First Fishing report for 2015

January 19, 2015 Lost River Outfitters Fishing Report

Comfort has returned for the mid winter angler.  Around the holidays the mercury dropped to zero and below at night and barely 10 degrees in the daytime.  Result was shelf ice to begin, then anchor ice from below, then flowing slush, and finally even the fast flowing Big Wood River froze over in many places.  Except for the Nature Conservancy water, Silver Creek was a solid ribbon of ice. You could make it work if you found open water, but only to say you did, at 4 below zero.  Temperatures have moderated to just freezing night time and at or above freezing daytime.  Pleasant.  Although we have not experienced a huge storm yet this winter we are building precious water.  Snow water equivalent is around 103% as of today and precipitation to date is just under 100%.  That is for the Big Wood, Big Lost and Little Wood drainages.  The small storms are adding up.  We can hope for a big dump or just keep the small ones coming.  Statewide we are looking better than we have for a few years. Here is the first fish report of 2015.

Big Wood

Although the Big Wood water gauge in Hailey is still ice affected, I would venture to say that it is flowing below 150 cfs.  Water clarity is good.  There is some slick, sticky, mud from the flash floods of last August and September so take some care in wading.  Nymphing is still the best fish catching technique to be had on the Wood until the midges begin in earnest.  Big black or brindle girdle bugs, weighted, or a small weighted double nymph rig.  4X can be used with the size 10-12 stonefly imitations and 5X-6X with the baby nymphs.  Brassies, Anato mayfly nymphs, copper johns, zebras, two bit hookers, beaded pheasant tails are all good choices for the small flies.  Keep your indicator 8-9 feet from your bugs.  You get better depth and drift presentations that way.  There has been some spotty midge rising, but not enough to get me to change over yet.  It also appears we have a smaller population of catchable trout in the Wood this winter probably because of some attrition due to the dark water issues it has suffered the last two falls with thunderstorm floods on the fire ground.  There are still some nice fish to be had, but be very content with a dozen landings in an afternoon rather than the four dozen hookups you have had in past years.  Best time is still 11:00 to 4:00 pm.

Lower Big Wood below Magic

The lower Wood is flowing at 2.2 cfs, which is about normal for this time of year.  This water also froze solid during the cold weather over Christmas.  The fish in the canyon were stressed last summer due to low, warm water conditions. They are fine now with the oxygen levels higher now in the cold flows.  Although streamer fishing is effective for the larger rainbows and browns in that reach, I prefer hanging a scud imitation, midge imitation, or small weighted nymph under an indicator for more constant results.  The fish in the pools are constantly moving to forage and will find your hanging nymph.  Just try to figure out the proper depth and you will have good success.  On bright days I go deeper, on cloudy windy days shallower.  Generally the nymph should be 3-6 feet beneath your indicator.  You probably want to concentrate on the pools close to the dam.

Silver Creek

The Silver Creek water gauge is also ice affected.  Silver Creek was bank to bank ice over the holidays.  The channel should be open enough to cast streamers today.  Black Buggers and Philo Betto sculpin imitations are our favorites this time of year for both browns and rainbows.

Lower Lost

The Lower Lost is flowing at 88 cfs today, which is good winter flow.  It was down to 55 cfs after irrigation season.  It is too early for baetis to show, but midges should start to attract attention on most days.  Afternoon is usually prime time in the winter on the lower Lost.  Until you see some surface activity you can dredge the deeper pools using a small double nymph rig with one being a green, tan, or black zebra or use a size 10-12 golden stone or black stone imitation.  This set up is very similar to the Big Wood.  When there is surface activity a Wullf adams or purple haze in size 14 with a size 18-20 zebra dropper 10-18 inches down, fished into the heads of the pools in the riffle water can be effective if not deadly.  Presentation can be critical, be aware of drag.

South Fork Boise

The South Fork is flowing at about 305 today.  It is easy to cross and move around at this level.

Reports are that fishing is a bit spotty this winter, similar to the Big Wood.  There have been some large trout caught this winter, however.  Use girdle bugs in the rocky faster reaches drifting the seams and slower moving currents and fish small weighted midge imitations into the heads and riffles and you should have success.  Try to pick a sunny day the inversions have created some cold days in the canyon.

Steelhead

Our spring steelhead season is shaping up to be a good run this year.  Nearly 165,000 fish have crossed Lower Granite dam.  We had a very good fall trip to Riggins this year, hooking over 50 steelhead during the first week of November.   Most of the rivers in northern Idaho have risen this past week making fly rodding a challenge.  The Clearwater is flowing at 9-10,000 right now and is much better at 7,000 cfs.  The Snake is flowing at 27,700.  The Salmon at Riggins is 5,140.  The Little Salmon is at 345 cfs but is very nymphable at that level.  Just add a couple more splits to your Skykomish Sunrise or large Prince nymphs.  Pick a warm day and head to Challis or Salmon and you should be able to swing one up.  Sink tips will help get the fly closer to the fish in the cold water conditions.  We are now booking the Stanley Steelhead lodge for March and April.  Give us a call if you might want to bring a group or your fishing partner for a memorable adventure on the Salmon River surrounded by the spectacular Sawtooth Mountains.

Fish far and fine,

Scott Schnebly

Lost River Outfitters


News from the store:

  We have just received new merchandise from Patagonia, new Nano Air Hooded Jackets, jackets , and vests.....these new items are great for high aerobic output activities such as skate skiing, snow shoeing, back country skiing. The great new face fabric is breathable! Come check it out. Everyone who owns one of these great jackets loves them! For the non-aerobic portion of your adventure, all you have to add is a wind proof shell and you now have a toasty warm jacket. This is a new exciting layering piece.

Don't forget to book your steelhead fishing adventure at our Stanley Steelhead Lodge! Space is limited , so the time to boo this is now.

Our other fun adventure trip is a multi-day trip to Yellowstone Park. Lodging fills up fast, so plan theses trips now. We like to go to the West side of the park in June and go to the NE corner in September.

Also do not forget about back-packing/fishing trips to the Pioneer mountains. We bring back packing float tubes and can hire mules to pack in all of our gear. We can do ladies only trips or trips for families or children.

For winter excitement we offer winter guide trips with all gear and flies included in the price. If you like to combine a fishing day with a ski day, we'll gladly pick you up at the bottom of River Run.

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