Huge Runoff...Firehole "On Fire"

Water levels throughout Wyoming and Eastern Idaho surged this week, as very heavy rains pounded the deep snow pack in the high peaks. Throughout the region, a very cool and wet May prevented much of the spring runoff from beginning. It really kicked into high gear this week. Heavy rains, and warmer temperatures brought the Snake River up to near record runoff levels. For those who do not know, the river volume is measured in "cfs", meaning "cubic feet per second". By drawing an imaginary line across the river, hydrologists can measure how many cubic feet of water are flowing by per second. Although we have not seen the record levels recorded from June 1997, the flows measured last week were very close.
Here are a few photos from the Snake River I snapped a few days ago. The first two at South Park Bridge, show a Snake River full of debris, looking more like chocolate milk, than river water. The third photo was taken at the Moose boat launch in Teton Park. The ramp is completely under water here. The South Park photos were taken on Wednesday, when the river was running about 22,000 cfs. For comparison, most guides would agree that after runoff, the Snake fishes best at about 2,500 cfs.
The South Fork of the Snake in Idaho, spilling out of Palisades Reservoir, was brought up to almost 22,000 cfs this weekend, in response to so much water coming out of Wyoming. I guided there last Tuesday at 14,500 cfs, and had tough fishing.
Although it is limiting our fishing options right now, the good news is that in high runoff years, the angling later in the summer can be excellent! The best bet around here right now is the Firehole River, in Yellowstone National Park. I spent the day there on Friday, and found stellar fishing; dries and nymphs were OK, but the streamer fishing was on fire. This can be the case in the spring when the river is higher.

Heavy Rains

The past few days around Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho have brought us some very heavy rains, and warmer temperatures. The runoff has now been kicked into a much higher gear. The Buffalo Fork, Pacific Creek and the Gros Ventre River are all running at a very high level, with a chocolate milk coloring. The Snake River is running over 16,000 cfs at the bottom of the Snake River Canyon, and it is still rising. They are increasing the flows out of Jackson Lake Dam, as Jackson Lake nears capacity. The Green River is also running high and dirty at 1,860 cfs. Flood warnings were issued today also for the Henry's Fork River near Ashton, Idaho. A couple of months ago, we were worried about snowpack and water; at this point, things are looking much better. There is still a significant amount of snow left in Rendezvous Bowl at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. This is the snowfield that locals use as a gage to figure out when the Snake will be ready to fish. I'd say it will now be another 4 weeks at least before we are back on the Snake River. The best bet right now for local fishing is either on the Firehole River (which is running a little high also at almost 800 cfs), or the South Fork of the Snake. The South Fork is running at almost 9,000 cfs near Irwin, which is a great level to float. Both Palisades Creek and Pine Creek are putting in some muddy water right now, so be aware. The river is still fishable, with much of the dirty water mixing in. I guided on the Upper South Fork on Friday and had decent nymph fishing. Lightning Bugs and Red Copper Johns did fairly well. There was virtually no action on dries or streamers that we could find. Here's Memphis resident Ed Robertson with our best fish of the day...an 18" Brown trout. Nice fish Ed!

