August On The Snake

Fly-fishing on the Snake River in August can go either way, depending on the kind of water year we are having. In a "low water" year, where we have had a smaller snowpack and earlier runoff, we actually tend to see higher river flows in August, as a result of Idaho's irrigation demands downstream. I can remember a few years in the recent past where our river has been flowing at over 5,000 cfs at Moose during August. Needless to say, in those years, fishing was very difficult. In a "high water" year, like this one, we had a very healthy snowpack, ample spring rains, and a relatively wet summer; irrigation demands downstream have been taken care of by mother nature, and not the supply of water in Jackson Lake. Even though Jackson Lake is full, and we've had so much more moisture, our river flows have been relatively low. Because of this, fishing this month on the Snake has been the best I can remember in a long time. The fish are feeding on dry flies in all of the places that you would expect them. The Snake is experiencing the natural cycle of water flow that you would expect without a dam: a high runoff, followed by a gradual dropping of water flow. The fishing should only get better and better in the next few weeks. Great news for the Jackson Hole One Fly, which is coming up the weekend after Labor Day. Many of my best clients show up in August to fish, and this year, everyone has been very satisfied with the fishing. Here is Elizabeth Traverso, granddaughter of the Jackson Hole News' own Liz McCabe, with a nice Snake River Cutty from last week. She and her husband Michael visit every August and spend a couple of days on the Snake with me. If you are ever in Santa Rosa, California, don't miss Traverso's Market, the finest Italian market in the West.

Car Camping

It's late August, and we've yet to have any serious amount of hot weather this summer. I'm not even sure if it ever cracked 90 degrees here this year. It's been the coolest, wettest summer I can remember in a long time. We had a good amount of rain on Sunday and Monday; the skies today were clear with temps in the high 70's. This weather pattern has kept the river temperatures consistent, providing good fishing. Having such a wetter, cooler summer is making me wonder what the fall and winter will hold...time will tell. I'm already seeing the first cottonwood trees along the Teton Park river bottom start to turn yellow. Fall is coming, there's no stopping it. The Snake is still fishing very well; big dry flies in fast water are producing nice fish, while some of the bigger, pickier fish are taking mahoganies, drakes and PMD patterns in softer water. Don't be afraid to try a beadhead dropper under a big dry fly either. Rachael, Charlotte and I went camping this weekend on the Green River near Warren Bridge. Our friends Scott and Dana Smith, as well as Suzie and Trent Hultman joined us with their kids and dogs. It was a blast; good fishing near our campsite, great food and beer and a nice campfire. The Green River is very low right now at 365 cfs, and the water temperature is reaching the upper 60's by afternoon. We fished Saturday evening and Sunday morning and had great dry fly fishing with larger attractors and mayfly patterns. The river is too low now to float above Warren Bridge, but the wade fishing is still good; look for the deepest holes and slicks. If floating, I'd be on early and make it happen in the morning. Enjoy this picture of Scott Smith, showing off a typical Green River Brown to the camping crowd. More soon!

Wind River Canyon

As many readers may know, I try to do at least one trip to the Wind River Canyon near Thermopolis each summer to fish with Darren Calhoun. The section of river that cuts the canyon below Boysen Reservoir can only be floated with a guide under the Wind River Indian Reservation permit. It holds very large Brown and Rainbow trout that fall for large dry flies in fast whitewater and on grassy banks. It can be tough, technical fishing, but the rewards are worth it. Put it on your fishing "to do" list and visit Darren's website from my link list below. I opted not to go earlier this summer due to very high water and also decided to skip my usual late August trip this year for other reasons. I mentioned this to a very good client of mine a few weeks ago, and he decided to completely spoil me and four of his friends yesterday; we flew to Thermopolis and spent the day in the canyon with three guides. None of the other five people had been there before and they were pleasantly surprised. Fishing should be great there this fall, so start a Wind River fund and give Darren a call! As for local fishing, the Snake is still doing great on dries up and down the river. I'm headed to the Green River today with Rachael and Charlotte to camp, so hopefully I'll have a Warren Bridge report soon.

Early Fall?

The weather around Jackson the past week has been unseasonably cold and wet. Saturday, we had a cool rainy day, while Sunday was drier, but still very cold. The past few mornings have been frosty around the valley, with temperatures in the low 30's. The days have only been warming into the 70's. It has felt more like mid-September than mid-August. The last couple of days on the Snake have been good, but the weather has changed the fishing somewhat. The fish have slowed down a little on the big flies this week; I've had much better luck with small mayflies in most of the water. PMD's, mahoganies and a variety of wulfs have been the ticket the past few days. The weather forecast looks more like summer again by the weekend, which should get the fish back up on the big bugs for awhile longer. The flows are still great, as is the river clarity. Don't forget the sidechannels! Here is a great picture of my buddy Larry Stephenson with a Yakima River rainbow from this summer; the Yakima River in eastern Washington puts out many nice 'bows like this one. Larry is a fantastic artist and fly-fishing nut that I fish with now and then when the art fair comes through town. Visit my link list and check his site and gallery out!

