Latest Reports for the the Snake and the South Fork

Snake River

Hecubas, PMDs, mahogany duns, and BWOs are on the water each day and can be heavy on those days with cloud cover and precipitation. There are also a smattering of October caddis starting to appear. With the Snake near its lowest flows since March, dry fly fishing with attractors and mayfly imitations has been relatively consistent from around 10:30am to 5pm, with a wider window occurring with rain and clouds. The inside turn of riffles, riffle current margins, side channels, and bankside troughs with moderate currents produce throughout the day and especially in the morning. Riffle pools, seams, confluences, and eddies kick into gear after 1pm.

Nymphing remains a good choice and, like surface flies, are working very well on days with unsettled weather. Double rigs in the six to seven foot range and double dry-dropper rigs in the three to five foot range are producing in a variety of waters. Pay particular attention to riffle pools, seams, and eddies and confluences with slow to moderate currents and depths.

Streamers are still hit-or-miss but can produce well most days when targeting banks and bankside troughs, confluences, eddies, and seams. Moderately sized patterns are outperforming larger ones. Vary up your retrieves and go with floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range.

Better streamer fishing now as flows from Jackson Lake Dam continue to recede. Banks and structure are the most consistent targets, followed by confluences and seams. Floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range are working best. Moderate to fast retrieves are outperforming slower line strips. Slight hesitations help out a lot.

Dry flies – Circus Peanuts, Will’s Winged Chernobyls, Purple Bruces, Mary Kays, Parachute Hare’s Ears, Booty’s Drake Emerger, Parachute Extended Body PMDs, BWOs, and Mahogany Duns, Parachute Adams, Comparaduns, Booty’s BWO and PMD Emerger, Booty’s DL Cripple, Quigley Cripples, and Film Critics.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Brillion’s Lucent Jig, Duracells, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns in red or copper, Two-Bit Hookers, Halla Girls, and Lightening Bugs.

Streamers – Silvey Sculpins, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, McKnight’s Home Invader, Booty’s Tri Bunny, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Goldies, Booty Call Minnows, and Kreelux.

South Fork

Flows are currently at 6,000cfs and visibility remain pretty solid at the moment. Large patterns remain a good choice as mutant stones continue to emerge in intermittent fashion. PMDs, mahogany duns, and BWO are out as well and hatches can be a bit more intense on cloudy, wet days. Large surface patterns continue to produce when fished along banks and structure and at the inside turn of riffles throughout the day but especially from mid-morning until about 1pm. Mayfly imitations start to produce just before noon but kick into gear from around 2pm until dusk. Some days the fishing with mayfly patterns is inconsistent but is more than worth it on days with cool temps, clouds, and a bit of precipitation. Target riffles, seams, eddies, and side channels.

Nymphs are working best as either double/triple rigs (six to seven feet of leader from trailing fly to line/suspension device) or double dry-dropper rigs (three to six feet of dropper tippet). Riffle pools and eddies are fishing through the day. Inside turns, riffle current margins, flats, structure can offer good action in the afternoon.

Streamers are working fairly well compared to the past month or so. Fishing has been best on floating or intermediate sinking lines or sinking tips in the INT to 6ips range. Varying your retrieves is a smart way to go, but focus on long, fast line strips with a one second hesitation between each retrieve. This presentation has been the most consistent approach. Target banks, submerged structure, troughs, riffles and confluences with moderate to fast currents, and slow backwater channels.

Dry flies – Barrett’s Ant, Snake River Water Walker, Mosh Pit Hoppers, Parachute Hoppers, Keller’s Rocky Mountain Mint, Parachute Extended Body PMDs Mahogany Duns, and BWOs, Thorax PMDs, Comparaduns, Booty’s DL Cripple, Quigley Cripples, Film Critics, and Rusty Spinners.

Nymphs – Pat’s Rubber Leg, Peach Fuzz Jigs, Flashback Pheasant Tails, Bruised Mays, Psycho Mays, Lightening Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Perdigons, Ice Cream Cone Midges, and Zebra Midges.

Streamers – PJ’s Lych Mob Leech, Galloup’s Sump, Galloup’s Peanut Envy, Cheech Leech, J.J. Specials, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty Call Minnows, Marabou Muddlers, and Kreelux.