The Real Wyoming

Happy Memorial Day to everyone out there. I'm sure there were plenty of barbeque's, beers and probably some fishing done out there this weekend. To quote my good friend Jeremy Larsen Kiuhara on Facebook today: "You are not forgotten". That about sums up Memorial Day for me. The fishing season in Yellowstone National Park opened on Saturday, and as usual, the main event was on the Firehole River. Typically, this river is at its best this time of year. With warmer water temperatures, and a gentle runoff there, the fishing and hatches can often be fantastic in late May. I got two different reports from some guides who went up to fish, and it sounds like the angling was great. The weather North of here was snowy and cold; I'm sure the BWO's were out. The guys I talked to also said it was very crowded; that's OK...there's a lot of water up there to spread out on. If you are thinking about the Firehole, the next few weeks should be prime. I headed South yesterday by myself to walk the Green River. It was a real treat. Living in Jackson Hole, one can sometimes forget that they live in "Wyoming". Most of the state of Wyoming is not like Jackson. Jackson Hole is visually a fairly narrow valley; it does not have the wide-open feel that the rest of the state has. As far as the culture, it's clearly a more manicured and affluent area, with plenty of "bling". Many non-Teton county residents of the Cowboy State do not even consider Jackson part of Wyoming. Heading South to the Green is always a drive I look forward to. Climbing out of Bondurant to the top of the Rim, the "real" Wyoming appears. Wide open, sage-brush flats with mountains in the distance, in every direction. Antelope dot the landscape, along with cattle and their ranchers. It feels like another world, in a different time. As for the fishing...it was solid. The river is still low, hovering around 400 cfs, which is a great wading level. I picked up a few fish on dry caddisflies early, and then found great action on streamers. The river is still a little low to float, in my opinion. Hopefully, the runoff will kick in soon down there. Once it does start, I don't think it will last long. On a related note, now that winter is over, our second "season" in Wyoming has arrived: road construction. They have just started a project north of Bondurant on highway 191 that stretches for about 6 miles. It should slow things down all summer on the way to and from all the Pinedale fishing. Beware! Here's a classic shot of the upper Green River and the wide-open country around it. More soon!

Stalled Again

Well, another blast of cold temperatures and snow this weekend has stalled our runoff yet again. The Snake River Basin-wide snow-water equivalent average was up to 75% as of this morning, with more snow and rain forecast for today. The Snake River is running 1,770 cfs at Moose (compared to an average of almost 7,000 cfs for this date). The Buffalo Fork and Pacific Creek have dropped and cleared as well. The Green River is running just over 300 cfs at Warren Bridge (compared to an average of 1,500 cfs for this date). Lots of very low water for late May. We should see temperatures back up toward 70 degrees by Wednesday; this will hopefully jump start things again. The South Fork "flush" appears to be over, with the river down to about 11,500 cfs near Irwin. Fishing should be turning back on over there this week. Stonefly nymphs should get the job down, particularly on the lower river. I took the family up to Yellowstone for the weekend for our annual spring wildlife viewing expedition. May is a great time to visit the park and view Elk, Bison, Wolves and Bears. We had a great trip, despite the snowstorm on Saturday. As of yesterday, the Firehole and the Madison were running fairly clear. The Yellowstone opener next weekend should not be missed. The Firehole often fishes very well right out of the gate. Don't miss my good buddy Brian Hodges' new website: http://www.doublehaultravel.com If anyone has the "travel bug", click on this link or click on the Brian Hodges link from my list below. Whether you are interested in Abaco Lodge in the Bahamas, or the Bar Z Riverside ranch in Montana, Brian can help you get there! Here is Mr. Hodges with fish on!

Let The Runoff Begin

It finally looks like the grasp of winter has let go. The past few days have seen temperatures in the valley close to 70 degrees, which is just what we need to get this runoff started. I can't remember ever seeing the Snake river so clear in the middle of May. The fishing on the Snake this past week has been exceptional. Cutthroat rising to dry Skwala and Caddis patterns have been reported up and down the river. Today may be the last decent day of fishing for awhile. The temps the next few days are supposed to be even warmer, and many of the tributaries on now on the rise. Pacific Creek and the Buffalo Fork have both spiked in volume today, which is undoubtedly going to send silt into the river. That's OK...we need to get the runoff started. The Green River has barely hit 150 cfs this week at Warren Bridge, which is very low. It will probably come up as well this week. I fished on Wednesday with my buddy Stan Czarniak on the lower South Fork. We had good fishing early in the day on streamers, but it got tough as the river came up. The Bureau of Reclamation has brought the South Fork up to over 17,000 cfs as of this weekend. I'd probably steer clear of that river for awhile. Scary news out of central Wyoming this week. A BNSF freight train derailed 5 miles south of Thermopolis, sending two of the lead diesel locomotives and one freight car into the Wind River. As you may know, this is a cherished area for me and many others; the Wind is home to some wild water and magnificent trout. Some reports have estimated that as many as 15,000 gallons of fuel were spilled into the river. The train tumbled into the water after striking a truck-sized boulder, just at the bottom of the canyon. I've been in touch with Darren Calhoun (owner/operator of Wind River Canyon Whitewater and Fishing), and he's keeping me updated. Hopefully, high spring flows will help minimize any major effects. I'll report more as I learn it.

