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

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