Week of May 21, 2008
The hot weather of the last week has accelerated our snow melt. Freestone rivers are high, cold and muddy. Most ran above average for the last week. It may bode well for them being fishable when the hatches begin. It looks like the high water happened in May, and could have peaked already instead of lasting until June 13-15, the historical peak. It has also been dry which is not adding anything more to the reservoirs or water tables in central Idaho.
The weather forcast for next week calls for cooler temperatures and showery conditions. Anticipate that most freestone rivers will still be high and not fishable with a fly. The overcast conditions should improve hatching conditions on Silver Creek and other spring creeks in the valley.
South Fork of the Boise
The South Fork of the Boise at Featherville is flowing 5,260 cfs going into Anderson Reservoir. Below the dam it is flowing at 600 cfs. If the floodgates are not opened by the weekend opener, the tailwater should fish fine. At 600 cfs, wading can be difficult, and boat access is the right approach. Don’t anticipate hatches this early, as this is going to be very cold water coming from the bottom of the reservoir. Nymphing will be the most productive early season. Try a brown or black girdle bug or your favorite stonefly nymph in the rocky pockets or the riffle heads of the pools.
Don’t forget about Anderson Reservoir. It has nice rainbows, a good offering of smallmouth bass and some big bull trout. It is not crowded, compared to our rivers.
Yellowstone Park
The Yellowstone River is closed until July 15. The Lamar was flowing at 10,500 cfs. Slough Creek is probably half of that. The Madison in the Park is 1,380 as of today. The Firehole flows are 755 cfs. Cooler temperatures should drop the Madison, Gibbon and Firehole Rivers by the Memorial day opener. I would spend most of my time on the Firehole or tributaries, if you are in the Park the first week of the season. Anticipate PMD hatches and possibly baetis if it is overcast. Caddis will probably not show unless we have some warm temperatures. Stoneflies will be hatching by mid June. We still have some openings in June in the Park. Our September schedule is pretty solid in the Lamar Valley, but we could squeeze a few more trips into the schedule. We will be based in Silver Gate at the N.E. entrance from Sept. 4 until the 25th, after which we will move to West Yellowstone for the next two weeks. Let us know if you are interested in 3-5 day trip on some of the world’s most famous rivers. scott@lostriveroutfitters.com Many of these trips are booked a year in advance in order to book the proper cabins for your group. Yellowstone trips are more than fishing and much closer than Argentina and Chile. “Lost River Outfitters domestic international offering.”
Mountain Lakes
Probably not. Ice. Drive in Lakes like Stanley Lake for Mackinaw might be worth the picnic trip though.
Big Wood River
The Big Wood is flowing at 2,410 cfs today. It will probably be a few weeks before it drops and clears enough to fish. When it does, look to the side channels where the rainbows have taken refuge from the high water and probably spawned. Large stonefly, green drake nymphs and buggers will work when conditions improve.
The lower Big Wood, below Magic Reservoir, will probably be running hard by the opening day. If you can access it or float it, it should fish with streamers and medium sized nymphs. There is no gauge on that section of river, nor has there been an indication as to when the flood gates are opening for irrigation season. There were plenty of fish that made it through the winter in the canyon, so the lower Wood should fish well this summer if our water holds out.
Big Lost River
The upper Big Lost is flowing above normal for this time of year as well, at 1,530 cfs. We could have the Copper Basin area fishing by the latter part of June. Water temperatures are the key to making this work. When it clears, afternoons and evenings will be the best time on this water. Green drake nymphs, stonefly nymphs and large bushy dry flies with a weighted dropper will be the initial offerings.
The lower Lost is flowing at 276 cfs today. If there is not a call for more water by the Memorial Day opener, this reach will fish well. I would not anticipate any dry fly action yet, but small to medium sized weighted nymphs with indicators will catch fish. These rainbows are generally not picky early season. They are just interested in eating. Anticipate this water to rise as water calls are made from farmers, 276 cfs won’t last long. We will probably have flows around 1,000 cfs by early June. At this level the lower Lost River is not very wadeable, but is still fishable.
Little Wood River (Desert)
Low and clear. I don’t have a cfs report, but it probably won’t rise much. Most of the Little Wood water will be used on the farms in Carey so flows will be Silver Creek water. A trip to the Little Wood is always a treat early season. The fishing can be spectacular or spotty. Reports into the shop this year already have reflected that. A few fishermen report nice sized browns to 17-18 inches, however one of our guides just made a trip down and found only small rainbows and browns with a large fish being 10 inches. The low summer flows of the last two years seem to have affected the size of fish on this beautiful dessert stream. Hopefully it will return soon. Expect giant stonefly hatches and prairie caddis to make up the early season dry fly action. Stonefly nymphs and prince nymphs are always good. If you are looking for the lunker brown a large streamer or maybe even a mouse pattern in the deep cliff pools.
Silver Creek
Silver Creek will be loved to death this Memorial Day opener. It should hatch Pale Morning Duns if the overcast weather predicted comes to pass. Early season callibaetis and maybe even some baetis could show. Most hatching will be after 11 am. It will be interesting to see if 5X or 6X will be the starting point for these selective trout. Flows on the Creek are 73 cfs today. With the warm weather the pumps started irrigating and levels dropped 20 cfs almost overnight. Hopefully the aquifers will fill soon as these flows are not really healthy for the Silver Creek fish populations.
Carey Lake
A nice option. Large bluegill and some nice bass can be had from your float tube if you like some variety.
A Stayner ducktail or large Prince nymph against the deep water banks will take some nice bluegill. Largest in recent memory was a 11 3/4 inch bluegill. The odd bass will take the nymph as well, but a bugger or popper a better choice to target the largemouth.
Salmon River
Salmon season is open on the lower river. Flows at Whitebird are 90,000 cfs. The Clearwater is flooding. Maybe the cooler conditions will change this and give us a chance at the Chinook run, but the trip is not worth the price of OPEC right now.
There has been talk of a Salmon season on the Upper Salmon, where we guide steelhead in April, from Torrey’s hole to the Sawtooth hatchery. We have not heard of a decision yet and will report when we do. That would probably be a quota season in August.
We have filled much of the calendar and the lodge for next April’s steelhead season. If you want particular guides, dates, or lodging call now. 208-726-1706. We have an arrangement to lease more lodging next door to our lodge and don’t want you left out, if you are interested.
Closing Notes
Preserve and protect your local waters. Travel is getting expensive. Your local lakes, ponds and rivers will be huge resources for your fishing future.
Fish far and fine,
Scott Schnebly
Lost River Outfitters