Happy Mother's Day

Hope everyone out there had a great Mother's Day yesterday. Here's to all the incredible mom's out there (my wife included!). As an angler living in Wyoming, Mother's Day certainly brings a secondary thought to mind: Caddisflies! This time of year, many of the rivers in this region put out a serious Caddisfly hatch that trout absolutely gorge on. It's already been happening on the Henry's Fork and the Yellowstone, and it looks like the Big Hole is next. On the rivers that do see a blizzard hatch, anglers come from far and wide to experience this dry fly madness. Emergers often end up doing the best, however, since there are just as many bugs sub-surface as there are on top, and they're easier to grab. Good luck out there if you hit it! I attended the Bridger-Teton National Forest spring outfitters meeting this past week. The main agenda item of note concerns the upcoming construction project at Hoback Junction. For those of you that have not heard, WYDOT is going to replace the bridge crossing the Snake River at Hoback Junction, starting this year. It is a 3 year project, that will undoubtedly cause traffic delays and maybe even some river closures. According to WYDOT, this summer should only see prep work, and not actual bridge construction. It looks like they will not be working during peak times, ie morning and evening rush hour...we'll see. By next summer, they will likely be doing actual bridge construction, and there may be periods where the river is closed to boat traffic in order to keep it safe. Not much else new here; still fairly cool weather, and no run-off yet. The Snake is at 990 cfs at Moose, compared to the historical average for this day of over 4,000 cfs. Hopefully it'll start soon! Ahhh...which streamer to pick today??

Still Winter

For anyone following my journal and seeing the weather report at the top, you will know that winter is still hanging on around here. It's been a cool, wet week in Western Wyoming; the high country has picked up significant snowfall in the past few days. I'm getting more reports of friends skiing powder on Teton Pass than I am hitting local waters. The total precipitation in the Upper Snake River Basin has reached over 70% of average, which is great news. If this weather lasts much longer, we may actually see a longer runoff than I had previously thought. Time will tell. The Snake has been fishing well through this weather; I got some great reports from last week. The water is still low and clear (1,040 cfs at Moose, well below the average for this time of year which is about 2,800 cfs). Keep an eye out for Mother's Day Caddis on the Henry's Fork...should be any time. Sounds like the Big Hole is on fire right now, too. Streamer fishing, along with adult skwalas are keeping the action hot near Melrose. Give the boys at the Sunrise Fly Shop a call for details. For those of you tired of the cold, wet weather around here...enjoy this tropical photo of Jon "Law Dawg" Wylie with a great 'Cuda caught a couple of weeks ago near Ascension Bay, Mexico.

False Start

With warm temperatures and some heavy rains last week, the Snake River came up significantly and turned a very dark green for a few days. The river had been holding steady at about 1,100 cfs at Moose, until Thursday night when it jumped up over 600 cfs. By Friday, I thought we were seeing the beginning of the runoff. With a higher, murkier river, the fishing immediately shut down. By Saturday night, the temperatures had cooled down again; with drier weather upon us, the river has now fallen and cleared. I spent the afternoon today on foot in Teton Park, near Moose, walking the river, looking for feeders. It was a beautiful, warm day, and was expecting some dry fly action, but couldn't find it. I covered about a mile of river and made a ton of casts, with no success. Nymphs or streamers probably would have done the trick, but I only had dry flies with me. Still a fun day. Before I left Moose, I stopped by the visitors center to register my boat for the season. The Park is making a nice effort to address the issue of Aquatic Nuisance Species. In order to register your boat, you are required to read some information on the subject and agree to properly wash your boat and trailer while changing watersheds. Aquatic Invasive Species can wreak havoc on streams and lakes, when non-native species are inadvertently transported from one area to another. Check out the Trout Unlimited feed below to see what Orvis is doing about it. Here are a couple of more photos from last week; Stan Czarniak putting me right on the goods.

