Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report - WY | Fish The Fly Guide Service

Snake River Fly Fishing Report, Jackson Hole Wyoming 7/22/16

July 22, 2016/314 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

The Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is fishing great right now! The flows have dropped a little bit with this warm weather, flowing at 3600 cfs near Moose, Wyoming and 4750 cfs in the canyon stretch above Alpine, Wyoming. The Snake River Cutthroat are starting to eat hoppers (size 10-14), and are still eating PMDs, Yellow Sallies, Circus Peanuts (size 10-14), Purple and Yellow Chubbies (10-14). The big news this week is the Claasenia Stone Fly have come out early! This big bug is great for early morning action, and keep the trout looking for larger flies on the surface throughout the day. Our guides have been out on the Snake River every day, and they are loving the big bug action!

Fish the Fly Guide Service, Snake River, Snake River Cutthroat

Claasenia bring the big boys up! Guide Baker Mann with a nice Snake River Cutthroat!

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 6/29/16

July 9, 2016/903 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Dry fly season has finally hit us here on the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming! Flows are at 4150 cfs at Moose and 5730 cfs in the canyon stretch above Alpine. It has been hot here in Jackson this past week, and all the snow is out of Rendezvous Bowl which means run off season has finally passed! These flows make for a perfect day of dry fly fishing a long the bank. Circus Peanuts, and Purple Chubbys have been working very well. We are also starting to see more Yellow Sally’s, Green and Grey Drakes, and some Caddis. We are at that special time of year on the Snake River where the Snake River Cutthroats are on a feeding frenzy! Our guides are out on the Snake River every day and absolutely loving it! Wade fishing in the Wyoming Backcountry is getting better and better as the summer goes on! For all the dry fly fishermen out there, the Wyoming backcountry is the place for you. Small streams, rising Cutthroat, and dry flies are what you can expect when fishing in the backcountry. If you are fly fisherman who enjoys being out on the water with no other fisherman around, the Wyoming backcountry should be on your list of places to fish. Not seeing another angler all day is not uncommon for fly fishing in the backcountry! Pack a lunch, and throw on your wet wading shoes, because it has been hot here in Jackson Hole and the backcountry is a great place to get your feet wet and hook into some nice Snake River Cutthroats! Golden Stones, Green/Grey Drakes, Caddis and PMD’s are a must in a fly box when traveling to the backcountry. Keep an eye out for risers, you never know where a monster Cutthroat might be lurking!

Cliff Forrest with his backcountry trout!

A Green Drake Fly, very popular in the backcountry!

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 6.11.16

June 11, 2016/12 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Whew, it been awhile since I posted my last fishing report! Sorry for the delay, but expect more frequent fishing reports on the Jackson Hole area to come. We are experiencing runoff conditions on the Snake River currently. Flows are at 8370 cfs at Moose and 14,500 in the Canyon above Alpine. If that sounds like alot of water to you, it is! We’ve had daytime highs into the lower 80’s this past week, which sent what’s left of our snowpack crashing down the mountains to the Snake River. There isn’t that much snow left in the Tetons at this point, all above 10,000 feet. More warm weather is forecasted, so we should be on the Snake a little earlier than normal this year! Jackson Lake is at 96% of capacity and Palisades Reservoir is at 86% currently. We should have enough water in the Upper Snake River system to provide consistent flows of 2500 cfs out of Jackson Lake Dam this Summer. This gives good water temperatures and bug hatches, which in turn equates to great fly fishing! The Snake River was good to us prior to runoff, from March through the beginning of May. Great Midge, BWO, Skwala, and Caddis hatches kept our Snake River Fine-Spotted Cutthroat trout looking up and feeding happily!

Gorgeous dry fly eating Cutthroat!

Jackson Hole Fishing Report 5.19.15

May 19, 2015/79 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

The news to report here is that there is some fly fishing to be had on the Snake River in Jackson Hole currently despite runoff conditions. Cooler temperatures have prevailed and flows are dipping below 5000 cfs allowing water clarity to improve. The forecast for the rest of this week is more of the same, so we expect to run a few fishing trips on the Snake this week as more folks arrive for Memorial Day weekend. The fishing has been mostly with nymphs in the slower water. The Cutthroat have pushed out to the edges in the higher water and are still willing to eat a well presented fly. Rigs with a large Rubberlegs as a point fly and worms/Pheasant Tails/Prince Nymphs have been producing. Later in the afternoons a few trout will eat some big foam off the surface if it’s fished tight to the bank in slower currents. We do expect that the Snake River will muddy up completely again soon with any warmer temperatures or rain, but for now, let’s go fishing! Give us a shout at 307-690-1139 to book your trip today!

