July 15th Report

Snake River

Golden stones are prevalent upstream of Moose Bridge and caddis, PMDs, and yellow sallies are appearing on every reach, some days in strong numbers.  The sweet spot continues to befrom around 10:30am until around 4:30pm, although there has been more than respectable action as early as 8:30am (especially on parallel drop-offs and several feet off of banks).  Multiple water types are producing, including riffles and confluences.  Seams and troughs (particularly those formed along structure) are definite hot spots with dry-dropper rigs, especially those with dropper tippets 2’ in length or less.  Eddies have not kicked into gear yet.

Streamers seem to be producing better with each passing week over the past three weeks.  Moderately sized patterns are working far better than smaller and larger ones, and faster currents are now producing just as well as slower currents.  Sinking tips in the INT to 6ips range are working best.  Target banks with slow to moderate currents, slow current margins on seam, structure, and fast current riffles.

NOTE – With water temperatures climbing above 68 degrees, please consider starting early and finishing by 3pm on the Snake River.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir stand at approximately 13,200cfs.  Salmon flies have worked their way into the upper reach above Spring Creek Bridge and there is decent action on large to moderately sized attractors when fished along banks, structure, troughs, and in riffles.  Getting you flies in tight to holding water on banks and structure and troughs is key, as is mending to move the fly, which can draw eats and hookups.  Rychophila caddis, yellow sallies, and green drakes can be seen each day from the Dam down to Wolf Eddy.  PMDs clearly dominate the surface activity particularly from around 11:30am until after 4pm.  Mornings can be slow but worth fishing for opportunistic fish.  Most of the action starts a little after 10:30am and surface feeding intensifies after 11am.  Eddies might be the only water offering slow action on the surface (much like on the Snake).

Streamers have been working on all reaches and do very well in the Canyon reaches.  As has been the case over the past couple of weeks, both large and moderately sized imitations are producing equally well.  Go with Floating lines with heavy flies or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range and do slow to moderate retrieves in the morning and moderate to slow retrieves after 11:30am. 

Green River

Still some gray drakes and yellow sallies popping around but you will notice the standard caddis in the morning and PMDs in the afternoon more than anything else.  Water temps continue to rise, so an early start is key.  Action on the surface and with dropper nymphs is good to very good on all reaches until around 11am, after which there is a noticeable slowdown in activity  At around 2pm, this slowdown intensifies.  Seams, eddies, and banks that are undercut or with overhanging vegetation are prime targets.

Streamer are producing well on all reaches but continue to work best upstream of Daniel Bridge and from Huston’s down to Sommers Bridge.  Floating lines or sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range are working best, along with moderate retrieves and downstream presentations.

NOTE – With water temperatures climbing above 70 degrees, please consider starting early and finishing by 2pm on the Green and New Fork Rivers.

Salt River

Fishing has been most productive from Swimming Pool down to the lake as well as upstream of Thayne.  Still some decent hatches of PMDs and yellow sallies and we are starting to see our first tricos (just a smattering).  Carpenter ants are still out.  Tandem dry and dry dropper rigs are working best in seams, eddies, troughs, and riffles, with the best action occurring from around 8:30am until around 2:30pm.