Fishing report Feb 5,2013

Welcome to April in February.  Not a great deal has changed since last week’s report, except that it has been warmer and the days are brighter.  Our weather this week calls for a bit cooler temperatures with a chance of snow, still very tolerable fishing conditions with highs in the upper 20’s to near freezing.  Our guide trips the last couple of days have had good success nymphing with little ice in both the river and rod guides.

The upper Big Wood is fishing very well with nymphs.  The trout are much growing more active as water temperatures have risen from the January cold spell.  Sporadic midge hatches are showing depending on where you are on the river.   Be prepared to fish the micro stuff, but don’t count on it.  A naked stonefly nymph or girdle bug is a great fly right now.  A tandem set-up with a size 12 beaded nymph followed by a zebra midge in the color of your choice is also working well.  Don’t forget the fluorocarbon when nymphing.  It is very strong and invisible to the fish under water.  If you don’t have it you might stop in the shop and grab a spool of the Trout Hunter fluorocarbon tippet material.  It comes in half X sizes.  When I might use 6X, I am now using 5 ½ X.  It works great, is stronger than regular nylon, and you can land fish more quickly.  It  also comes in 50 meter spools.

The lower Big Wood in the Canyon is fishing very well with streamers or small nymphs.  On our trip yesterday there were very few rising fish, but they fed well on our scud pattern.  I had a beginner couple from Brazil who landed over twenty trout and missed another twenty in a couple of hours.  They had a great introduction to Idaho trout fishing.  Quite a change from their farm in Brazil where they fish Dorado with lures. 

The warm weather has not affected the water quality on Silver Creek.  I visited the creek on the last day of chukar season on Jan. 31^st.  It is flowing crystally clear, there is no ice, and bank access is easy as there is little snow left.   Philo Betto or black buggers on a floating line cast across and down with a mending retrieve and stripped back at the end of the swing is enticing to both the browns and rainbows.

The Lower Lost is flowing at 108 cfs right now, just about perfect.  The same techniques and flies that work on the upper Big Wood will produce on the Lower Lost.  Chances of an encounter with a midge hatch or even a baetis hatch are better on the Lost than the Big Wood right now.

A trip to the South Fork of the Boise would be worth the effort as well.  Midges and micro baetis hatches could bring some fish to the surface right now.  Copper john nymphs dead drifted from the riffles down into the pool water will be effective for numbers of trout.  A report came into the shop yesterday of a 31 ½ inch rainbow landed on a red copper john.  That river grows some over-sized trout, and you could even find a nice bull trout.

Zac is geared for Magic ice fishing.  He reports nice sized perch fillets on his dinner table.  I admit to some bluegill fillets from Carey lake. 

Time to dust off the fly gear and tying vises, most hunting is over and an afternoon on the river is pretty pleasant.  An eagle and a herd of elk topped off our day yesterday.  There is not a much better place to be than the river. 

Tight loops,

Scott Schnebly/Lost River Outfitters

PS: From Susanne:

Just a quick reminder that we have some great clothing items on sale right now! They are not all marked off yet, so be sure to say something when you come into the store! 

All Fall 2013 Puffy Jackets are 25% off, we're doing a little house cleaning in our fishing shirts department, so ALL Ex-Officio clothing is 25% Off right now! All Mountain Hardwear clothing is 25% off as well and so are our winter boots. Great deals on Merino Wool and Baselayer pieces.
 Just come on in and check it out!