Canyon Still Closed

US Highway 26/89 remains closed through the Snake River Canyon since a massive mudslide hit the road on May 16th. The mudslide has finally stopped creeping across the road, and WYDOT has now hired an excavating company to begin the process of removing the debris. They have cautioned that if any instability in the slide begins again, they will need to stop removing debris until it is safe. This past week ended up being a little drier than was forecast, which probably helped the situation. If the rains return, we may see the mudslide come back to life. Check out this video below that WYDOT released...it's an incredible time lapse shot of the moving debris from last week. When it was filmed, the slide was moving about 1 foot per minute. Make sure to visit the WYDOT website for the latest.

On Thursday night, I attended the spring water meeting held by Mike Beus, the operations manager for the Bureau of Reclamation. Dozens of anglers, river runners and ranchers were in attendance to hopefully learn details of how our water will be managed this summer out of Jackson Lake. Although Mike was well prepared with tons of historical data on the river and snowpack, he fell short on predicting what our summer flows will look like on the Snake. The situation we are in most resembles the 1996, 1997 and 2010 years, with a cool, wet spring on a very large snowpack. With our regional snowpack at 200% of average, and no crystal ball available on our weather forecasting, it's just too hard to tell exactly what the runoff will look like right now. Mike Beus certainly has a tough job. He's in charge of managing flows from Jackson Lake Dam, as well as Palisades Reservoir downstream. It's a balancing act of predicting runoff levels with how much water they want to end up in the lakes at the end of the summer. Anglers, rafters, kayakers and ranchers all have different questions and needs in years like this. Hopefully, we will begin warming soon and the Snake and its tributaries will peak by mid-June.
I spent the day near Pinedale last Wednesday with Scott Smith and Ben Brennan exploring the lower New Fork River in search of a spring fishing option. With some clients showing up tomorrow to fish a few days, I am in need of somewhere to take them, and this seemed like a good option. It was tough; relentless streamer action and nymphing only netted us a couple of fish. The water was still cold, and the clarity was marginal. It was a fun outing with some good buddies...here's Ben and Mokie doing a great job keeping Scott on the goods. Not sure where we'll fish this week...

Mudslides

If anyone out there is doubting just how much snow and rain we have had this winter and spring, just check out these pictures. A massive mudslide has closed US Highway 26/89 through the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson. Huge amounts of melting snow with a heavy rainfall on top of it caused the slide at milepost 127. Early attempts to clear the slide have failed, and WYDOT officials have said that it could be many weeks before the highway reopens. As of yesterday, the mudslide was measured at 300 feet wide, 40 feet tall and 2,000 feet long. Check out this link to learn more from the Jackson Hole News. Here's an additional link to WYDOT to help keep you informed on the latest.


Rachael and I took the girls to Yellowstone National Park on Sunday for an outing up to Old Faithful. Here's a couple of photos that I took of the snowpack from the Lewis Lake boat ramp...impressive!

Finally Warming Up

As I write this report, the skies outside today are sunny and the temps are in the low 60's...finally! Tomorrow is forecast to be even warmer. With near record amounts of rain last week, and a warming trend this week, rivers in the region have surged. The Snake is approaching 8,000 cfs at Moose, the Green has spiked up over 500 cfs, and the South Fork is back above 18,000 cfs. With the Henry's Fork also huge, there are virtually no options right now in this area to wet a line. The 10-day forecast has temps cooling a bit, but with rain moving back in; this should still help get the snowmelt started. If you're lucky enough to find some private water (like Scott Smith did in this photo), you may bump into a trophy. My buddy Scott was invited over to the Legacy Ranch in Southeastern Idaho last week to fish some private stillwater. The ranch is listed for sale through Livewater Properties, a local real estate company specializing in fishing properties. I'd like to say that Scott was in the market for purchase, but he was just on an exploratory mission with a friend who works for Livewater. The fish of the day was this 11 pound, 30" Rainbow Trout. Nice one Scott! Casting to trophy fish is just what Scott needed...it was early practice for an adventure Scott and I have planned for the Fall...more on that later.


I'd say that the next thing to put on the fishing calendar would be the opening of Yellowstone National Park to fishing on Memorial Day Weekend...the Firehole should at least be fishable by then, although there will probably be more snow visible on the banks now, than in this photo. Stay tuned...