We Missed Ya Charlie!

I just finished up a great week of guiding with some fantastic clients. I fished a couple of days with my buddy Fred Thranhardt, a client I picked up a few years ago as a walk-in booking. We hit it off from the first day and have been fishing ever since. Fred is a great angler and every time we fish, the stars are aligned just right, and we have great fishing. This week was no exception. He often brings his buddy Charlie Howarth, another great client of mine I met through Fred, who is one of the most enthusiastic anglers I've ever taken...he's a lot of fun. Charlie could not make it this week, so I thought I'd post a few shots of Fred with some nice fish in order to wet Charlie's appetite. (You were there in spirit Charlie!) I fished Moose to Wilson with Fred on Wednesday, and had another fantastic day on the Snake. As for flies, it's the same story: Chernobyl Ants with a beadhead dropper in fast water, and mayfly attractors in the sidechannels and on the slower flats. The Snake is at 3150 cfs at Moose, which is a perfect level for mid-August. The whole river is fishing very well right now, and as the water slowly drops, the wade fishing will get easier and easier from places like Schwabachers landing or Wilson Bridge. Today, Fred and I floated the Green River. We got an early start and had flies in the water before 9 am. The day started with good fishing, but then got very slow until mid-afternoon when some clouds rolled in. Once the light got darker, the big fish started eating. The water is low right now (430 cfs at Warren Bridge), so the fish are nicely concentrated. We found fish in all of the water; deep holes, riffles, banks and shallows. Hoppers and Ants with nymph droppers worked well. The fishing was good, although it felt somewhat erratic; good to start, then very slow, then good again. As usual, the fishing on the Green was weather dependent; cloudcover helped the action. Enjoy these shots of Fred! More soon.

Fathers And Sons

The past couple of days on the Snake have produced some very solid fishing. On Monday, I guided the father and son team of Dick and Greg Podeska. Greg is my next door neighbor and a local teacher here in Jackson. His dad was visiting from New York, and these guys had a great day from Deadman's to Moose. Today, I took a father and son team from Missoula, Montana. Tom and Chris Stroup got to experience one of the best days so far this summer on Moose to Wilson. (Redemption after last week's backhoe incident!!). Chris is a fly fishing guide out of Missoula, and came down to try his hand at the Snake with his dad. They had a fantastic day...great fishing from start to finish. The combination of fish looking for flies and solid anglers meant many fish in the net today. The river is in great shape right now, so don't miss it! Big bugs in the main river and mayfly attractors for the picky sidechannel fish. Don't be afraid to put a nymph dropper underneath either...Chris and Tom netted many nice fish today using this tactic in fast water. Here are Chris and Greg with some very typical fish. See you out there!

The Snake: A Wild And Scenic River

Today, Charlotte and I went to Moose, Wyoming to attend the dedication ceremony of the Snake River Headwaters wild and scenic designation. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by Congress in 1968 to preserve certain rivers containing outstanding scenic, geologic, recreational and fish and wildlife characteristics and values. This current legislation was initially brought to Washington by the late Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, and completed by his replacement, John Barrasso. There were many local figures involved in this fight to get this legislation passed, including my employer Jack Dennis, who went to Washington to testify to the Senate on behalf of many in this area that understand just how special the Snake River is. The Snake has tremendous scenic, wildlife and recreational value that is now even more protected. The Snake, and many of its tributaries, will be forever protected and will remain free-flowing. Over 387 miles of the Snake River headwaters and its tributaries are now protected under the largest addition to the Wild and Scenic River System in 25 years. Some of the protected tributaries include Pacific Creek, the Buffalo Fork, the Gros Ventre, the Lewis, the Hoback, Willow Creek and Crystal Creek. Here is Senator Barrasso at the ceremony...nice work!

