-to-time.