Lost River Outfitters fishing report May 22, 2018

Last year’s water was enough for two years.  This winter, you would have thought we would have to spread it out over two years.  Snow drought in December, January, and much of February made it look like that may have to be the case.  We did have a wet fall, and then late February here it came.  Back-country skiing finally kicked in, and there were some very nice powder days on Baldy.  Snowpack got up to 100% and it keeps coming.  Then it got warm and started to rain and won’t quit.  Morel season has arrived.  What does this mean for our season?  Quite a lot actually, although you may have to be patient to visit your favorite pool on the Big Wood or your favorite reach on the Big Lost and be content with some whitewater boating instead of leisurely float fishing the Salmon.

We finished our steelhead season on April 18.  Our last angler landed four deep water steelhead.  We averaged nearly three fish on the beach a day on our trips.  We had two double digit days in the mix.  The largest steelhead was a wild 30 inch buck and a 25 inch bull trout was landed.  We got our share of steelhead in the upper river this year and angler pressure was low, so it was a pleasant March and April.  We moved out of the steelhead lodge on April 16^th and are already looking forward to next year.  With last year’s huge runoff and flush there should be a nice return coming back.

I was anxious to return to the low country to see what the reservoirs had in store in late April.  Every one of our local reservoirs had more carry over water than they have in years.  Anderson was ice free in February.   Still water fishing in the spring is something that many fly guys/gals overlook.  It doesn’t take much to make the transition.  A sink line, some wet flies, a float tube and fins is about it.   Lakes and reservoirs grow some of the biggest fish on the planet and our local still waters rival any place in Montana or Wyoming.  Every still water presents a different challenge whether it is pattern, place, or method, but that is the joy in making it work.  Reports from all of our local reservoirs have been amazing, if you are in the right place at the right time.  Anderson gave up bass, bull trout, big pike minnows, a couple of landlocked Chinook, perch and a few trout so far this year.  The best bass on one of our outings was 21 inches, but many in the 14 and better.  The largest bull trout was 25 inches.  Full sink lines stripping streamers is my method.   

 Mormon has been a bright spot too.  The rainbows have been unbelievably large this year and fat.  Largest landed 23 inches and probably over 6 pounds.  Size 14 midges and callibaetis are hatching in huge numbers.  Big zebra midges or nymphs under an indicator  work in the bays.  I still like stripping streamers for the big tug there because you can fish 1 or 2x.  Full sink line and green or brown buggers with or without a hackle and a bead.  There has been traffic, but it doesn’t seem to matter.  Pick a cove and fish it slowly with a fairly quick retrieve at the end of the cast. 

 Magic has had its moments.  Midges are starting to hatch so Seagull Bay should start to fish with indicators.  I have had good success stripping perch buggers on a full sink line for both browns and rainbows.  The perch populations have exploded as the full reservoirs give them shallow bays to spawn in.  That means more food for the predacious rainbows and browns.  

 Good reports have come from the Little Wood Reservoir, Fish Creek reservoir and Mackay reservoir.  There is no lack of still water fishing to be had.  Trail Creek is open!

Our opening day on the local rivers will offer limited fishing.  The Big Wood today is flowing at 2,100, which is really not very safe to hang around yet.  Flows at Stanton are 1380.  Flows at Camas Creek are 137.  Outflow of Magic in the canyon is 1,700.  You could probably jet boat the canyon, but even that is big.  

 Silver Creek will be crowded but our fishable stream water this weekend.  It is flowing at 161 cfs.  Look for some late morning PMD’s, possible afternoon callibaetis.  With over cast skies you can always have the possibility of seeing baetis.  I would anticipate that the brown drakes should fire up the first week of June, possibly even the last few days of May given our fairly warm spring weather.  We have all of our usual custom drake patterns ready for you at the shop.  Stop in, before they are gone.  It should be a big drake year for some big browns this year.  Big water redistributed them last year and last winter many big guys showed up chasing streamers. 

 The Big Lost is flowing at 1,790 above the reservoir and 1030 below the reservoir, and 291 at Arco  Both reaches are too cold and big above and too big below for any decent fly casting.  

 The Little Wood has shown some promise this Spring.  Please treat it right as it has been dead for ten years because of too little water, too much hot water, and poor water quality.  It is such a beautiful little stream and can have amazingly pretty big browns that it needs all the help it can get.

