Fishing Report

We had our first taste of snow here in the Valley and it was a reminder that winter is not too far off. We do have some beautiful days in the forecast over the next week or so, which means it’s a great opportunity to get outside and wet a line!

Silver Creek has been awesome over the last few days, with plenty of fish rising in the afternoons to Baetis and Midges. If we keep getting these warmish days, the Baetis should continue. Patterns like the Tie-Down Midge or an Rs2 dropped behind a more visible Baetis pattern is a great option right now. Dropping a Midge or Baetis nymph below a dry fly or small indicator can also produce good success.

The brown trout are in full spawn mode as of the last week or so. Remember to leave spawning fish alone and do not wade over the top of cleaned gravel. The eggs will stay in that same redd for two to three months before hatching, which means it’s important for us anglers to watch our step long after the fish have ended their spawn!

The Big Wood River is a great option right now. There has been plenty of rising fish in the afternoons and the fish are really grabby. We are not seeing as many Baetis around, but there are plenty of Midges to keep the fish busy. Setting up a Parachute Adams with a Midge dropped behind it is a great setup. Changing the dropper tag length and alternating the amount of weight on your Midge to cover different columns is a fantastic approach to figuring out where the fish are feeding. Depth is always important, but becomes even more so when the water gets colder—fish don’t want to move more than they have to.

The Lower Big Lost River is fishing well. The river is officially at winter flow and has the fish concentrated in the deeper water. We have been seeing Baetis and Midges in the afternoons with a few fish rising to them. The nymphing has been very good. Try using small Midge and Baetis patterns and focus on the slower, deeper water. Use a small indicator to suspend your nymphs in the slower, less complicated currents, and high stick in the faster water. A red Two Bit Hooker in a size 16-18 and a red Zebra Midge in a size 18-22 are great options.

The Upper Big Lost River is an option, but not for much longer. It’s starting to feel like winter and will only get colder from here on out. The feeding window for the fish is very small this time of year; focus your time on the warmest part of the day. Fishing streamers or large nymphs through the deep pools could entice an eat or two.

The South Fork of the Boise River has been fantastic the last few weeks! There has been plenty of Caddis, Baetis, Mahoganys and Midges around. Look for these hatches to stick around as long as the weather stays nice. Once things start getting colder, we can expect to see the Midges take over as the main bug of choice. Nymphing with stonefly and Midge patterns has been successful when nothing else is going on. Streamers like Sculpins and Leeches have also been working well, especially if you can get a day with a bit of cloud cover.