Back On The Oars

I just returned from a couple of days away with my good buddies Scott Smith and Stan Czarniak. These guys are always up for an adventure, so they were willing to tag along with me to Southern Wyoming to float a couple of sections of No Tell Creek. It was a great trip; the weather was beautiful, good company, and good fishing. This was my first outing this year in the driftboat, so it felt good to get back on the oars and warm up for some guiding. The water temps were a little cold still, so all of our fish were on streamers stripped slowly; we picked up a few on nymphs too. We caught a handful of brown and rainbow each day under warm, blue skies. It was one of those trips where gearing up for it, driving down there and cooking dinner was just as much fun as the fishing. Here's a great shot of Scott with a typical brown trout. I'll have more pictures soon from this trip as I get them from the other guys. The temperatures got quite warm this weekend throughout the region. While driving back, we did notice that the Hoback River, as well as the Green River below Horse Creek were getting pretty muddy. The Snake still looks good, and I think we should still see clear water for another couple of weeks. Here's an FYI for those who have not heard: there is a new boating regulation in Wyoming for 2010. Based on direction from the Wyoming legislature, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has implemented emergency regulations to address the aquatic invasive species threat. What this means for us, is that anyone operating a driftboat or motorized boat over 10 feet long will need to purchase a decal and display it on their boats. The threat is real, and I'm glad to see wyoming addressing it. Visit http://gf.state.wy.us for details.

Warmin' Up

I've been out of town for the past week in the Pacific Northwest visiting family, and have returned to find springlike conditions here. The weather is warm, and the valley seems to be drying out. I have not been on the river in a awhile, but from what I've heard through the grapevine, the Snake is fishing quite well right now. Good nymphing, streamer fishing and dry fly action have all been reported from reliable sources. It sounds like the further south you go, the better the fishing. I've got a getaway planned for this weekend, back to No Tell Canyon with a couple of buddies. Time to get on the oars and hunt some fish. Hopefully, my next report will be a good one. While visiting Seattle, we took the kids to the Zoo. Charlotte loved it. For all of the fly-tyers out there, check out this picture of this lovely Peacock...nice!

Winter Is Back!

The ski season officially ended on Sunday at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with the last tram of the season departing at 3:30. For the past ten days or so, the weather throughout the intermountain west has returned to winter. We have received well over 3 feet of snow in the high country this week, and it is still snowing today. Our snowpack and snow-water equivalent has seen a nice boost as we enter springtime. The Snake River Basin water equivalent is up over 60% of average now, which is great news. Don't forget that this Saturday, April 10th is the 16th annual Whitefish Derby at the Wilson boat ramp, put on by our local Trout Unlimited chapter. Should be fun! Check the Trout Unlimited feed at the bottom, right hand side of my site. Click on the "Cash for Rainbows" program that is going on over on the South Fork. The state of Idaho and Trout Unlimited are teaming up to offer cash for Rainbows harvested out of the South Fork. They are threatening the native Cutthroat population and now, drastic measures are being taken. Not sure how I feel about it yet. Good luck to my buddies Brian Hodges and Jon Wylie as they head to the Yucatan on Friday. Wish I could make this trip with you, it should be a blast! Take a shot at one of these for me...a nice 16 pound Permit that fell for a crab pattern. More soon!

Out Like A Lion

As the saying goes, the month of March is supposed to "come in like a lion, and go out like a lamb". Maybe not this year. There is a winter storm watch in effect for our area starting tomorrow night through Wednesday morning. If this thing hits us, we could end up with some very significant snow in the high country and the valley. Good news for skiers, as we start the last week of lift served skiing at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village. Also, very good news for anglers, since we need to seriously boost our snowpack and water content before the summer arrives. We'll see what happens. Today was another beautiful day in paradise. Clear skies, and warm temperatures brought everyone outside this weekend. I can't remember the last time I saw so many driftboats being pulled around town, and so many anglers wadefishing the Snake near Wilson so early in the season. These fish are going to get educated even earlier this year! Lets hope everyone out there is practicing catch-and-release; get them in quick and release them just as quickly please! Scroll down to check the latest from the Trout Unlimited live feed. There is an extended interview with Deadliest Catch's Sig Hansen that is worth the read. Here's a shot of a healthy Brown taken on the Snake, headed home.

