Fishing Report Aug 27,2013

Fishing report Aug. 26, 2013 

As probably all of you know we became the #1 priority in the nation with our Beaver Creek fire in mid August.  It was a déjà vu of the Castle Rock fire of 2007.  Smoke, evacuations, and fire conditions pretty much shut down the entire valley for a week.  The firefighters again did an amazing job with a virtual inferno over very dry forest, sage and tinder.  The fire is about 90% contained and not visible from the valley, except for the burn scars.  The valley corridor from East Fork north looks the same. The monsoonal air flows have also been a blessing clearing the air and giving us much needed rains over the last three days, with more rains predicted for the week.

 Even during the fire there was some great and smokeless fishing to be had if you were willing to cross Trail Creek summit and venture into the Big Lost River.  Many days on Silver Creek were clear in the afternoons when the southerly winds kicked the smoke out.  The fish have had a nice break as angling pressure was nearly non-existent. We stayed open, with more limited hours, all through the fire and swa quite a few local anglers who took advantage of the un-crowded fishing conditions.

Now that the fire Is behind us, we hope that our clients will return to the valley to enjoy our favorite fishing season, fall!  Cooler temperatures are here and fall fishing should begin to pick up soon.  Here is what you should expect if you venture into the valley in the next week or so.

           Big Wood

Very low water conditions with flows less than 130 cfs.  We fished 14 foot leaders tapered to 6X yesterday and a size 18 and 20 adams to raise fish.  There was a spotty trico spinner fall, some nice fish would rise to the dry fly.  When rises slowed a size 20 zebra midge under a size 16 attractor purple haze received attention. Don’t forget to throw a hopper into the faster water! The fish are definitely looking up for this big bug and it’s always fun to catch fish on hoppers! Expect  to see some larger fish begin to    show as size 10 hecubas begin to hatch and baetis on cloudy afternoons in early September.  

thank you, firefighters!fire video 

           Silver Creek

Flows and temperatures  are pretty normal on the Creek.  Although trico hatches have been       sporadic, you should look for some surface action on trico and baetis in the late morning if you visit the creek.  Also some callibaetis size 18 are still around.  Dry blue damsels and hoppers will get some attention in the afternoons.  

            Big Lost/Copper Basin

 Unfortunately we have seen evidence of a lot of harvest on these waters again this summer.  There are a few pockets of fish left in the upper river, but they are far and few between.  There are plentiful whitefish as they are protected, but many of the nice cutthroat and rainbow that we saw early season have been taken out.  A madam X size 10 with a dropper nymph size 16 on about two feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet will fool some of those fish that are still there.   We did catch 4 grayling of spawning size in the upper reaches of the Lost in early August on a guide trip.  Please release the trout, although there is no protection on the trout and the Idaho Fish and Game department still believes there would be no trout in the system if not for their planting efforts. There is plenty of natural spawning in that system to replenish it with wild fine spot cutthroat, west slope cutthroat, rainbow, and cut bows.  It is one of the most pristine systems we have that is easily accessible and needs our protection.

             Lower Big Lost

              The lower river below Mackay reservoir is fishing well with nymphs.  Midge hatches have been strong so bring your size 18 and 20 zebra midge box and there also have been tricos early in the morning. Double nymph rigs produce the best in this system right now.  Tippets with this rigging should include 6X fluorocarbon.  By late September we should start to see some fall baetis and the return of surface feeding. 

  

              Yellowstone Park

               If you are interested in a trip to the Lamar Valley and some amazing fall fishing we can hook you up.  I leave on Sept. 9^th and return on Sept. 21^st.    We could still organize your fall trout trip.  You will fish the Yellowstone River, the Lamar River, Slough Creek, Soda Butte Creek and Trout Lake on your trip.  Minimum trip is three days.  We will organize your lodging.  Call Scott at 208-720-3813 or Susanne at 208-720-1994 or send us an email for further details.

