Report for March 16th, 2024
Snake River
Warming water and air temps continue to spark midge hatches and we are starting to see our first tiny winter stones of the year. Ledge rock pools and eddies remain key holding water types to target, but riffles and seams are becoming more productive. At times, we are seeing fish feeding right at the head of riffles. Surface action can start as early as 11am and continue until around 3pm or so.
Nymphs are working in the same water and going rather shallow in the water column – 18” to 36” – when surface feeding is at hand. Ledge rock pools and eddies are best fished deeper, with leader lengths of six to seven and a half feet from trailing fly to line/suspension device.
Streamers are starting to produce a little more consistently than they have so far this winter. Eddies, riffle pools, seams, and submerged structure are the best waters to target. Go with small to moderately sized patterns fished on floating lines and INT sinking tips and slow to moderate retrieves. The sweet spot is kind of tight – from around 12:30pm until 3pm.
Dry flies – Furimsky BDEs, Will’s Micro Ant, Stimulators, Parachute Midges, Ritt’s ARF Midge Adult, and CDC Midge Emergers.
Nymphs – Duracells, Keller’s Peach Fuzz, Lightening Bugs, Egan’s Iron Lotus, Booty’s Day-2 Midge Emerger, Zebra Midges, Spanish Bullets, and Perdigons.
Streamers – Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Krystal Buggers, Chez’s Clump Dubbing Leech, Clouser Minnows, Kreelux, Slump Busters, and Rickards’ Seal Bugger.
South Fork
Good fishing just about everywhere on the South Fork with the lower reaches below Wolf Eddy taking the cake in terms of production. Midges are the name of the game, although BWOs can be found in decent numbers on cool and cloudy days. Noon to 4pm is the sweet spot for surface action. Target riffles, eddies, confluences, and small eddies.
Nymphs are working throughout the day with action being best from around 11am until 5pm. Going six to seven feet from trailing pattern to line/suspension device is the most productive approach. When fish are on the surface, going shallower – two to three feet – with a dry-dropper rig is best.
Streamers are producing in decent fashion, but can be on with cloud cover. Fish them on floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and target banks with slow currents, riffle pools, eddy current margins, and slow seams margins. Moderately sized patterns are producing better than larger counterparts. Go with slow to moderate retrieves that are even in cadence.
Dry flies – Parachute Extended Body BWOs, Parachute Adams, Booty’s DL Cripple, Film Critics, Parachute Midges, CDC Midge Emergers, and Chez’s Krystal Wing Midge Emerger.
Nymphs – Duracells, Cyclops, Brillion’s Lucent Jig, Copper Johns in black or olive, Military Mayflies, Booty’s Deep Stinker Nymph, Lil’ Amigos, Zebra Midges, Ice Cream Cone Midges, Frenchies, and Perdigons.
Streamers – Galloup’s Dungeon, Strolis’ Headbanger Sculpin, Galloup’s Mini Peanut Envy, Flesh Fry, Arum’s Lil’ Kim, Booty Call Minnows, J.J. Specials, Craft Fur Clousers, and Kreelux.