Dry Flies on the Snake

The weather this past week has still been simply amazing. It's been sunny and warm, with valley temps as high as the high 50's. March can be very unpredictable around here; some years, it can snow the entire month, and other years it can be spring-like. With the skies clear today, and the thermometer rising toward 60 degrees, I decided to head down to the Snake to fish for the afternoon. I headed south of Jackson, threw on the waders and visited a few of my favorite holes. Sure enough, on the first spot I came too, there were fish up on top eating dry flies. I honestly did not even inspect the water that closely before throwing a size 16 parachute adams at them...and guess what? They ate it. After hooking and releasing a handful of small Snake River Cutthroat, I took a closer look at the water and found it to be mostly a Midge hatch. There were some random mayflies around as well, and even saw a rogue Caddisfly. With the flows still very low (1,160 cfs below South Park), the fish are still stacked in their winter holes. It was a fun afternoon to be out; while on foot, I saw no less than 6 driftboats pass by me. I think the word on the Snake is out. As a guide on this river, it is easy to get jaded about it each summer. When you spend so much time on one river, you can occasionally take the fishing for granted. If you read this blog and know me well, you know how much I enjoy fishing for large Browns and Rainbows on rivers such as the Green, Missouri and Big Horn. Fishing for native Cutthroat can sometimes seem less exciting. Spending time on the Snake in the spring makes you realize just how hearty these native fish are and just how special this river is. After wintering in such an extreme environment as we have here, these fish are ready to eat as soon as the temps allow for some insect activity. All of the fish I saw today were in great shape. Snake River Finespotted Cutthroat are among the strongest and prettiest trout around,and should not be taken for granted.

Bluebird

If you've been paying attention to the weather details above this post, you have probably noticed that it has been gradually warming this week, and has been absolutely beautiful. The weather today is very warm in the valley, with a deep blue sky above. Perfect spring fishing conditions! In the past few days, I've spotted numerous trucks around town pulling drift boats, and have seen some activity at the Wilson Bridge as well; anglers on foot as well as boats being launched. I'm sure the Snake is starting to turn on. I had planned on an outing to the river this weekend, but decided to get Charlotte on skis instead. We took her out both mornings to the Village and had her gliding on Teewinot (the bunny hill); she did great. My good buddy and fishing client Charlie Howorth is in town for a few weeks skiing and enjoying springtime in Jackson. I hope to get a few hours on the water with him while he is here. Here is a recycled photo that I just love of Charlie with a stud Green River Brown from a few years ago. Can't wait to see more of those this summer! Don't miss the informal Trout Unlimited gathering at High Country Flies this Thursday, from 5-7pm. Should be fun.

Still Warming Up

The spring weather that I posted about last week is still here in full force. The skies have been clear, and the valley temps have been reaching 40 degrees all week. A massive winter storm just missed us to the South over the past few days. As each day goes by, we lose the chance to make up ground on our snowpack and snow-water equivalent. It's looking more and more like we'll have good early fishing this year. I ran into a friend skiing the other day, that walked in on the Snake twice last week, and gave a great report. Cutties up on small dries! As the valley loses its snowpack, access should get much easier. My good buddy and co-worker Josh Graffam is hanging up his hat around here this summer; he won't be guiding with us in Wyoming anymore. After returning from New Zealand, he decided to take a great job with The Ranch at Rock Creek, in Western Montana. Check out the website, it looks like a great place. www.theranchatrockcreek.com Good luck Josh, can't wait to visit. For those of you that have not seen his trophy Brown Trout from New Zealand, here it is. A 10.5pound stud, taken on a nymph. Don't forget to check the Trout Unlimited feed at the bottom of my website. Stay informed about what's happening on the Teton River just over the hill, as well as other cold water fishery news.