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Low pressure returns to the Sun Valley / Picabo area this week. That is great news for winter anglers. The cloud cover and darker sky should make the fish brave and get the biggest ones on the bite. The low pressure should also help spur on the winter Midge hatches, giving dry-fly anglers a wonderful opportunity.
Silver Creek has been fishing really well with Streamers when the sun isn’t bright in the sky. The lower Creek is your best bet as the water is slightly warmer in the lower reaches and the fish will move into those temps. If you are fishing Streamers on Silver Creek, don’t get caught up in only fishing the deepest water you can find. The fish in the Creek are predisposed to shallow water and, when things turn cold, the trout like to hang out in the shallows adjacent to deeper water. These shallow areas carry radiant heat to the fish and they will sit in one spot all day, warming and waiting for a bite to eat. So, if you Streamer fish the Creek, wade quietly and fish everything!
The low pressure should really make the Big Wood fish great as the Midge hatches are always the biggest on stormy days. The fishing has been great mid-valley where the runs and riffles get some depth and the speed slows. Look for the water that is slow enough you can see the Midges on the surface and is knee deep or deeper. Also watch the back eddies and foam lines when things start percolating. The bigger the hatch, the more the fish will spread out from their winter holds.
Once again, there has been very little fishing pressure and very few reports about the South Fork of the Boise and the Big Lost rivers. This means you should definitely go fish them! The lack of pressure is a report in and of itself. With that said, the winter driving conditions do come into play and these fisheries are probably best fished with a travel buddy.
Streamers for the winter include Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow and Olive Buggers. Nymph boxes should have Zebra Midges, Prince Nymphs, Girdle Bugs and Brassies. If you are fishing dry flies, be sure to have a Griffith’s Gnat and a Trailing Shuck Midge. One of the best things about winter fishing is it is not fly or gear intensive. Just grab a handful and have fun!
Happy fishing, everyone!