Water Everywhere

I have had a number of fishing clients and friends get in touch with me recently with concerns about their upcoming fishing trips to Wyoming this spring and summer. The worry is that when they arrive, the runoff may still be happening, and clear water may be hard to find. Well, looking at this photo (click to enlarge) would make me wonder too. The University of Wyoming Water Resource Data System has updated their water-content map. These numbers are incredible. After a very wet winter across the state, you can see that the driest area is still at 129% of normal for early May. From there, the numbers just get higher. On top of this, the weather around the Western part of the state has still been wet, and very cool...there has been virtually no runoff yet. So what does it all mean? I guess the worst case scenario is that May and early June continue to be cooler and wet (which has happened before), which means a delayed runoff. If this happens, we may not see many low, clear streams and rivers until early August. Hopefully, we will start to see a warming, drying trend which should get this snow melt started. Bureau of Reclamation officials are emptying both Jackson Lake and Palisades Reservoir on the Upper Snake River to make room. I would think that the best case at this point, is that the Green and Snake Rivers would be ready to fish by mid July, at the very earliest. In reality, we may not have the Snake and its tributaries until early August, and the Green and South Fork will be higher than normal...which is OK. In the end, it is still good news...we are certainly out of any drought scenario; fish and insect life will prosper! Visit WRDS to learn more.
This second photo is a great shot that my buddy Bobb Cannella took near the Upper Snake River a few days ago...a spring Griz looking for food. Keep your eyes open out there!

Still Winter

Scott Smith and I guided our first trips of the season yesterday on the Snake River. It was a tough decision on where to take our anglers. The South Fork is still running large, cold and green at over 18,000 cfs, and the Snake is also rolling at a good clip at well over 5,000 cfs at Moose. We had initially thought of heading toward Pinedale to try the Green River, but yesterdays forecast called for wind, cold and snowy conditions. Since the Green is at a much higher elevation than Jackson, we were nervous to try an area that could have been even colder and windier. In addition, the flows at Warren Bridge right now are extremely low...under 100 cfs. We decided to try the Snake, from Wilson to South Park. It is a very braided section, with numerous sidechannels to explore, and many spring creeks joining the river where hungry trout may congregate. The fishing yesterday was tough...no surprises there. It was cold the entire day (even when the sun tried to peek through), and the wind did not help either. The few fish we hooked were found in very slow water on nymphs running deep. Some of my favorite channels actually were even running too fast, so finding fish was tough. It's always nice getting that first trip under the belt each season...I wish the fishing had been a little easier for these guys though. Weather today: still cold with wind.

Check this link to Trout Unlimited to enter yourself in a sweet photo contest...good luck! Didn't snap a single picture yesterday...too cold! Here's a couple of shots that I took last week on the National Elk Refuge...my daughters Charlotte and Hannah love to look for wildlife!

Easter Getaway

My buddy Stan Czarniak and I returned last night from a great spring getaway to wonderful Melrose, Montana and the Big Hole River. With rivers around here high and off color, a trip North was in order. We floated three days and had a blast. River flows and water clarity were perfect for this time of year. For those of you not familiar with the Big Hole River, it begins its journey near Wisdom, Montana (in Southcentral Montana), and meanders through miles of pristine public and private land before joining the Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges.

It is an extremely beautiful river, with something for everyone; Brown and Rainbow trout dominate through alpine meadow, canyon and cottonwood environments. Although the most famous hatches are the Mother's Day Caddis and June Salmonfly hatch, early spring can often produce great topwater action on Skwala stoneflies. This weekend was no exception. Warmer temps and nice skies awaited us in Big Sky Country. We picked up fish on streamers, nymphs and Skwala dries.
The fish that were eating on top were in some very specific water. Fast water and riffles did not do the trick; these fish were holding off banks with a medium speed and depth to them; the tailouts were the best.
It's fun being able to fish large dries this time of year!

As always, Ryan Barba, owner of the Sunrise Fly Shop in Melrose, took excellent care of us. Flies, shuttles, gear (and an excellent Lasagna dinner!) awaited us there. If you're thinking about the Big Hole, check these guys out. The weather around Jackson today: back to snowshowers and cooler temps.

I'm ready for it to warm up...time to get this runoff started. The Snake is rolling at over 5,000 cfs at Moran (and very green in color), and the South Fork is now over 18,000 cfs and also very green. Stay tuned for a Pinedale report. More soon!

