August is here and we are excited to see the water temps down from the recent rainstorms and cool nights. With that comes more angling opportunities and happy fish. The rain also brought a bump in water flows around the valley, resulting in better undercut banks and more places for fish to hide. The Nature Conservancy is open as of Wednesday, the fish are healthy, and it’s time to start fishing the Preserve! Here’s some helpful info and tips to make your next trip out on the water a fishy one.
Silver Creek: With the Preserve opening, we are going to see fish that haven’t seen a fly in some time, so make sure to get out there and try your luck. You will see a Trico spinner fall in the morning from 8-11 a.m. when the wind stays down. Following that, you can throw a plethora of different terrestrials, including Hoppers, Ants and Beetles. With that said, it is Hopper time on Silver Creek! Get your big foam Hoppers out and cover some water.
Big Wood: The Big Wood has recently seen a spike in flows that have resulted in some days of muddy and washed-out water. However, the water has cleared up back to its normal visibility. Since the rain, the color red has been producing fish. Attractors with droppers will be the ticket, and with the recent fishing pressure it is probably worth it to downsize your bugs. Be ready for a Trico spinner fall in the morning, as well. Try not to pass up the fast water at the beginning and end of runs; fish are loving the higher water and are held up in areas with lots of dissolved oxygen and flow.
Lost River: The upper Lost has been good in the early mornings. Wet wading can be a bit chilly in the morning, but worth having when the temps start rising. PMDs in size 16 are typical around 9 a.m. You can even pick up some rising whitefish on them. If you are covering water, use a big-boned caddis 14 to a natural-color nymph/dropper and expect takes on both. Walking a fair distance this time of year will produce more takes. Finding fresh fish is very important when it comes to the upper Lost. When in doubt, the fish in the upper Lost will almost always take a well-presented Ant pattern.