Moose To Wilson Beware

I've been guiding on the Snake all week with fairly good results. Deadman's to Moose Monday and Tuesday both saw decent fishing in the morning, and slower action in the afternoon. Both days were very bright, with little cloudcover. I fished Wednesday from Moose to Wilson under thick cloudcover and had fantastic dry fly fishing from start to finish. Cutthroat were eating chernobyl ants almost everywhere we put them. I decided to go for it again today, and spent the first four hours in a sidechannel, moving slowly and picking up fish everywhere we put a fly. Again, the chernobyl ant fishing was pretty hot. At about 1 pm, I found my way back to the main river to find it dirty! There was very silty water meeting the channel we were coming out of. Sure enough, about 500 feet upstream was a large backhoe digging near the dike for some reason. We pushed ahead hoping to find clearer water, and then found another backhoe near the R Lazy S ranch doing the same thing. The fishing died below the second backhoe. I think I'll wait a few days before returning to that stretch. Anyone out there know how long these guys will be digging? Here is Mark Waslick with a great fish we found this morning...a nice 17" cutty. More soon!

No Tell Creek Revisited

We've made it to August and the fishing is only getting better and better. Each day on the Snake has been better than the previous as the fish are settling in to their summer flows. The flow at Moose is at about 3,500 cfs...a great level for this time of year. It is still somewhat high for the wade angler, so fish with caution if you are on foot. If you have the chance to drift, fishing should be great on attractors, including chernobyl ants, hoppers and wulffs. Some of the tributaries are still a little high, but should be fishing better soon. Don't forget the Hoback...it sounds like it's fishing well and is finally low enough to wade without too much trouble. The Green is well below 700 cfs which is great; the fish are now more concentrated in their holes, and finding big fish should be easier. The only report that I've received from the Flat Creek opener on Saturday was that the creek is still high and not quite clear. The person I talked to did not do very well; only one nice fish landed. If anyone has a report on Flat Creek, feel free to leave a comment or email me. Rachael and Charlotte return tomorrow; they have been visiting family for the past three weeks in the Northwest. I've been very busy guiding while they've been gone, but also have had the chance to fish some marathon days off. Leaving early and coming home late; ignoring chores and looking at an empty fridge each day. Brian Hodges and I left before 5 on Saturday morning for a 21 hour marathon in Central Wyoming on No Tell Creek. Dry fly fishing was outstanding. Enjoy these photos!

Flyin' By

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the last day of July. This summer is already going by way too fast for me. I think having had such a cold and wet June has set us up for a shorter summer psychologically. The good news is that fishing has been great, and should get even better as we get into August. The Snake River is now well below 4,000 cfs at Moose, and most of the tributaries are now low and clear. The Green River is below 800 cfs at Warren Bridge...a great level to wade or float fish. The South Fork of the Snake is at 11,700 cfs which is a good level going into August. Fishing the big bugs on the South Fork has been a little tough, but if you're willing to fish a little smaller (PMD's, Sallies and Caddisflies), then you'll likely have great dry fly fishing, particularly in the Canyon section. The Green is still fishing great on top...a variety of dry fly attractors should nail them. Get on early...the lower the river gets, the warmer the water will get and fishing will be tougher in the afternoons. As for the Snake, it is still a little high to wade fish, but if you can drift it, you should do OK. Fish are definitely looking for dries up and down the river. Most Chernobyl Ant patterns and mayfly attractors are working very well. It is still mostly smaller fish that are around right now. I have not seen a fish larger than 16" in my net on the Snake yet. Until the water gets lower in a few more weeks, the bigger fish will be holding tight in deeper water and in the spring creeks. This should make for a great September on the river. Don't miss the Flat Creek opener on Saturday...better be there at dawn. Here is a shot from last summer on Flat Creek on the National Elk Refuge with a big fish on. The second shot is of a pair of eagles, one mature and one juvenile bald eagle south of town this week on the Snake. More soon!

Monster Brown Trout

I finished this past week of guiding with a couple of days on the Snake below South Park bridge, all the way down to the West Table ramp. The fishing has really turned on down there. The water is still a little high at over 5,000 cfs, but the clarity is great. Small fish are around in the mornings on a variety of dry fly attractors, and the afternoons are seeing bigger fish on larger dry flies including the old standby: the chernobyl ant. The South Fork is still nymphing well, with dry fly fishing improving as the water temperature starts to rise. PMD's in the riffles, and dry attractors close to the banks. The Green is still dropping and clearing, with great dry fly fishing. As we move into August, look for better fishing in the mornings on the Green; the hot, bright conditions are not favorable for those large browns. I spent yesterday fishing on my day off with good buddy Stan Czarniak. We floated the North Fork of No Tell Creek and absolutely hammered brown trout on streamers. The cloud cover we woke up to stayed all day and really helped the fishing. Here is Stan with one of the largest fish I have seen in my boat in a very long time. This brown ate a black Sex Dungeon in deep, slow water. We measured him at just over 24" and estimated the fish to be between 5 and 6 pounds. Nice fish Stan! Can't wait to do it again. Coming soon: the opening of Flat Creek on the National Elk Refuge...see you there August 1st.