Our Yellowstone year is pretty well booked, although if you are interested we might be able to squeeze in another June date.  We have one three day window left in late September fishing the N.E. corner of Yellowstone.  Those dates are September 21, 22, and 23.  There is plenty of water in the Park, and it is still raining there as well.  The Lamar River is flowing at 9,750 cfs.  That will spread out the cutties.  We start June 5 in Yellowstone and return June 23.  We have another trip August 5-10.  Our September runs from the 5^th to the 23^rd.  If you have not fished Yellowstone it should be on your bucket list.  We can help.  208-720-3813 is my cell if you want more information or my email is scott@lostriveroutfitters.com.

We are stocked with all the bugs, tippets and gear you need for the opener.  Stop by and say hello, share a fish story, purchase your controlled hunt permit before the end of May, pick up some fly tying hooks for your next pattern, or shop for your significant other.  We are always glad to help you find the right thing. 

Fish far and fine,

Scott Schnebly

Lost River Outfitters

May 5,2015 Fishing Report

May 8, 2015 Lost River Outfitters Fishing Report

Nice rainfall last night! It freshened the air, the wildflowers are heaving a sigh of relief, and if you get high enough up, you can even see the new snow on the Pioneers!  There have been years where May and June rains have saved us, let’s hope we are on track for one of those years!  Magic reservoir drawdown has begun.  Outflows are 924 cfs.  The reservoir has dropped nearly 8 feet already.  The upper Big Wood at Hailey is flowing at 677 cfs this morning, but only 237 cfs are going into Magic at Stanton.  Camas Creek is flowing at about 27 cfs, so it does not look like Magic will benefit much from any runoff.  Most of the upper Big Wood is already in the canals, and the water below Glendale is already diverted.

We have stuff to report, but most of it will come from past and future fishing adventures.

Salmon River

We finished our steelhead season from the Beckwith’s Lodge in Stanley on April 19^th.  My son Blake and his wife Kelly joined us for the weekend.  Kelly was the top rod catching two deep water steelhead, a bull trout, and a nice cutthroat, with innumerable whitefish to boot.  She mastered the upstream double spey with the switch rod.  The switch rod nymphing is a great method for slow, stubborn cold water river fish.  It is pretty easy to learn.  We moved into the steelhead lodge on March 24^th this year and out on April 21^st.  With the fish coming earlier every year we could have been there March 10^th.  My first trip up on February 20 produced three steelhead.  We don’t really like fishing them when they go to gravel to spawn, so finishing early was fine with us.  The Salmon River is now closed to steelhead fishing.

Magic Reservoir

I really enjoy coming back from Stanley to bob around in Magic in my float tube.  Two years ago the smallmouth fishing was spectacular.  Last year the triploid rainbows won top billing.  So far this year Magic has been stingy for me and spotty for others.  I expect that will change and hope it does soon.  It is close, a great afternoon or evening break.  The loons, grebes, mallards, geese and various other waterfowl makes for some interesting bird watching.  Stripping streamers is usually my best method on a tip or full sink.

 

Lower Lost

The Lower Lost is flowing at 225 cfs. It got bumped up to nearly 600 cfs while Susanne and I were guiding it. We still caught fish, but we had to increase the size of our nymphs.  It will hatch baetis and midges on any given day and will wake up the feeding.  Some spawning is still happening so take care not to walk on the redds and let the rainbows finish their jobs.  Nymphing with a double zebra rig size 18-20 on 6X fluorocarbon tippets is very effective before the emergence, which usually happens mid day.  In the fast water rocky reaches a stonefly nymph is very effective on 3 or 4X tippets.  If you encounter a hatch heavy enough to bring fish to the surface try fishing a size 20 black zebra under a size 14-16 adams or purple haze.  Tippet to midge should be short, about 12 inches, and fine, 6X.  Sometimes they even eat the dry fly!

Big Wood

Closed until Memorial Day Weekend.  Will probably fish in early June this year. The warm temps and consequent rains have brought the Wood up as well.

Silver Creek

Closed until Memorial Day Weekend.  Hopefully some of the diverted Big Wood waters will improve flows this season.

South Fork of the Boise

Closed until Memorial Day Weekend.  Flowing at 600 today. 

Little Wood above the reservoir

Closed until Memorial Day Weekend.  The Reservoir might be worth a look from a tube on a warm day.

Carey Lake

Bluegill, bass, and some perch have been caught.  The bird life in the spring is cacophonous.

