Opening Day is right around the corner and what a special day it is! With two weeks to go, are you ready? Now is the time to prepare and gear up. Clean old lines, buy new ones, fill the fly boxes up and patch your waders. Maybe some new boot laces or a bag for that old net? There is a lot to do and not much time left to do it.
At Picabo Angler we are gearing up and receiving new product daily. This also means all the new fly patterns are in the bins. We are currently running a special on rubber-legged patterns so you can be ready for Salmon Fly season. We have lots of attractors and water walkers as well. It is also a time to get your Brown Drakes while we have all the patterns in stock. The past few seasons the Brown Drakes have begun the Wednesday after the opener… most likely the first week of June this year.
We will be having our annual Opening Day Eve Party again this year. Come on down the Friday night before the May 28th opener and join your fellow anglers for fish talk and cold beers! We will have rods to cast and a few vendors will be showing off their latest and greatest. The party starts at 5 p.m. May 27th and goes until dark. Come join the fun and say hello. Bring a tent and sleep near the Creek so you don’t have to drive around.
Opening Day hatches on Silver Creek include Baetis, PMD, Ants and Beetles. Have a variety of these in your box and you’ll be set for the day. If the water is clear on the Big Wood, anglers will be able to cast large attractors, like Royal Stimulators or even rubber-legged Salmon Fly patterns. Hang a beadhead nymph under these like a Copper John or Prince Nymph and then find the soft water where the fish will be avoiding strong, cold spring currents.
Tailwaters like the Lost River and South Fork of the Boise will also fish well depending on the levels. The South Fork normally starts the season as a driftboat river. Small attractors and large nymphs are the way to go on the Boise. The lower Lost may fish if the flows are reasonable. Expect mostly nymphing with small red nymphs and micro nymphs like Two-Bits and Zebra Midges.
See you all soon—and happy fishing!