Fshing Report May 19,2015

Lost River Outfitters fishing report May 19, 2015

Amazing.  At last report we were looking a bit grim with our water flows for the near and long term.  I remember mentioning that I have seen it change and make a huge difference in the months of May and June.  We are not out of the woods yet, but the Big Wood, the Big Lost and the Little Wood drainages have gone up over 10% precipitation in our year to date numbers in the last week or so.  We are pushing 80% of average.  The water bucket at my house measures 2 3/4 inches since this started.  The jet stream is favorable for more precipitation.  Two more storms are predicted to arrive in the next week.  We must have been very dry as the rivers have not gone over their banks , but over the course of last night, the Wood has taken on some color.  The general season opener is this coming weekend.  It is supposed to be wet.  These are our thoughts for what you might expect on some of our local waters.

Big Wood River

The Big Wood is not pushing a lot of silt right now in spite of the rain.  Hopefully it is cleaning itself of the build-up washed in from the fire ground.  It is flowing at 682 cfs today and rising, but is only about half of normal.  There was some clarity until this morning.  If you were to attempt catching a fish on the upper Wood this weekend, the side channels are your best bet.  The rainbows seek the softer flows and spawn in the side channels this time of year.  A black wooley bugger would probably be the fly of choice.  It might be best to leave the spawners alone and pick another piece of water for now.

The river at Stanton is flowing at 259 and is pretty big for most fly fishing.  Once again a streamer is probably the best choice it you wanted to wet a line there, but you could run into spawning rainbows there as well.

We don’t see this very often, but the Lower Big Wood in the canyon is at 9-10 cfs.  The dam was opened the first of May, and flows went over 900 cfs, but with the rains, the irrigation district saw fit to save some water for later and shut it down.  Good water management.  Hopefully save some fish later in the summer??!!  Weighted pheasant tails size 16-18 and zebras under an indicator or a streamer stripped in the deep water would be the best options on this water right now.

Magic Reservoir, which is usually great fun in the spring for big triploid rainbows and smallmouth, has been a real disappointment this year so far.  Catching has been spotty and sparse to say the least.  The tournament had 26 boats register and only 6 of the boats weighed fish.  I will try to get a handle on it and report in our next writing.

The Big Lost

The Upper Big Lost is flowing at 517 and is rising.  It is colored and too big to fish.  The East Fork fished a bit three weeks ago, before the rains began, but I would wait on the upper waters.  The Lower Lost is flowing at 193 cfs and has for the last couple of weeks.  It does not look like there will be a water call in the short term.  We have been taking trips there over the last couple of weeks and it has been quite productive.  On cloudy days baetis have been hatching in sufficient numbers to fish the dry.  Some PMDs have shown in the afternoon.  Best catching has been nymphing.  Tiny weighted nymphs in the really soft water and stonefly imitations in the rocky faster reaches.  The fish are off their redds and already fat and sassy.

Silver Creek

Silver Creek is flowing at 170 cfs this morning and is rising.  Normal flows are 115 cfs.  It is up from 90 cfs a month ago.  This is good.  Bigger flows will spread out the fish and flush some sediment.  Trout are rising to callibaetis and some afternoon PMDs.  The creek looks good, especially after what we experienced last year.  The early callibaetis are large even a size 14.  The PMDs a 15 or large 16.  Sparkle duns or parachutes should work for the early season hatches.  Be ready with the 6X tippets .  With our warm winter and spring up to now we could see an earlier Brown Drake emergence.  Usually it happens the first week of June, but it could happen late May this year.

The Little Wood

The upper Little Wood is high and cold.  The Little Wood in the dessert is an unknown at this time.  We would love to have that water return to its former glory.

The South Fork

The South Fork of the Boise is flowing at 611 today.  It will be a bit of a sporty wade at that level, but should fish with girdle bugs and stonefly nymphs.  Copper johns and weighted pheasant tail double fly combos would be a good choice in the riffle waters.

Anderson reservoir has been fishing for bass and there has been a report of good sized land locked Chinook which were introduced again to control the kokanee population.  Sink tips or full sinks with streamers.  I like to tie a blood leech stinger about 3-4 inches long with marabou and some uv crystal flash for Anderson.

Yellowstone Park

Snow pack in Yellowstone was not exceptional this past winter.  They are getting more snow than rain right now with these storms so the rivers on the west side are not high.  The Madison is flowing at 512 this morning with normal flows at 875 cfs.  The Firehole at Old Faithful is at 78 cfs with normal flows 160.  The cooler weather will delay stonefly and caddis hatches, but baetis and PMD hatches in the afternoons should bring fish to the surface.  Swinging soft hackle emergers is always a good trick on the Firehole.

We still have two dates for the Park if you have not been and would like some help on figuring out that wonderful fishery.  Open dates are June 15 and 16, and September 16, 17, and 18.

If you want any other dates we can surely accommodate.

The Idaho 2 Fly is scheduled for June 13^th at Ron Sali’s  96 acre “pond” .  It is a fundraiser for Idaho men with cancer.  Entry fee is $500.  It is a great event and amazing fishing for largemouth bass and big rainbow, with some nice blue gill as well.  If you are interested give me a call at 208-720-3813 or stop by the shop for information.

If your fly box is full and you need a break from the bench it would be worth your while to take a walk in the woods.  The buntings and tanagers have arrived, the wildflowers are blooming and morels are up.  Welcome to spring in the Rockies!

Fish far and fine,

Scott Schnebly