Getting Organized

We woke up yesterday morning to a few inches of wet snow in our neighborhood, and reports of 11" of snow near the South gate of Yellowstone. This winter weather has certainly had a stronghold on us. I've got some guided fishing trips on the books for next week, and am starting to wonder where I am going to take these guys. The conditions right now around here could be tough on beginners. The Snake is now running a cold 4,950 cfs out of Jackson Lake Dam (with a dark green tint) and the South Fork is now above 16,000 cfs (and also cold), and may climb higher. Some buddies are heading South to do some Pinedale reconnaissance this week, so hopefully we'll get a decent report.
I'll be heading up to Southcentral Montana for the weekend to get my first few days on the oars and some much needed playtime with some friends on the river. The Big Hole looks like it may be in prime spring shape...my fingers are crossed!


I've been spending the past few days tinkering with gear, and getting ready for the season. The boat is about ready and the flies are almost organized. Streamer organization in particular is fun...they are easy to see and I love the colors.

Check out the latest video from Scott Smith...this should wet the appetite!

Thanks Everyone!

As the Western Wyoming Fly Fishing Journal breaks the 20,000 pageview mark, I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has checked it out and stayed in touch! It's been fun sharing photos and stories, while also trying to give a no-nonsense fishing report for the region. The snow and water continue to accumulate around here. It's been a very wet week, with more forecast for next week. The Snake River is on its way up to at least 5,000 cfs (it's at 2,640 cfs today). The river is starting to look more green (and less clear) at the Wilson Bridge. If you did not hit the Snake over the past month, your window may be closing. Cold, high flows in April will make for some tougher fishing. Bureau of Reclamation officials are dumping water all over the region to make room for the large snowmelt that is looming. The South Fork is climbing also, with a reading today of 15,000 cfs. Although the water is cleaner over there, the temps are likely very cold, so fish it deep and slow.
The Green River is nearing 200 cfs near Warren Bridge...the shelf ice is starting to break up there, and probably very cold still. The elevation there is over 7,000 feet, and usually warms up a bit later. Even though it does not feel like spring (see the snowy photo I snapped from our kitchen window this morning), the local wildlife is starting to move around.

This is a great time of year to not only find Moose, Elk, Deer and Bear on the move, but also the fantastic bird life. An early morning walk a few days ago with the kids was productive...numerous raptors (like this one), and Red-Winged Blackbirds were abundant. The Red-Wings are one of my favorites. They tend to hang out near the the willows and trees along the river bottom. Flat Creek runs through our neighborhood, and the the Red-Wings are staring to settle in now near the water. When I hear their unique call, I think of fishing!

Hello April...Are You There?

Rachael and I, along with the girls, returned last night from a great getaway to the Northern California wine country to find that winter has not left Wyoming just yet. It still seems more like March around here. We drove up from Salt Lake City late last night through a blinding spring snowstorm. Apparently, the weather around here while we were gone was very snowy and cold. Today is blustery with snow showers, and the rest of the week looks like more of the same. Some of my buddies who stuck it out around here over the last week (which was the first official week of off-season) have reported tough fishing conditions in some wild weather. I'm hoping we are beginning to switch gears soon into some drier, sunnier weather. If all goes well, I'll be heading up to Montana in a week or so to check in on some Big Hole conditions. Local officials here are increasingly worried about flood potential this spring, and have decided to ramp up the Snake River to 5,000 cfs over the next week in order to make room in Jackson Lake for the mammoth snow melt that will come (The Upper Snake River Basin Snowpack is almost 130% right now!). This could make for tough April fishing on our river, though. We typically see levels below 1,000 cfs during the early spring.


If you make it out there, keep your eyes peeled in the slack water for fish up on Midges...just like this one I recently found tucked in tight to a high bank. Make sure to check out the latest issue of This is Fly... still a great mag with fantastic articles and photography (including a great story on Cuba...love it!). I also wanted to share this great photo from my good buddy Campbell Hough...a beautiful hybrid caught and released today from the Blue River in Central Colorado...nice fish Soupy! "There's mosquito's on the river...fish are rising up like birds." :)

Out Like A Lion

March came in like a lion this year, and is going to leave Wyoming in the same manner. The past week around here has been very snowy and windy, with moisture continuing to pile up in the high country. We're seeing some rain fall in the valley tonight with temps still in the 40's. We currently have near record snowpack in the Teton, Gros Ventre and Wind River Mountains. It's been a great ski season with one storm rolling in after another, virtually all winter long. Since the nights are still cold, and the valley still has lots of snow, runoff and dirty water has not been a factor yet for anglers. These slightly warmer days have been cranking up the Midge activity on the Snake and South Fork; the cloudy conditions are creating the icing on the cake for early season dry-fly enthusiasts.

