Fishing report

This week’s low-pressure system and snowy sky are going to make for some fantastic winter fishing. The fishing is always best the harder it snows. Don’t stay indoors while it dumps—get out and fish! Expect big Midge hatches to develop as the weather approaches. By Thursday, the fishing should be as good as winter fishing gets.
The Big Wood is where it’s at when it snows! Prolific Midge hatches will get the fish feeding both on the surface and subsurface. The Wood will fish well with any technique you should choose. If you start early and the hatch hasn’t begun, you can try Streamer fishing olive-colored patterns that imitate the Wood River sculpin. This will get the biggest fish in the river moving. Try around submerged boulders, and hip- to thigh-deep riffles. Nymphing will also be productive if that is your preferred method. Try Red Copper Johns, Girdle Bugs, Zebra Nymphs and Prince Nymphs. If you find yourself amongst rising fish, normally between about 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., fish a Griffiths Gnat with a Tie-Down Midge behind it. They cannot resist this fly!
If you are headed to Silver Creek this week, then unweighted Streamers are the way to go. Sparkle Minnows are the fly of choice on the Creek when it’s snowing hard. The snowy days should get the biggest fish out and about searching for a meal. The Creek is open downstream from the Highway 20 bridge and should fish well the lower you go in the system. It’s the time of year to search for the warmer water instead of the cold stuff. You should find fish sitting shallow as they look to get some heat from the sun. This happens quite a bit in the Point of Rocks and Willows section of the Creek. The fish will drop out of the deeper holes and turns and they will go sit in about a foot of water. If you show them a well-placed Streamer, you should see the wakes as they begin to chase the fly down. You should also see a boil or swirl in the water as they eat it!
The South Fork of the Boise and Lost River should fish well in the inclement weather as well, but driving conditions may make the trip not worth doing. If you go, be super-safe and travel with appropriate winter supplies.

Happy fishing, everyone!