Fishing report Feb 18,2013

Feb. 18, 2013 Fishing report

Let me diverge a bit first.  In the mid 1980’s a long time client stopped by the shop and told me he had some dates that he would like to book for the summer, but he had left them at his office.  When he returned to California he would fax them to me to see if they would work.  “Fax?”  I must have sounded really stupid.  “You don’t have a fax, he asked?   Come on, join the twentieth century.  O.K. I will call you with them.”  One fax machine was purchased rapidly.

In the mid 1990’s I got a computer to help with our bookkeeping.  Someone hooked up a modem, put me on the internet and gave me an email address.  It was late winter.  A few days later I received an email.  I managed to find the open window and a message appeared.  It was terse and to the point.  “I am looking for three guides for July 14, 15, and 16 for three couples while we visit Sun Valley.  Can you accommodate?”   With typing being one of my more stellar achievements in seventh grade, I penned an “absolutely can” answer under the reply window. I hit send, and it went away to somewhere, supposedly to a gentleman in North Carolina.  Sure it did.  Lo and behold a three word answer returned.  “See you then.”  Please understand me that almost all of our other bookings for someone wanting a guide were followed by one to six phone calls confirming such, and then asking what rods to bring, what flies to bring or tie, what hatches to expect, what the water conditions would be like, which rivers would they fish, did we have private water, beginner water, expert water, what clothes to wear, what waders to bring hip or chest, float or wade.  Not this time.  The three couples showed up at the shop the evening of July 13 and asked for their marching orders for the next day.  At the time I was worrying about how to pay the guides for a no show.  Worries abated and I became a believer in cyber space, resulting in a better, faster computer.

I am still somewhat of a skeptic.  In the last few years Facebook, blogging, and twittering have arrived.  It all sounded like something you would like to avoid in grade school.  Instead of trying to write a weekly fish report, just blog about your recent trip to the river or field was the latest advice.  I have been trying.  I don’t have Facebook, or blogging, or twittering accounts, I jot something down and forward it to my computer wizard and I guess it goes somewhere.    Susanne said she got 100 times more hits for paying $5.00 to Facebook about our Valentine’s Day sale at our shop in Ketchum.   “Big deal”, I said, “what good is that if someone in Florida reads it and isn’t in Sun Valley, Idaho.”  Answer: ’Well, they could very well visit some day and remember us.’  Lo and behold, again.  A couple from New York city googled Fly Fishing in Sun Valley.  They had Found Lost River Outfitters and read a “blog” I noted about a couple from Brazil that I fished with the previous week. They called the office on Wednesday, booked a trip with Lost River for Friday and, althoughthey were dropped off at the wrong shop by their host, managed to find us, were fitted with waders, taught the basics of winter fly fishing. They hooked over sixty trout, and finished the day with a beautiful 21 inch buck fish.  I have a fax machine, my computer is plenty fast these days, I guess I eat crow.  I am glad the fish aren’t changing as fast as our marketing plan.

Our weather is making for some really nice conditions on the rivers.

 Silver Creek is low and clear flowing at 70+ cfs.  Be stealthy and cast medium sized streamers.  Philo Betto is my favorite.

 The Big Wood is flowing about normal.  Midges are showing with some rising trout for those of you who like casting micro dries to targets.   A 12 or 14  brassie with a zebra midge trailer on fine fluorocarbon tippet is a good choice for numbers of fish.  You might even get a trophy whitey. 

The Lower Big Lost will fish much like the upper Big Wood, but the fish are generally larger and more lively as the tail waters don’t experience nearly the temperature fluctuations that the upper Wood does. 

The Salmon will give up a steelhead to a swung fly if you are up for the drive to Challis. 

Tight loops and lines, 

Scott Schnebly/Lost River Outfitters