We still have the petition to change the regulations on the Upper Lost and Copper Basin in the shop.  No word yet, but would like to continue the effort until that great watershed is protected.  Stop in the shop and put your John Henry on it!

The Idaho 2 Fly fundraiser for Idaho men with cancer is scheduled for June 13^th at Ron Sali’s 96 acre pond in Eagle.  The lake is full of big largemouth bass and trout.  The entry fee is $500.  The money goes to a great cause.  It is fun fishing, and a very inspirational event in an amazing setting. If you are interested in participating we have flyers at the shop or you can call my cell at 208-720-3813.  Dick Wilson has done a great job with this event and the two Idaho retreats for men with cancer.

We still have room for Yellowstone fishing trips this June and September.  Best dates are June 10-15 or September 16-18.  But we can accommodate any dates in June or September.  These are three-five day fishing trips.  We stay in cabins in West Yellowstone in June and Silver Gate in September.  It really is more than a fishing trip, but angling for native species in the waters flowing off the top of the continental divide is pretty special.

Spring merchandise is arriving at the shop daily.  Our fly tying room is stocked full.  Stop in and share your latest fishing tale. 

Fish far and fine,

Scott Schnebly

Lost River Outfitters  

Fishing Report June 27.2014

Lost River Outfitters Fishing Report 6/27/2014

So many places, so little time.  Since our spring steelhead season finished on the Salmon at the end of April we have visited many of our old fishing haunts and some new ones.  There is always a piece of water that seems to need our attention.  My son Blake and his wife Kelly spent a weekend with us on Anderson Reservoir catching some nice smallmouth, then on to Magic where we had an epic day casting streamers from the bank for 2-4 lb. triploids.  In mid-May I participated in the Idaho 2-Fly which was held at Ron Sali’s 97 acre pond/lake at his fabulous estate in Eagle.  It was a fund raiser for men with cancer in Idaho.  It was an extremely inspirational event and raised some needed monies for two retreats Dick Wilson puts together every year in Copper Basin at Wildhorse Ranch and in Eastern Idaho at Three Rivers Ranch.  If anyone has any inclination to participate in one of Dick’s events let me know and I will put you in touch.  Catching five plus pound largemouth in Ron’s lake was just the icing on the cake at the Idaho 2-Fly event.  A few trips to the lakes in the Sawtooths kept the cobwebs from forming on the six weights for some nice bull trout and a perfected the double haul with full sink lines.  We have been busy.

The season opener found us on Silver Creek guiding sporadic baetis and PMD hatches on the Conservancy waters with some good success.  Sometimes a tiny nymph dropped under a size 16 snowshoe emerger made the day on guided trips. Brown drakes emerged earlier than expected, but the hatches were consistent and heavy.  Our beginner trips to the Willow waters even had good success.  One spinner fall lasted over four hours. 

I had a week guiding in Yellowstone again June 12-19.  The first day salmon flies showed on the Madison in the Park.  It looked like an epic dry fly week and then came the snows.  In spite of some inclement weather all parties experienced some dry fly fishing on the Firehole and the Madison.  Duck Creek was very good.  Many, many big rainbows, three browns, and three brookies over 15 inches made that creek memorable for everyone.  Buffalo calves were in abundance and a lone white wolf was sighted on the Firehole.   The rain and snow showers were not enough to put the rivers out, but did bring up some morels coming and going along the Henry’s Fork.   The Madison gave us some very nice browns and big rainbows fishing a large dry stonefly with a girdle bug dropper.  They ate both.  I hated to leave to return to the high cold waters of the Wood River Valley.

But….on return the Wood was fishable and clear.  The upper Lost and Copper Basin waters receding and we are preparing for a busy summer.

Here are a few tips on our local waters.

Big Wood Drainage

The Big Wood is flowing at 572 today, a bit higher after a nice rain two days ago.  Although the Big Wood did not experience extremely high run off, it flowed long enough and high enough to wash much of the mud and silt from the floods on the burnt ground of last September.  The gravels are much cleaner and the river clear.  If you want to dry fly use a large royal stimulator to raise fish.  You might want to drop a green drake nymph under your dry if you want to catch more fish.  Be prepared for a green drake hatch size 10 in the afternoons.  Green drakes are hatching far up river as Deer Creek and they move their way up river so be on the lookout.  They do like warm muggy overcast days.     

