info@picaboangler.com
(208)788.3536
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One of the special things about fly fishing is how meditative it can be—the moving water, the sounds of nature, the almost poetic loop formed with each cast. All this and more comes together to completely consume the mind. With everything going on right now, it’s a perfect time to head for the river and find a little bit of solitude, maybe even a couple of hungry trout.
Silver Creek has finally started to color up a little bit with the recent spike in flows. The midges continue to hatch in strong numbers, with plenty of fish up on them, especially lower in the system. The baetis are showing up but seem to be much more sporadic in numbers and seem to be hatching in some sections of the creek better than others. Streamer fishing has been really good on the cloudier days and folks fishing dry dropper rigs with midge and baetis nymphs are having success. The creek closes at the end of March so be sure to take advantage before then.
The Big Wood River has been fishing great! There are fish being caught on dry flies, nymphs and streamers. Look for fish taking midges in tailouts in the afternoon and keep an eye out for some baetis to show up. A dry dropper setup with a Parachute Adams and midge or baetis nymph below it is a great way to cover water until you find rising fish. Start with a deeper dropper earlier in the day and, as it warms up, you can adjust accordingly to the depth fish are feeding. If you get a cloudy day, try swinging a small sculpin pattern or egg-sucking leech and target some fired-up prespawn rainbows. The Big Wood, like Silver Creek, closes at the end of this month, so get after it while you can!
The lower Big Lost River, unlike Silver Creek and the Big Wood, stays open year-round, so when the other places close, this can be a fantastic option up until they raise the water. Look for big hatches of baetis and midges mixed in; this can be some of the best fishing of the year on the lower Lost as the fish are fired up and the baetis can be extremely thick. Watch out for spawning fish, as this fishery spawns early compared to our other fisheries. Focus on not wading on cleaned gravel and leave fish that are actively spawning alone!
Picabo Angler is offering a cannot-miss SPECIAL on guided trips until the end of the month. Call us at the shop today to find out more: (208) 788-3536.
