Fish The Fly Travel Blog

Snake River

The Snake River through the Jackson Hole valley has remained consistent dry fly fishing since our last report.  Our fall stonefly, Claasenia Sabulosa, has begun to emerge in all sections and has kept the cutthroat looking up for big bugs, especially early and late in the day. Look for these to continue into September and twitch those flies! 

PMD’s and Little Yellow Stones are still popping around 11am and fish key in on them in those riffles where they are present in good numbers. Grasshoppers, Beetles, and Flying Ants are becoming more important on our warmer afternoons.  Rhyacophilia Caddis are out and about and give you another option for dry flies.  We will start looking for Timponoga Hecuba mayflies to emerge in the last part of this month on our cloudy days…

Best Flies: #8-10 Olive, Tan, Purple Water Walkers, #10-12 Red Fat Alberts, #16 Q’s Sparkle Stacker, #12-14 Lime PMX, #12 Yellow Stimmies, #12 Tan, Green Grand Hopper

Mmmmm, I love stoneflies!

Backcountry Creeks

Some of our larger, and therefore colder, backcountry creeks are still fishing well.  We are still seeing Grey Drakes on these creeks and the cutthroat dig them!  If you look closely, you will see a few Claasenia Sabulosa shucks on the more oxygenated riffles, so larger Stonefly patterns are in play and have been productive early in the mornings.  Grasshoppers are coming into play more each day….. 

The smaller creeks are a bit too warm in their lower reaches to be very productive, but if you like to hike they can be very rewarding higher up where the water temps are cooler…

Ro Thompson holds a nice backcountry cuttie.

Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi held his annual fund raiser yesterday and Fish the Fly was proud to host the fishing portion of the event.  We had 14 boats spread out through the entire length of the Snake river from Grand Teton National Park all the way down to the whitewater section south of town.  This is our 4th year hosting this event and we look forward to next year!

Everyone had great time and fishing reports came back very solid for all stretches.  Our fall Claasenia Stonefly has begun its hatch on the whole river and this has the cutthroat chasing big bugs on the surface.  Localized PMD and Yellow Sally hatches are still important and fish will focus on them in certain areas where they are hatching.  A few pickier fish are eating Caddis and Beetles as well. Look for a more detailed report soon….

WY Senator Mike Enzi enjoys his fly fishing event in Jackson Hole!

It’s terrestrial time here in Yellowstone country!  The Yellowstone River tops the list for large cutthroat eating small hopper patterns, flying ants, and beetles.  PMD’s and caddis are still on the menu as well.  Cover a lot of water and look for noses tight to the banks or fish that are cruising.  Make a great cast and you will be rewarded with cutthroat up to 23″!  Tributaries to the Yellowstone, such as Blacktail Deer and Hell Roaring, fish well with mayfly attractors and hoppers.  Now is a great time to pick any creek in the Park and take a walk with your fly rod….

Closer to home, Lewis Lake has been fly fishing well during PMD hatch times 10am-12pm or so.  Cruise the shorelines and look for rises even if you don’t have a boat.  Caddis action in the evenings has been solid and offers up great fishing for brown trout to 20″.   

Best Flies: #10-14 Grand Hoppers , #14-16 Flying Ants, #14-16 Black Beetles, #16 Royal Wulffs, #16 PMD Cripples

There has been alot going on on the Snake River recently!  We are in the height of the summer season and have had a few accidents.  Lives have been saved by quick actions from both guides and River Rangers.  Check out the Snake River Fund blog for specific information. 

While there, please read about Proposition 8 and if you’re local- vote for it!  This is a great way to get a hold on the busiest section of river in the valley, Wilson-South Park. The list of reasons to vote for this Proposition is long and varied, not only for fly fishing interests but the general public as well.  Absentee ballots can be picked up at the County offices and returned at anytime before August 17th.

The Wild Trout Symposium will be held in West Yellowstone September 28-30, 2010. Session topics include: Climate Change and Wild Trout; Economic and Cultural Values of Wild Trout; Genetic Considerations for Managing Wild Trout; Wild Trout in the face of Invasive Species and Diseases; Management and Conservation of Wild Trout; and Resource Extraction and Wild Trout Restoration Efforts.  This is a great to excuse to visit the area and learn about the latest conservation efforts.

The South Fork of the Snake River continues to provide excellent fly fishing!  The initial push of Salmonflies and Goldens has passed through all the way up to Swan Valley.  This made the fish (and anglers) very happy!  The PMD’s have been very consistent starting by 11am in the riffles and lasting until about 3pm or so.  If clouds and rain showers come in the afternoon, then the riffle fishing goes into the evening on all sections. Bank fishing is still solid, but the trout have become pickier on patterns and presentations.

The best news is that the second brood of Golden Stones has started in section #4 (below Byington) and is beginning to move upstream.  This has the brown trout down there crushing Stonefly patterns on the banks! Flies still need to be presented tight ( a few inches not a few feet) to these banks for them to get eaten.  The PMD’s have big browns feeding in the skinniest water in the riffles, as little as four inches! On a recent guided trip for TLAPC, we sight fished and caught a 20″ brown on a size #18 fly.  I’ll share pictures when I receive them…..