Rototilling

I spent the past couple of days guiding two of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Tim and Katie Stoner come up from Colorado to fish with me every year, and we usually have great fishing. This week was no exception. We floated the Green River the first day and had a blast. The morning saw countless smaller fish on drake patterns, while some larger fish made it to the net in the afternoon on large stonelfy dries and nymph droppers. Tim landed five that were 17" or better between 2 and 4 o'clock. The Green is in great shape right now...don't miss out. We tried the Snake today and did the Dam to Pacific run, which is still fishing very well. Situated above the silty Buffalo Fork, the water is gin clear and the fishing is great. The Snake is not generally known for having thick insect hatches, but just below Jackson Lake Dam is a different story. Caddis flies in the morning, followed by a very thick yellow sally hatch in the afternoon kept the fishing red hot on dry flies. The fishing is improving daily below Pacific Creek, with smaller fish starting to look up. My guiding buddy and friend Bart Taylor taught me a term a couple of years back called "Rototilling". (He's kind of a comedian). After asking him how fishing had been one day, he replied: "Hell...We rototilled fish all day." The image in my head immediately turned to a machine pulling fish up left and right. This is how fishing was today for Tim; he rototilled them from the Dam all the way to Pacific Creek...lots of fun! Here's Tim with a great Green River Brown. I've got a great new link on my list...check out Focus Productions. www.focusproductions.com .

Bows on Drakes

Local fishing continued to improve this past week in all directions. The Green River is continuing to drop and clear each day, with great hatches still pouring off. The mornings have seen thick grey and green drake activity, with stoneflies and PMD's in the afternoons. Floating is still the best option...the river is still a little high for wading on the BLM sites. The South Fork is now fishing with much better consistency. I guided through the canyon and upper sections this past week. Fishing was good on both. We picked up fish with everything we threw at them. Nymphing with strike indicators worked well; a rubberleg stonefly on top, with a yellow sally nymph trailer behind. Large stonefly dries, with beadhead droppers also picked up fish. By early afternoons, look for fish on PMD's feeding on top in the riffles. Although the river has only just recently turned on, these fish are already quite educated. We had many lookers and refusals on our big dry flies; the larger cutthroat in the riffles were also somewhat picky already. When I pulled out at Spring Creek bridge on Thursday, I counted over thirty driftboat trailers in the parking lot, so don't expect to have the South Fork to yourself anytime soon. I fished a marathon day with Stan Czarniak and Brian "This Is Fly" Hodges near Pinedale yesterday. Big rainbows on drakes...very fun. Don't miss the latest issue of TIF at http://www.thisisfly.com/. More soon!

Grey Drakes

I guided a couple of great local guys on the Green River yesterday.Scott Houfek and Dave Decker booked a trip with me for some Pinedale fishing. The river is improving, but is still moving fairly fast, and unfortunately, the section we decided to float (no tell section), was still a little too high to fish dries for large trout. The river has actually come up in volume the past few days...it is now hovering around 1,400 cfs. There is no shortage of bugs...plenty of grey drakes in the morning and a smattering of stoneflies in the afternoons, but very few fish were up on them. The nymphing was also lackluster. We picked up fish here and there through the day, but with no consistency. I'm headed to the South Fork Canyon tomorrow to see what's happening over there. With the river finally down below 13,000 cfs, and lots of bugs being reported, the fishing should be great. I think we'll be on the Snake in another week, as it is starting to show better clearing. Here is Dave Decker with our best fish of the day...nice fish Dave!

Finally Starting to Happen

We've finally turned a corner this week with some of the local fishing. The South Fork is now down to more reasonable flows...about 16,000 cfs and I've heard through the grapevine that there are lots of bugs up and down the river. It sounds like it will level around 13,000 cfs in a few more days. Once those fish have settled into their new water level, the dry fly fishing should light up. Until then, stonefly nymphs should work very well. Keep your eyes peeled for salmonflies and golden stones, along with caddis and maybe even some PMD's. The Green is now below 1,600 cfs and clearing; the fishing in Pinedale has drastically improved this week. Fish are being taken on gray drakes, and most stonefly patterns. The morning drake activity has been very thick. Dam to Pacific Creek on the Snake is still doing well...the rest of the river below the Buffalo Fork is still off color, but clearing daily. We should see good conditions on the Snake within two weeks. Here is Bob Maclean with one of a handful of monster browns that fell for dry flies near Pinedale on Tuesday...nice fish!