The folks at the Bureau of Reclamation are already looking ahead at what will likely be a high water year. Typically at this time of year, the Snake is running around 400 cfs near Moran (just below Jackson Lake Dam); the South Fork typically rolls along at about 1,100 cfs for early April. Hydrologists are now waking up to the reality of our snowpack. They have begun ramping up the flows on both rivers, to make room for the impending snowmelt. The South Fork has been raised up to 10,000 cfs over the past seven days, and the Snake will be brought up to 1,500 cfs over the next week or so. Although they are higher flows than we would like to see for April fishing, it should help avoid a situation in June or July where we have really high water. Local water experts are very concerned about flooding this year. The Upper Snake River Basin and Upper Green River Basin are both at 120% of normal for snowpack and snow-water equivalency. These are high numbers, considering that April and May can often be very snowy and rainy months that can add even more moisture. Images like these first two will likely be seen again this year...high, muddy water...a riverbed filled bank-to-bank. Once the water does clear this year, it is likely that it will still be higher than normal for awhile. The South Fork of the Snake, in particular, could be running large come Stonefly time in July. This river can be a very demanding piece of water to navigate in these conditions. Losing local guides Phil Blumquist and Rob Merrill last season to the river has made me think a lot more about river safety this year. Don't take rowing your driftboat for granted, it only takes a split second to get into trouble. You don't want to land your driftboat in a situation like these guys...or worse!

I sent a couple of buddies up to visit the Big Hole River this week in South Central, Montana...one of my favorites! It sounds like the nymph fishing was good on the lower river, but no Skwalas yet. It's still been cold and snowy up there too. I often hit the Big Hole this time of year, but I think I'll wait a couple more weeks until things warm up a bit. The river above Divide is apparently still completely under ice, and there's a lot of snow on the ground in Melrose still. More soon!

Snowflies

I kicked off the start of my fly-fishing season last week with a day wading the South Fork with my good buddy Charlie Howarth. We drove over to Swan Valley early last Saturday to secure our spot in one of my favorite sidechannels. The weather called for a high of 41 degrees, and partly cloudy skies. Not so much. During the 6 hours we were on the water, we literally saw everything from blue skies and calm, to blinding snow and wind. It's what we call springtime in the Rockies...anything goes. As far as the fishing...the streamer bite was nonexistent, and I threw everything I had at them. The nymphing and dry-fly fishing was more productive, though. Cutthroat and Whitefish were coming to the net subsurface on Midge larva.
During some of the cloudier, calm periods, I found Cutthroat were rising to adult Midges in quiet water. Since I prefer to dry-fly fish, it was great to see some fish eating on top. Although Midges can hatch any time of year around here, they seem to receive the most attention from anglers in the springtime. When the air temps are still cold, and the snow is still flying, it is typically the only hatch that you will encounter...so if you want to fish dry flies, make sure that you have some Midge patterns ready. They are sometimes called "snowflies" for this reason. I'll see midges all summer long, but when they are hatching alongside large Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddisflies, they get little attention from anglers.
Many people I have fished with often use the term "Midge" to describe any small fly that is hatching. They are actually not a Mayfly at all (which many assume), but are their own unique group of bugs. Adult Midges, and their larva, are an extremely important food source for trout in this region. The fish I found feeding on Saturday were clearly eating adult midges...I could see them on the water and landing on my body. Since it's so early in the season, though, I was able to fish a simple Parachute Adams (which is much easier to see), instead of an actual midge imitation. If you're on the water around here in the next month or so, keep your eyes peeled in slack water for noses up on these tiny bugs. Incidentally, we didn't see a single Brown or Rainbow around that day. We hit all the obvious water, but they just did not want to play. Here's my bud Charlie with a nice bent rod...good to see you Charlie! Haven't heard much new this week on the Montana House Bill threatening stream access up there...as soon as I do, I'll pass it along.

Happy 100th Liz!