Snake River

Fly fishing on the Snake has been very good since our last report.  The Goldens have made their way upstream and can still be found between Pacific Creek and Moose.  PMD and Yellow Sallies hatches remain solid and keep the fish rising throughout the system.  Caddis have been important, especially early in the morning on our guided trips.  The nymphs of all three of these bugs have been the droppers (2′) under bugs like the #10 Chubby Chernobyl or Melon Belly. Check out this nice 18″ brown trout (rare for the Snake) that Aaron Hollern caught on a recent trip…

Aaron Hollern and guide Tim Smith celebrate a nice 18" brown trout from the lower Snake.

Backcountry

All of our backcountry creeks are in fne shape currently.  On a couple of them, the water temperaures on the lower end of the creek are high enough that some fish have dropped out of the system.  This means the upper reaches are the place to be!  The farther you go the better it is….

On our larger creeks, the water level have dropped and the bigger cutthroat are still easily found.  These creeks will be in prime fly fishing shape for the next month or so.  I had a great day with Allison and John Pacifico recently. These two “city slickers” were new to fly fishing and had never been in a designated wilderness before.  So beyond the Wilderness boundary we went and caught over two dozen fish! #12 Yellow PMX’s and Humpies were the ticket on this day, but we will be looking for hoppers soon. 

Allison and John Pacifico cross a beaver dam on the way to the promised land.

Fly fishing on the South Fork of the Snake River is very good currently.  For the most part the Salmonfly hatch was a bust this year.  Fluctuating high water flows hindered the adults, but the nymph fishing remains strong.  Golden Stones, Caddis, PMD’s, and Yellow Sallies  have filled the void nicely.

The canyon sections are fishing the best for surface activity.  Golden Stones and large Prairie caddis imitations get the fishing going in the morning and are great bank flies. Streamers are also an excellent way to hook large trout early in the day.  Riffle action gets going by 11am and is an exciting game to play!  Sulfurs, Pink Albert PMD’ s, and Red Butt Yellow Sallies, and Mahoganies have the fish feeding hungrily and bring up all sizes and varieties of trout. The average sized fish is pictured below.

The Upper section in Swan Valley has fished, mostly on nymph rigs, but dry fly activity is picking up daily.  The best fishing has been in the riffles, along eddy lines, and shallow seams.  Look for this to improve as the week progresses.

Best Flies:  #8-10 Chubby Chernobyl, #8-10 Melon Bellies, #16 Yellow Stimmies, #12 CDC Caddis, #16-18 Pink Para Cripples, #6-8 Pat’s Rubberlgs, #16-18 Rainbow Warriors, #6 Olive Silvey’s Sculpin

Smokey the Bear holds a nice riffle cutthroat from the South Fork.

It has been awhile since we wrote a report on  the fly fishing conditions on the Green and we apologize!  The river has fished well with some large trout being caught, especially on nymphs.  Flows are finally steady around 600 cfs, which makes the fishing a bit more challenging.  Dry flies must be fished tight to structure and banks, with emphasis on tight!  As flows recede, this will increase your chances of hooking into a 20″+ trout.  As temperatures continue to get warmer, the best surface fishing window is shorter, beginning by 8am and ending at the latest by 1pm.

Large atttractors are still working, as well as Gray Drake, Yellow Sally, and PMD  imitations. Cripples and Emerger patterns will fool those picky browns in slower water along the banks and in riffles.  Streamers are best in the early mornings during low light conditions. 

Best Flies:  #8-10 Melon Bellies,   #8-12 Olive Water Walkers, #8-12 Red Willie’s Ant, #16 Yellow Stimulator, #12 Quad Quill Drake, #12 Drake Spinners, #16-18 Pablo’s Cripple PMD, #6 JJ’s Special, #6 Olive Silvey’s Sculpin

Now is a great time to be exploring the smaller waters of Yellowstone Park! Creeks such as Nez Perce, the Little Firehole, Grayling, Obsidian and Indian are all fly fishing well.  Try some PMD, Caddis, and attractor patterns and watch the fish crash your fly.  Don’t forget to enjoy the scenery and solitude!

The Yellowstone River opened to angling last week and if you stalk the banks you will find large cutthroat rising to Golden Stones, Caddis, Green Drakes, and PMD’s. Our thoughts go out to the family of 65 year old Frank Jaszcz who lost his footing while fishing here last Thursday and drowned.

The Gallatin River is fishing well from 10am until dark right now.  The fish are all over Caddis, PMD’s, Green Drakes, and Flavs.  This is a great place to wet a line if you’re on your way to Bozeman….

Fish Creek in the Jackson Hole valley is fly fishing very well!  The upper end of the creek between Wilson and Teton Village has seen many trophy cutthroat move into it and take up lies. Fish are not in every hole, so it is necessary to keep moving until you find them.  PMD hatches are getting started around 10am and fish will stack up into the best feeding lanes.  Imagine 8-10 Snake River Cutts 18-22″ feeding simaltaneously in one hole….

Golden Stones, Caddis, and Yellow Sallies keep the fish looking up after the PMD hatch ends around1:30pm.  Cast flies tight to the banks to get these wary cutthroat to eat! 

Best Flies:#16-18 Lawson’s PMD Cripple, #16 CDC PMD Sparkle Dun, #16-18 Thorax PMD, #16-18 Elk Hair Caddis, #8 Water Walker Golden, #14-16 Yellow Stimmie

Rick Johnson with a hefty fish on during a recent PMD hatch.