Jackson Hole Fishing Report 5.1.15

May 1, 2015/550 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

If you’re in town, I hope you brought some cookies to go with all of the chocolate milk in our rivers currently! You never know what the beginning of May will bring for runoff conditions and with this years warm Spring in the Rockies, we’ve got an early start to runoff on all local rivers. There are still fishing opportunities locally though, you just might need to wander a bit… The best place to fish on the Snake River currently is below Jackson Lake Dam down to Pacific Creek. This is about 5 miles of clear water and holds Cutthroat, Browns, and a few Lake trout. We’re still at Winter flows of 550 cfs, so wading is an option. Nymphs and streamers are a good way to go in this cold water, until the Midge and BWO hatches begin in the afternoon. Nymph rigs consisting of a #8-10 Rubberlegs as a point fly and #14-18 Flashback PT are a good choice here. #18 Red Zebra Midges are also a good bet. Concentrate efforts on riffles and back eddies. There are still a few Skwalas around so skating your favorite Stonely pattern can be fun too. Try a #18 BWO Film Critic or #16-18 Parachute Adams if you see Cutthroat keying in on the surface. Don’t be afraid to look on the Jackson Lake side of the Dam for Lake trout in the relatively shallow water near the outlet. A sink-tip or full sinking line will help here as the water is 10-20′ deep. I like to fish Clousers and Black Leeches with a slow strip for these hungry trout. Flat Creek south of Jackson opens today! Water should be clear through the weekend and access is good from Hwy 89 South. This is skinny water with a few deeper holes/runs. All the same bugs – Skwalas, Midges, BWO’s – and also some Caddis are are present here. Nymph the deeper holes in the morning with a Stonefly/Caddis rig and look for a few risers in the afternoon/evenings. This is really the only clear water close to town, so expect some company. The South Fork of the Snake in Idaho is up to 12,300 cfs out of Palisades Dam and flows have been steady for over a week now. The Rainbows in this river are in spawn mode, especially on the Upper reaches down to Conant. IDF&G encourages rainbow trout removal to help out the native Cutthroat population. They even go so far as to tag certain Rainbows with monetary rewards up to $1000! Same bugs are on the menu – Skwalas, Midges, BWO’s, Caddis – and nymphing is the main game here in the afternoons. Don’t forget eggs and worms if you’re hunting the ‘Bows… The Green River above Warren Bridge should still be an option and there is plenty of access in the campgrounds. This is cold water and nymphs/streamers are the definitely the game to play. Same fare and throw in some more worms as your trailer since these trout really dig it! The Henry’s Fork is worth the drive if you have time. Lots of Caddis are flying and the Stonefly nymphs are staging in the shallows for what should be an earlier Salmonfly hatch this year. March Browns and BWO’s are present as well in this bug factory! Below Warm River and above the Fall River confluence is the best stretch to be fishing this time of year. There are definitely fishing options to be found! Enjoy our beautiful Spring weather and take a drive!

Jackson Hole Fishing Report 3.31.15

March 31, 2015/225 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

The fly fishing in Jackson Hole on the Snake River has only gotten better since our last fishing report! Water temperatures are increasing with our warm weather and this makes both our bugs and Cutthroat trout happy. We are seeing Midge hatches begin around 10am on our warmer mornings, but can start as late as noon on cooler days. These are larger Midges and fly patterns in sizes #16-20 have been the most effective along with Early Black Stonefly patterns in #14. Our Cutthroat will eat these flies into the late afternoon hours. As water temps rise closer to 42 degrees, more of BWO’s (Baetis) become active and the trout will look for them. Overcast, snowy/rainy days are the best for Baetis hatches and the trout will prefer these Mayflies over Midges on those days. Skwala stonefly nymphs have been very active and there are a few hatching already. Some of our trout are starting to eat foam on the Snake River, but this bite will get better as we move into April. Currently nymph rigs with a Stonefly imitation as the point fly and trailed by a Midge/Baetis/Brown Stone. The Brown Stonefly hatch is a bug that gets overlooked this time of year or confused as Skwalas. They are a #12-14 are far more prolific than the Skwalas. The Streamer bite has really taken off with water temperatures consistently at or near 42 degrees. It is best in the afternoons in the same water types listed below, but also along bank structure that is best fished from a driftboat. Our Cutthroat are still holding in deeper Winter lies, but are starting to take advantage of shallower riffles and bank water as long as it is moving at a slower pace. Look just below riffles where the current slows or any nervous water. Recirculating eddies are productive, especially where the recirculating current meets the main current. Typically they are podded up, so it is worth stopping if you find some feeding. Slow side channels with access to deeper holes are a great place to fish dry flies currently. We are booking trips daily and are excited about what April has to offer with prolific bug hatches! Call us at 307-690-1139 to book your fishing trip today. Best Flies: #20 Zelon Midge, #18-20 Tridge, #18-20 Micro Wulff Cripple, #14 Early Black Stone, #10 Purple Bruce, #10 Rubberlegs, #12-14 Guides Choice Hares Ear, #18 Red Zebra Midge, #18 Micro Mayfly, #4 Olive Dungeons, #6 JJ’s Special, #6 Black Bugger

