The latter part of April signals a time of transition on our local fisheries. Parts of Silver Creek, the Big Wood River, and the South Fork Boise River below Anderson Ranch remain closed and re-open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The lower Big Lost River is open all year, but it won’t be long before flows increase to “summer levels” and render the river unfishable for several months. Silver Creek downstream of the Highway 20 bridge remains open all year and continues to fish well. Steelhead season on the Salmon River is winding down (closing at the end of April), and fish are concentrating on spawning areas on the upper river around Stanley. While the fishing in local rivers wanes, our area stillwaters come into their own, providing a great change of pace and some outstanding fishing opportunities.
Magic Reservoir can yield some incredible fishing. Now is the time to check out areas like Myrtle Point, the Narrows, Hot Springs Landing, and the bay at the dam. Don’t forget your leech patterns. Balanced Leeches, Pine Squirrel Leeches, and Rabbit Strip Leeches in black, olive, and brown are incredibly productive. These patterns can be fished a variety of ways – under an indicator, stripped on a floating line, or stripped on an intermediate/sinking line. Experiment with depth to find out where the fish are.
The Big Lost River below Mackay Reservoir remains open to fishing with flows at approximately 90 CFS. If flows remain stable, fishing should continue to be excellent. Nymphing on the Big Lost will be the most productive technique in the morning, and anglers will see midges and BWOs in the afternoon. Please be mindful of spawning rainbows on the river and avoid any spawning redds.
On Silver Creek (downstream of the Highway 20 bridge), look for excellent hatches of midges and BWOs in the afternoon. With flows currently at 140 CFS, this is a wonderful time to fish leech patterns and your favorite streamers on the creek.
Remember, keep an eye on our blog and social media for upcoming information on the Opening Weekend Party at Picabo Angler on Friday, May 23rd. You DO NOT want to miss it!
Happy fishing everyone!
