Summer has settled in and with it summer fishing conditions.
On the Big Wood River, flows are currently at 368 CFS in Hailey with excellent clarity, making for solid wading and even better fishing. Green drakes are prevalent, especially between Hailey and Ketchum, and the fish have been keyed in on them. Nymphing has been especially effective during non-hatch hours, with larger stonefly nymphs, midges, and attractor nymphs producing steady action.
Silver Creek is holding steady at 124 CFS. The dry-fly bite remains strong, especially on windy days when terrestrials such as ants and beetles get blown into the water. Mornings are still seeing good Baetis activity and stronger numbers of Tricos, while midday has offered consistent Callibaetis hatches. Damsel activity has picked up and we expect to see ’hoppers by the end of the month.
The Lower Big Lost River has dropped to 389 CFS, creating better access and clearer water. While still a bit pushy, flows are dropping daily, and fishing is improving, particularly with nymphs. Go-to patterns include perdigons in olive, brown and purple, which help get down quickly in deeper runs. Zebra midges in black, red or olive are a staple, particularly in slower seams and pockets.
The Upper Lost is fishing well, but a bit busy. There are hordes of insects on the waters of the Upper Lost – PMDs, Caddis, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Green Drakes, and even a few Salmonflies. Covering water and fishing thoroughly will increase your chances here, as fish are spread throughout the system.
On the Salmon River, flows at the Yankee Fork are 1150 CFS, and the river is in prime dry-fly shape! Look for Salmonflies, Golden Stones and Green Drakes, and, of course, your favorite dropper fished under a large, bushy dry will fool plenty of fish.
As always this time of year, don’t overlook low-light conditions. Fish are most active during the first few hours of light and again near sunset. Hot afternoons can be slower, but windy conditions often help push terrestrials onto the water, triggering aggressive surface takes.
We hope everyone has a happy, safe, and healthy Fourth of July.
Happy fishing, everyone!