Mid-October Report

Snake River

Its gorgeous out there, but you definitely have to work for your fish with the weather remaining warmish and sunny.  PMDs are hatching in intermittent fashion.  We are also seeing a few mahogany duns, one or two Hecubas every couple of days, and we are starting to see October caddis finally.  The most consistent surface action is occurring on mayfly adult and emerger patterns at the head of riffles, in slower riffle pools, in eddies, and along banks with slow-ish currents.  Expect surface action to start around 11am and continue until 3:30pm or so.  Some days it will last until after 5pm.

Streamers have been back in an on-again-off-again style of consistency. Whether its on or off, definitely fish hard to get into good size and numbers. Bright and neutral colors are working better than darker patterns. It's a good idea to go a bit deeper with your streamers - right around the 2' to 3' range - by using tips in the 3ips to 6ips range and slow to moderate retrieves. this should change with the cooler, wetter weather coming up this week. Target banks, troughs, seams, and riffle pools, especially those that have slow to moderate currents.

South Fork

Flows from Palisades Reservoir are at approx, 5,200cfs.  Air temps continue to cool this October but continuing clear, sunny skies means you have to work for them on the South Fork like you do on most waters in the area.  There is decent to good action on midge and mayfly imitations as chironomid and infrequen PMDs emerge from around 11am until 4pm most days.  Don’t be surprised to get some action on lager foam attractors when fishing dry-dropper rigs.  Target eddies, seams, and banks/structure with slow to moderate currents.  Without question, midge larva/pupa patterns – Zebra Midges, Perdigons, Day-2 Midges – are out performing other nymphs.  Duracells, small Mopscicles, and Pat’s Rubber Leg are worth trying as well.

Streamer action has become less consistent but are still getting into fish in a number of holding water types, including banks, troughs, seams, and side channel mouths.  Floating lines is the best way to go, although short (7ft) sinking tips in the INT to 3ips range are also producing.  Go with moderately sized baitfish imitations and slow to moderate retrieves.

Flat Creek

Midges are emerging during from dawn until 10:30am and again from around 7pm until dusk with consistent feeding occurring for around an hour during each session (although the consistent feeding period can shift from time to time.  There is a bit more consistent subsurface action on midge imitations throughout the day when fished in riffle pools, eddies, and along banks. 

Small streamers continue to work, as do damsel and dragonfly nymphs when fished along undercut banks, eddy current margins, and along deflection seams with moderate depths.  This is definitely the way to go for the MOST consistent production.  Use floating lines with 9 to 12 feet of leader and slow retrieves that are imitative in movement (that’s right! – hand-twist, figure-8, or pinch retrieves.   

Salt River

A gorgeous time on the Salt as the last valley in the watershed with foliage peaks.  Still mostly a subsurface game with dry-dropper rigs with fish taking a variety of small midge/mayfly/caddis imitations in riffles, seams, and eddies.  What surface action is occurring is with either small terrestrial and attractor imitations or midge/trico/BWO patterns sporadically throughout the day from around 9am until 5pm.  This is occurring in the same waters.  Focus on higher gradient reaches unless there is cloud cover (which has been intermittent at best) when low gradient reaches kick a little into gear.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone Lake – Few fish prowling the flats but certainly a good number feeding on drop-offs and on shallow bars down to roughly 12 feet.  For the former, go with intermediate sinking lines.  For the latter, go with full sinking integrated lines in the 4ips to 6ips.  Slow to moderate retrieves with an even cadence is key.  Baitfish imitations across the board.

Lewis Lake – Mackinaw are on their beds and browns continue to stage and run at the inlet and outlet.  The best fishing has been with baitfish imitations fished on hover and intermediate full sinking lines.  Variable retrieves are crucial, with some days slow line strips are working and other days faster presentations producing best.