Streamer Eater!

Double!

Jackson Hole Fishing Report 3.17.15

March 18, 2015/1,383 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Happy St. Patrick’s! It’s 60 degrees outside and has been very warm all this week! Our valley snow cover is retreating quickly and there is green grass beginning to show in town. Kinda strange, but we’ll take it. Just hope it rains or snows again soon… That being said, the fishing has only gotten better in Jackson Hole since our last report. Dry fly activity has become consistent during Midge hatches, 11am-3pm. Look in riffle tailouts, slower side channels, and back eddies for noses. Adult Early Black Stone patterns are taking some nice Cutthroat on top in these same spots. Stalking these trout is key as they are slow, clear water and will see you coming! Nymphing Skwala Stonefly nymph patterns has been very productive as well. Drop your big bug 6-7′ from your indicator and trail a Zebra Midge 18″ behind that. You’ll pick up some Whitefish as well with this rig. The tug is the drug! Best Flies: #10 Rubberlegs, #16-20 Red or Black Zebra Midge, #16-18 Furimsky’s BDE, #14-16 Winter Foam Stone, #6 JJ’s Special, #6 Woolhead Sculpins Feel free to call today to book your March Fly Fishing trip in Jackson Hole – 307-690-1139

Stealth approaches pay off!

Jackson Hole Fishing Report 3.3.15

March 4, 2015/22 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Well, winter has returned to Jackson Hole since our last fishing report. This has slowed the fly fishing a bit on colder days, but there have been some worthwhile opportunities as well mostly in the afternoons of warmer days. Stonefly and Midge nymphs continue to produce the best action… The real news is our snowpack in the Snake River and Upper Green River basins. The Snake is holding steady at 100% of water content despite weaker snow events over the past 6 weeks. Combine this with Jackson Lake being 76% full currently and it looks good for water temps and flows on the Snake in 2015. The Green River is holding at 115% of water content currently as well. It’s still too early to tell how the runoff will be for this gem of a river, but we have high hopes. March, April, and May are crucial precipitation months for the flows on the Green River. We will keep you informed on when this is fishing! We are running fly fishing trips on the Snake River in Jackson Hole currently. Give us a call!

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing – Guides report 2.14.15

February 15, 2015/17 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Happy Valentine’s! Spring has arrived in Jackson Hole, WY and the fly fishing has really turned on! Temperatures have been getting in to the 50’s, and our Cutthroat trout are loving it. Nymphs have been the name of the game, but recently the dry fly fishing has begun to pickup. We are even starting to float the Snake River! Give us a shout at 307-690-1139 if you’d like to go!

Matt Valesky enjoys the view of the Tetons!

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 2.1.15

February 1, 2015/627 Comments/in Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Reports /by Fish the Fly

Holy warm spell! This past week we saw air temperatures reach into the Upper 40’s in Jackson Hole. The fly fishing was alot of fun on the Snake River and other area rivers. Nymphing was still the name of the game, with Midges and our Early Brown Stones being the most important nymphs to imitate. Tandem rigs with #10-12 Hare’s Ears or Prince Nymphs trailed with #18 Zebra Midges or Copper Johns were the ticket. We are up and running guided fishing trips on the Snake River. Give us a call today at 307-690-1139 to book yours!

Kyle Banashek lands a nice Cutthroat from the Snake River

Our Cutthroat are in great shape!