Fishing report March 1, 2014 Lost River Outfitters
Let there be water!!
What a change we have seen in the month of February in our water
supplies and snowpack. The high pressure
off the west coast has broken down and given us a nice series of storms. Both our snow water equivalent and
precipitation to date have gone from below 50% in our central Idaho drainages
to around 70%. The Big Wood snow water
equivalent is at 83% and rising today.
Snow water is what fills our reservoirs.
We are still behind, but in much better shape than anyone could have
imagined in mid January. The Salmon
drainage is over 100% in snow water equivalent.
Eastern Idaho and Yellowstone are in the +90% to + 100% snowpack. Our low elevation snowpack is slim, but we
have had lowland rains which should help our water tables. The high country is looking great, with
backcountry skiing in full swing. It
looks like it will keep coming and we are thankful.
Some of the dreary days have given us time at the tying
bench to replenish our trout flies, prepare for spring saltwater trips, and
fill fly bins for spring steelhead season.
In the mean time temperatures have been mild. We have enjoyed some great
winter fishing days. Here is what has
been happening on our local rivers and what to expect in the near term.
Big Wood
The Big Wood is fishing quite well. The floods of last September did not kill the
bugs or all of the fish. The trout are
looking quite healthy and starting to bulk up for the spring spawn. Midge hatches have grown heavy enough to make
the trout selective in some pools. Water
levels have risen due to the warm days and some early runoff, but not enough to
change the river much. Large Stonefly
imitations are still working, but a double nymph rig seems to be more consistent. An Anato mayfly nymph, brassie, or copper
john with a zebra midge trailer has been an effective combination, in sizes 14
and 18 respectively. If you encounter a
pod of rising fish trail a dry midge from a larger dry so you can pick out the
rise to your midge. We like the LRO
midge emerger as the trailer. The trout
will eat it wet or dry and many of the fish are picking out the emerging midge
rather than eating the fully emerged adult.
Don’t forget your 6X tippet. Fluorocarbon
on your nymph rigs seem to result in more eats.
The inflow of the Wood to Magic has been spotty. Some days are better than others. Water levels have tripled in size in the last
week, so maybe some fish will move up from Magic.
The outflow of the Wood from Magic has had triple the flows
it normally has, still only 5 cfs, probably due to some rain and melt on the
dessert. Those fish will eat midge
pupae, scud, and small nymph imitations readily. Please release your fish in the lower Wood,
they are all we have to replenish that potentially trophy fishery after the low
water kill of last summer.
Silver Creek
Closed until Memorial weekend.
Lower Big Lost
This is the time for the lower Lost to shine. Midges and Baetis hatches combine to make one
of your most memorable winter trout days.
Flows are 84 cfs, which is enough to move your fly through a drift. Imitations need to be good on fine tippets as
they will get a very good look at your imitation. The winter baetis is big for
baetis, size 17-18. I like sight fishing the feeders with a large
baetis imitation, small adams, or gulper special with a trailing size 18 pheasant
tail on 6X fluorocarbon. It pretty much
covers your bases during the hatch periods.
A dry fly on top or a baetis nymph or midge pupae just sub-surface. Large stonefly nymphs in the faster rocky
reaches are also good, if you just want to relax and watch the bobber.
South Fork of the Boise
Flows are at 307 cfs right now. I would not expect them to move for some
time. The Boise drainage is below 100%
and Anderson Reservoir has lots of room to fill. The hatches on the South Fork are midge and
micro baetis at this time of year. The
trout can be challenging when working the micro stuff, but the reward of a 20
plus inch bow is worth the effort.
Girdle bugs in the rocky moving reaches will also produce under an
indicator. Frank showed me a picture of
a 30 inch rainbow taken last week on the South Fork. Streamers with your new switch rod might
produce the fish of a lifetime. It is
worth the trip into the canyon and to see the effects of the fires if you have
not made it down this year.
Salmon River
The Salmon below Yankee Fork is flowing at 456 cfs
already. That is about 80 cfs above
normal for this time of year. Steelhead
are moving upriver with the ice receding and the increased flows. Fish are being caught at Challis, and still
in Riggins. They are still coming over
the Snake River dams. Although the run
is a bit below 10 year average, we should see our share in the upper river by
early April. If you are interested we
still have room at the Steelhead Lodge in Stanley in the month of April. We would be happy to host you or your group
on a steelhead trip for the longest running steelhead in the world!
Yellowstone Park
Closed. We are
booking June and September trips right now.
It is imperative to do it early as lodging can be an issue.
Open dates are:
June 9, 10, 11. June
12, 13, 14, June 15, 16-booked, June17, 18, 19.
Sept. 13, 14, 15, Sept. 16, 17, 18, Sept. 19, 20, 21, Sept.
22, 23, 24, Sept. 25, 26, 27, 28-booked.
Let us know if you might want to do a Yellowstone trip this
year. Water levels should be good. It is more than just a fishing trip. June dates we fish the Madison, the Firehole,
the Gibbon, and Duck Creek. September
trips we fish the Lamar, the Yellowstone, Slough Creek, and Trout lake. We organize the lodging and suggest transport
arrival and departures.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
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