             High Mountain Lake Fishing and Backpacking

              Fall is the time to head out into the mountains! With the summer crowds diminishing, you can have some of the high mountain lakes all to yourself! Check out our Outcast Trinity backpacking float tubes! They only weigh 7 lbs, pump up in less than 10 minutes , and come in a nice pack that has enough room for food, clothing, and even waders! We are licensed to guide hiking and back-backing trips to the lakes in the headwaters of the Big Lost. This is one of the most fabulous experiences! The fish are ready to beef up for the winter and will eat just about anything you throw at them. We can also arrange to have the whole camp packed in, so all you have to carry is a day pack. This also makes it possible to have ‘real’ food and even a libation under the stars! Give Susanne a call on her cell 108.720.1994. She likes nothing better than spending a couple of nights under the stars!

            Steelhead

Fall steelhead season is approaching.  The numbers are not huge, but they are coming into Idaho over Lower Granite Dam right now.  Stop in the shop for a spey lesson or to check out the Air flow rage lines which will make your spey casting easier than you can ever imagine.

             Synopsis

              We have dodged the fire bullet once again thanks to another great incident commander, Beth Lund, and her awesome Incident 1 Team!  We also need to give a great round of applause to all the fire departments who sent fire engines for structure protection! We had fire trucks form all over Idaho and all over the country! We can’t thank all of the fire personnel enough for saving our towns, our valley, and the busiest weekend of the whole year: Wagon Days! Come help us celebrate the end of the Beaver Creek Fire and the beginning of a great fall fishing season!

               We have some great deals on clothing and hard goods! Don’t miss out on our awesome end of summer sale! All summer clothing and footwear is 30-50% off! Only on Saturday, Parade Day, we will discount ALL non-sale clothing items by 10%! We will also serve snacks and libations from 11:00AM to 3:00PM! Come join us for a fun-filled day of retail therapy! Our sale has already started, so if you are in town, check it out now before the crowds return!  

             Here are a couple of reminders of the Beaver Creek Fire......                                                             

          Fish far and fine,

          Scott Schnebly

           Lost River Outfitters 

April Vokey's visit to Sun Valley, courtesy of ISSU

Wow, what an amazing week this has been! No, I don't mean giant browns on dries or anything remotely like it, but some great folks doing awesome things!
It all started with my departure to Ashton to meet with the powers-that-be of the Patagonia fishing line, including Yvon Chouinard, some buyers and guides from other shops, and April Vokey who is one of their fly fishing ambassadors. April has become a household name when mentioning women in fly-fishing, but she has also amassed some fame without taking her gender into account.
I was a bit apprehensive about meeting April, chances were that her fame had gone to her head or that she had developed what is so common in male guides, a guide ego. But my apprehension was quelled the moment I met her! Here was a gal with a big sincere smile, polite, yet self-assured, happy to meet other women in her profession! Good thing, because that night we became room-mates for one night!
To be involved in bringing back the Patagonia Women's fishing line, discussing the pros and cons of this or that feature, sitting there with Yvon Chouinard, April Vokey , all the other Patagonia folks and some other gals who are living their dream was a fabulous experience! It is so nice to be invited into the Patagonia family, to hear Yvon's passion for this planet, to hang out over coffee before our meeting and 'solve all the problems of the world' ! On top of this company's commitment to the environment, the folks who work for them, the quality of their merchandise, the rigorous research and testing of their products, we, the lowly dealers, are welcome to be part of it all. No other company we deal with can boast that kind of involvement! I am proud and happy to be in this position!
Well, April did not come to just participate in this meeting. Her next stop was Ketchum, Idaho to be the featured guest in a benefit for the ISSU, a non-profit organization supporting wild steelhead and salmon, something about which April is so very passionate.There were dinners and meet and greets, a fabulous presentation by April about swinging flies in BC, which is what her passion is and how she makes her living as a guide. Scott and I also had the pleasure of spending part of the day with April at Silver Creek. But the reason she came her was not to socialize but to teach classes, which is another integral part of her profession. She taught 3 full day casting lessons and 2 intruder fly-tying classes. I had the opportunity to sit in on 1 of each.
April has a great teaching style. She is very organized in her approach, thorough in her explanations, kind in her criticism and genuinely interested in her students' improvement. She pretends to be strict, but if she is, you don't notice. Patience and enthusiasm are her fortes. Both of those classes were quite enjoyable and everyone walked away believing they had learned a new skill or honed a skill they already possessed.
In a nutshell, the days and evenings April spent with us were a blast!
 April reminds me of myself at her age. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming to be accomplished like her, I have long since missed the boat on that. I was on a different path back then, busy raising a child as a single Mom. Also I had chosen the flying profession, giving glider rides with weather as my biggest enemy and inevitable stumbling block. No, what I mean is that we both had the courage to walk into professions so utterly dominated by men, and to give those boys a run for their money. This is not an easy path! You have to be better than they are if you want to get respect! I can still hear the hesitation in my passengers' voices when they found out that I , the woman, would be taking them flying. I still get the: 'I don't want to go fishing with a woman' line when I'm guiding.
April has made sure that everyone knows that she can hang with the boys! She does not cut any corners to prove this fact. She took her casting certification from the toughest source in the industry just to prove a point. Watch out, fellow male guides, this gal can and will give show you off! The great thing is that she is not pushy about it. She is totally professional and humble, you'd never know that she is so accomplished and has become quite famous. Keep it up, April! Looks like you are on your way to become the next Joan Wulff!
So, if you would ever like to go steelhead or salmon fishing in BC, if you are looking for a hosted trip just about anywhere in the world, if you would like to book a fishing or casting school at your fly-shop, or if a fly-tying school strikes your fancy, consider booking April Vokey! I'm sure you won't regret it!
Flygal Ventures
Well, on top of all the fun, April helped raise money for an organization devoted to our endangered wild Salmon and Steelhead runs. Thank you so much, April!
I did not take any pictures of April to respect her privacy, so no pictures on this blog. Thanks for coming to Ketchum, April, hope to see you again some day, I think you have inspired me to host some trips and go see more of the world myself!
Have a great day and see you on the River