I want to wish my great friend and fishing partner Liz McCabe a happy 100Th birthday today! (That's right...100 years old!) I had the fortune of being introduced to Liz a number of years ago through my great friend Tom Montgomery, and since then, have had many memorable days with Liz and her family, on and off the river. Matt Mead, Governor of Wyoming, has declared March 20Th to be Liz McCabe day, since she has been one of the "great characters" of this great state. “She brings people of diverse backgrounds and regions together to enjoy the views from her porch,” Mead stated in the proclamation. “In that, she represents the best of Wyoming, where people from all walks of life and different milieus can come together and find they share many things in common.” We'll be thinking of you today Liz as you celebrate in the Cayman Islands.
Check out this article that just ran in this weekend's edition of the Jackson Hole Daily about Liz McCabe. I'm looking forward to another summer of fishing with Liz and her family.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wow, is it already the third week of March? Although we just had another huge storm last night that dumped 17" of snow in the mountains, spring really seems to be just around the corner. Reports of good fishing on the Henry's Fork and South Fork keep coming across my radar. I'll finally be hitting the water for the first time in 2011 on Saturday...probably wadefishing the South Fork. Stay tuned for a report.
Late March also means something else for anglers in this region: Skwala Stoneflies. Although it is not typically a prolific or widespread hatch, the emergence of these mottled stoneflies on certain Western Rivers in March means anxious anglers can hit the water with large fly patterns in search of hungry trout. Most anglers flock to the Bitterroot River, south of Missoula, in search of these bugs this time of year. I hear it's already started. Don't count out the Big Hole River either...I've hit it pretty good up there too this time of year. For the latest report, make sure to visit with Ryan at The Sunrise Fly Shop in Melrose, Montana. In other news...I have not heard much since my last post on the Montana "Ditch Bill" that is ready to be voted on, stay tuned.
Enjoy some photos...Chris Stump with a gorgeous Big Hole Brown that fell for a Skwala a few years back; a nice image of a Skwala Stonefly; and...a shot of an incredible 25 pound Permit that I just found on Facebook. Supposedly this guy was on his first saltwater trip in the Yucatan and came across this behemoth...wow! More soon!

Montana House Bill 309 Update

Yesterday was the final hearing in Helena, Montana to voice opinions concerning House Bill 309, which could change Montana stream access laws for the worse. The bill, set forth by Dillon Representative Jeff Welborn, would revamp stream laws to "make any waterway that receives water diverted from a natural stream off limits to public recreation". In other words, depending on how the law is interpreted, your favorite fishing spot could now be classified as a "drainage ditch", and be deemed legally inaccessible. Welborn says that the bill is only a remedy to a recent Montana Supreme Court ruling on the Mitchell Slough, which was ruled to be a sidechannel of the Bitteroot, and not a ditch. Bruce Farling, the Montana Trout Unlimited Director, has said that "The measure is a sneaky attempt to undermine Montana's stream access law that guarantees the public the right to get to streams and rivers." Not only are local and regional anglers very concerned about this, but Montana fishing outfitters (who rely on access for their livelihood) are already getting correspondence from clientele concerned about coming to fish this summer, and how their access will be affected. Hundreds of guides, anglers and river users showed up to Helena yesterday to attend this hearing, and voice their disapproval of this measure. Check out this article in today's Billings Gazette for more info. Stay tuned for the latest on Facebook with Montana Troutfitters, who has done an excellent job of keeping us informed on all of this. Legislation like this would be terrible for Montana, its anglers and its tourism. Places like this sidechannel on the Big Hole that I visited a few years back with my good buddy Campbell Hough (pictured here) would be no longer an option for us under this legislation. Lets hope it goes down in flames. I know that many of my readers check in with me to see what is going on in Wyoming, but issues like this affect anglers everywhere. Fly-fishing is all about legal access...it's critical to our sport.

In Like A Lion

Yet another March has come in like a lion to Western Wyoming. The past week has seen nothing but winter weather, with a large storm just last night dropping 6" of snow in the valley, and another 15" or more in the high country. Rachael offered to stay home with the kids this morning while I went searching for some pure Teton gold. Scott Smith and I had an incredible morning of powder skiing at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort...thanks Scott, great day today! The water content in the Snake River drainage is back up above 110%, which is still great news. March can often be one of our heavier snow months, so it will be interesting to see just how much more snow we will get. It is shaping up to look like a mirror image of last season, with area rivers likely running high until mid-July or later. After skiing today, I took the family to the National Museum of Wildlife Art, just North of Jackson. For those of you that have not been there, put it on your list the next time you are in town. There is a great collection of original oils and watercolors as well as sculptures of some fantastic wildlife images. The view from the parking lot of the National Elk Refuge was perfect: hundreds of elk meandering the banks of Flat Creek.

Check out the latest issue of The Drake Magazine There's a great article on how urban hairstylists are integrating fly-tying hackles (chicken feathers) into hairdos. Local fly-shops around here cannot keep Whiting Hackles in stock. Orders are coming in from all over the country to local fly-shops for their feathers. Stylists are charging $40 or $50 per strand to be tied into a customers hair...seriously. The entire saddles only cost $40 or $50, so these guys are making a killing. Hilarious. Enjoy a recent shot of a Grand Teton sunrise. More soon.