The Lower Big Wood in the Canyon waters is flowing at 911 cfs.  I don’t know how it makes it, but the fish have survived another difficult year of nearly no water.  There have been PMD hatches and if you don’t have surface action a double nymph rig with your favorite small nymphs will work.  Copper johns in brass, red, our favorite little nymph we refer to as blackie and zebra midges are all good choices.

Big Lost Drainage

The Big Lost is lacking snowpack this year.  The upper is flowing at 473 cfs today. The East Fork in Copper Basin is clear and fishable.  The upper Lost is still quite large and pushy.  For dry flies you want to have stimulators in size 8-14, green drakes size 10, and caddis size 14-16.  Green drake nymphs size 10 and stonefly nymphs size 8-10 for those who like to go dark should cover most bases.  Cold water temperatures in this drainage can be a limiting factor, so afternoons  fish  better than mornings.  Please to release your catch and handle with care.  This wonderful resource has no restrictions on trout, just the protected unique whitefish.

The Lower Big Lost is flowing at 375 cfs today, in an attempt to make the water in Mackay Reservoir last through the irrigation season.  That is down from nearly 700 cfs when the dam gate opened.  The Lower Lost is hatching yellow sallies size 14, and pale morning duns size 16 so there is some dry fly fishing.  There are also some olive caddis in size 16.  At these levels you will find soft water to raise some fish.  A few craneflies are also showing for those who like to skate the big fish out of the riffle waters.  Double weighted  nymph rigs size 16-20 will catch fish if there is no rising.  Look for some salmon flies to show.  That hatch on the lower is always a surprise but will bring large trout to the surface with aggression.

Silver Creek

Flows on Silver Creek are at 73 cfs today.  It is very low due to irrigation and a low water year.  Flows  were over 100 cfs just last week then back down again this week.  The new project looks great and will hopefully lower water temperatures on downstream reaches of Silver Creek.  Lost River was able to present the Nature Conservancy ‘s Preserve with a check for $2,400 to help with their portion of the project .  Thank you for your support of our fund raising film event in January.  Expect to see hatches of pale morning duns, baetis, and callibaetis nearly every day.  The baetis are tiny size 22-24.  Callibaetis and PMD’s average size 16, although the early season bug is a bit larger.  A pmd split thorax or callibaetis nymph under your dry works wonders if you are looking for more hookups. Super fly fished down and across is also a good choice on the creek if you are trying to catch a fish for your beginner friend.  Fish have begun to spread out and should continue to do so as the mosses grow and more cover evolves this coming month. Look to blue damsels, hoppers, beetles and ants to raise fish this coming month when mayfly hatches are sparse.  Trico season is just around the corner.

South Fork of the Boise

Flowing at 1810 cfs today, those flows will begin to move some of the silt and sand down river.  Unless you want to just fish the road side from the bank you will need a boat.  I have not seen the rapid below the dam since the flows have increased.  It would be a good idea to scout before launch.  Salmon flies were hatching before the flows went up.  Caddis were also hatching.  Expect pink alberts to begin showing as well.  There is no overnight camping in the canyon this year due to the danger of slides, so day trips only.

Magic

Our last trip to Magic produced a few rainbows.  It looks like they sounded with the surface of the lake warming.   Look for smallmouth to begin showing with the warmer waters along the rocky cliff areas.  Streamer fishing from the bank or a float tube can be very productive for the Magic smallmouth.

Yellowstone Park

If you can make it to the Park before the summer heat begins next week it should be very good.  PMD’s, yellow sallies, caddis, and baetis on the Firehole will be hatching and egg laying.  There should still be some egg laying salmon flies on the Madison and hatches of pale morning duns.  It was very good angling  a week ago.  Fishing the park can be as good as it gets and it is so beautiful.  Forget about the Lamar Valley for a while.  Water in that corner is still massive.  Slough Creek was out of its banks.

Salmon River

Water flow below Yankee Fork is 2,230 today.  That is not much bigger than we have on good water years in April for steelhead.  Two Jack Chinook showed up in the hatchery when they opened the weir.  It is time to add one more trip to the calendar.  There is a salmon season on the upper river this year.

The shop is stocked with new fly tying materials, the new Winston BIIILS Boron rods, and new shipments of bugs are arriving almost daily.  Get your kids or grandkids signed up for our kid’s fishing camp.  We are filling up.  We would just enjoy swapping some fish tales with you if you just want stop in for a quick hello. 

Fish far and fine,

Scott Schnebly