April Vokey and Dr. Rick Williams Coming to Ketchum June 8th-11th

If you haven't heard of April Vokey, simply google her name and see what comes up.  You'll probably see pictures of giant steelhead, videos of perfect spey-casting, and expertly tied intruders.

April is a well known B.C. guide, casting intsructor, fly tyer, and wild fish conservationist.  On June 8th, she and Rick Williams will be joining us for a few days of fun.  Rick is also a certified single and two handed casting instructor, as well as a wild fish conservationist.  He co-owns Idaho Angler, located in Boise, and is an acclaimed author.  The two of them will be leading a number of activities over the course of four days.  There are lots of spots open for most of the clinics, so take a look at the schedule and let us know if you're interested.

Friday evening, June 8th, 6:30-8:30 PM, Meet and Greet

This will be held at Silver Creek Outfitters.  This is a good opportunity to get to know April a little bit and listen to her talk about conservation efforts in British Columbia.  We will raffle off a complete spey setup and a guided trip for two on the Clearwater River.  

Saturday, June 9th, Casting Clinics and Intruder Fly Tying Class

Saturday consists of a co-ed casting clinic with April from 9:00 am-3:00 pm, a co-ed, two handed casting clinic with Rick from 9:00 am-3:00 pm, and an intruder fly tying class with April from 5:00-9:00 pm.  The casting clinics cost $200 each, and that includes lunch.  The single handed clinics will all held on dry land (location TBA).  The two handed clinics will be held on dry land and on Hulen Meadows pond (half of each clinic on each).  The fly tying class will be $100 each, and it will be held at Lost River Outfitters.  Snacks and beverages will be provided for that class.  

Sunday, June 10th, Casting Clinics and Children's Fly Tying Class

On Sunday, Rick will host another Spey casting clinic from 9:00 am-3:00 pm.  April will lead a women's only single handed casting clinic from 9:00 am-3:00 pm, but this class is currently full.  If you are interested in participating in a women's only class with April, let us know, and she might have availability for another clinic on Monday.  Also on Sunday, April will host a Children's fly tying class from 5:00-9:00 pm.  This will be held at Ketchum On The Fly and the cost will be $100.  

Monday, June 11th Casting Clinic and Beginners Fly Tying Class

Monday will start at 9:00 am with a co-ed single handed casting clinic, hosted by April.  This will last until 3:00 pm.  At 5:00 pm, she will lead a "learn to tie" fly tying class, and that will last until 9:00 pm.  The casting clinic will cost $200 and the fly tying class $100.  

We have openings for almost all of the clinics, but space is limited.  This is a great opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry.  Call us or swing by the shop to sign up for any of the classes.