PMD's and Hoppers

Fishing over the past two weeks with large and small dry flies has been fantastic. Both banks and riffles are producing fish. In most cases we are not using nymphs at all, even as droppers off big bugs.

There really is nothing that compares to fishing dry flies to trout. Watching those fish come up to bugs on the surface is the most exciting way to fish for trout.

The hoppers are everywhere. We are also still seeing golden stones both big and small.

Dry Fly Fishing the South Fork

We are having a very mild summer with temps in the low 80's. The water is cold coming out of Palisades Reservoir. The reservoir is 87% and Jackson Lake is 95% full. We will continue to have great water throughout the year.

Although the majority of the big stoneflies are gone from the river, small dries are still hatching on the South Fork of the Snake. Fish are still taking big dries, both stoneflies and hoppers. The pmd hatches have been very significant too. Fishing just drys or a big dry and a dropper has been very productive. Fishing the parachutes in size 14, 16 and 18 is a real treat.

South Fork Salmon Fly Hatch

The salmon flies are out on the South Fork. The bugs came out about a week ago and are slowly making their way up the river. The stoneflies have been delayed in hatching due to the cold water melt from all the snow we had this past winter.

Along with the salmon flies, there are tons of little yellow sally's and red-tag golden stones. Mayflies are hatching and we also saw a very significant green drake hatch this past two weeks on the South Fork.

We can finally put our strike indicators away after a long spring runoff on the South Fork. We are so tired of using bobbers, we don't want to see them again. Fishing with indicators or bobbers just isn't as fun as dry fly fishing. We are very happy to see the big and little bugs all over the river.

Fishing has improved dramatically over the past week too. Just yesterday I had my wife and children (9,7,4) out fishing the South Fork. They landed 44 trout on one of the lower sections of the river. A great day with only one rod fishing and the kids landing them.

Brian was out with Dean and Karen Scheid and they had over 20 double hookups. They landed between 70 and 80 trout on one of the lower sections of the river.

With all the water and the cold temperatures of the river, the South Fork will be fishing fantastic all summer long on dry flies. Goodbye indicators.

Lunkers released over the last few days on the Henry's Fork river in Idaho.

Big Water Big Fish

With all the high water on the Henry's Fork we have been catching lots of big fish. Those big ones love the high water and we have not had it for many years on the Fork.

Mike Hurley with a 23 x 14 brown on dry fly

Ernie Banks with the season big fish, 25 x 14 on dry fly

Henry's Fork Heating Up

The Henry's Fork has been fishing well the last several days. Randy stated that it is the best he has seen it in over 20 years on one stretch. The bugs are not out in force yet, however the fish are eating nymphs and some dry flies. We are catching many many fish over 20 inches.

Jimmy Jones from Houston landed this 23 x 16 inch brown on the Warm River stretch on the 29th.

Dean Scheid landed this 23.5 brown below Ashton on the 3oth of May.

Early South Fork Fishing

Fishing on the South Fork has been unexpectedly good this May. Normally we would be only on the Henry's Fork this time of year but due to the cold wet weather the salmon fly hatch has been delayed for the time being. Fortunately for us the South Fork has produced some out standing fishing in-particularly for big brown trout. George Geiges caught a 25 inch brown on May 23, and another guest caught a 22 1/2 x 18 hog the day before. We are very lucky to live in such a productive fishing area.