Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 1.28.15

Wow, it’s been awhile since I last posted a fishing report to our blog!  Last season finished strong with great fly fishing in October and November with relatively warm temperatures.  BWO and Midge hatches kept the fish looking up on the Snake River in Jackson Hole and the streamer bite was on.  The South Fork in Idaho fished well in to December as did the Henry’s Fork and our guides took advantage of some free time on all of these waters. Fish the Fly owner, Jason Balogh, spent the month of November floating the whitewater on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. There was some good fishing to be found down there as well for hungry rainbows. Along with plenty of solitude and great camraderie!

JB crushes the meat in Lava Falls. Colorado River,Grand Canyon

JB crushes the meat in Lava Falls. Colorado River,Grand Canyon

 
Colorado River rainbow trout

Colorado River rainbow trout

We’ve finally returned our focus to all things fishing in Jackson Hole after such an epic trip.  Stay tuned for regular updates on our snow pack and our upcoming Spring fishing. There is alot going to talk about!

Fishing report Jackson Hole- Snake River 10.14.14

The Snake River has been a fun place to be! Flows are at their Winter levels and the Cutthroat have found their new homes for the long haul.  The BuRec announced that they would flows out of Jackson Lake Dam at 450 cfs for the Winter, since we received so much rain at the very end of September and beginning of October. This is great news for our trout and invertebrates in the Snake River as it gives them more holding water and a chance to spread out and feed over the course of the winter. Currently, the fly fishing on the Snake River has been a blast!  Double-nymph rigs are a great way to go in the mornings as water temperatures rise. Rubber Legs, BH Flashback Hares Ear Nymphs, Prince Nymphs, Lightening Bugs, Copper Johns in red or olive,  and Flashback Pheasant Tails have all produced well.  After lunch, the dry-fly action kicks in with Mahogany Duns, Blue-Winged Olives, October Caddis, and a few terrestrials are bringing Cutthroat to the surface.   The streamer bite has also been good on banks and along any structure pulling up some larger trout. Gotta love Fall! Crowds are light and the fishing is great!

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 10.1.14

Is it possible for flows on a river to rise and fall simultaneously? After so amazing Fall weather into the last weekend in September, we saw rain. Lots of it. A whole month’s worth in about 4 days.  This sent the flows on the Snake, Gros Ventre, and Hoback Rivers soaring above seasonal averages.  At the same time, the BuRec started reducing flows out of Jackson Lake Dam this past Monday on the way to to Winter flows of 350cfs by October 10th. Surprisingly enough only the Hoback blew out and made the lower river unfishable.  Above the Hoback confluence, the Snake was on fire! Mayfly hatches were prolific – PMD’s, Mahoganies, Hecubas, and Blue-Winged Olives. The Cutthroat crushed them and when it rained too hard to feed off the surface they ate nymphs readily. The Caddis larva in the Snake are also doing their behavioral drift as they look for new homes for the Winter.  Oh and the streamer bite is on! Best Flies: #16 Mahogany Hackle Stacker, #16 Pablo’s PMD Cripple, #12 Para Adams, #16 Copper or Purple Haze, #16 Red Copper John, #16-18 Lightening Bug, #14-16 Prince, #6 JJ’s Special The weather is settling and the Snake continues to drop.  Fly fishing will continue to be good for the whole month and crowds are minimal on the Snake making for an excellent to be out there! Check out our Fall Fishing Special on the Snake River  

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 9.14.14

Fly fishing in Jackson Hole in September to date has been nothing short of fantastic!  Fall arrived a little early here, with cooler overnight lows.  We even reached 20 degrees here this past week!  No worries though as high temps for the next 4-5 days are forecasted to 75-80 degrees. And did I mention that the fall colors are on fire? This has brought to life all the bug life in the Jackson Hole valley – Claasenia Stoneflies, Hecuba Drakes, Mahogany Duns, Infrequens PMD’s, Flying Ants, Rhyacophila Caddis and even some October Caddis and BWO’s. Needless to say there are plenty of options to tie on to the end of your line. Your favorite foam pattern has been working, sometimes the whole day. Mahoganies are another good all day choice, and the other bugs are great match the hatch alternatives. The streamer bite is really firing up with all colors working at different times so far. Depending on morning temperatures the Cutthroat start eating on the surface by 10am, sometimes earlier. Sunny afternoons are great for flying ants and the Rhycophilas, but may as well try them at anytime.    Give us a shout at 307-690-1139 to take advantage of the best dry fly fishing around! September is THE month to float the Snake River!  

Snake River Jackson Hole

Gorgeous day for a float on the Snake River!

     

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report 7.30.14

Fly fishing both on the Snake River here in Jackson Hole and our backcountry creeks has been a lot of fun lately! The Snake has dropped and cleared and there are a ton of small to medium sized Cutthroat eating off the surface readily.  Stoneflies, hoppers, Gray Drakes, and Caddis are all taking their fair share of trout. There are a few nice sized fish in the 16-17″ range to be found as well… Our backcountry creeks are a blast! There is still plenty of water in all of these creeks to warrant a hike.  More water = good water temperatures, especially in the lower end of these tributaries.  Quite a few fish that would normally drop down into a larger river are still holding on in smaller water.  Tie on your favorite hopper or beetle pattern and go have a ball!

Moondance Adventures was in town for a Cutthroat throw down!

Moondance Adventures was in town for a Cutthroat throw down!

 

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report- Snake River 7.20.14

The Snake River flowing through the Jackson Hole valley has begun to come alive! Flows are dropping and are currently at 5410 cfs at Moose, WY.  This may sound like a lot of water, and it is,  but these Cutthroat are hungry! The best news here is that we are already seeing some of our larger trout back in the Snake after spawning.  This action will only get better as the month progresses and we move into August.  The Cutthroat trout populations in the Snake River are as good as they have ever been and the fly fishing will be phenomenal for the rest of the year! Flies: #8-12 Chubby Chernobyl, #10-12 Circus Peanuts, #10-12 Parachute Adams, #10-12 Rubberlegs, #14-16 Copper Johns, #14 Prince Nymphs

Snake River July

Cutthroat trout eating dry flies!

Backcountry fly fishing report – Jackson, WY 7.18.14

The Jackson Hole backcountry has seen some really good fishing of late! It’s also seen some muddy water after it has rained, but it clears quickly and we’re back on it.  Stonefly patterns, #8-12 have been a great way to go as the drift is often the most important aspect in getting Cutthroat to eat.  We will have plenty of water in these streams through the Summer and into September. Look for terrestrials to be on the menu very soon – Hoppers, Beetles, and Ants. Get out and enjoy these gems as they are a blast to fish!

Jackson Hole backcountry

Jim and Anne Olson enjoy a fine Cutthroat trout

   

Snake River Fly Fishing report 6.22.14

Our cold snap last week has dropped flows on the Snake River significantly and we’ve had a window to run some float fishing trips on it this week. There are tons of Golden Stones of all sizes flying, along with Caddis and Green Drakes.  Some Cutthroat trout are rising to them in slower side channels and back eddies, but they are eating the nymphs with abandon! Best flies are #6-10 Rubberlegs, #10-12 Flashback PT’s, #10 Chubby Chernobyls Rain is forecasted over the next few days and the Snake is already on the rise, so we expect that it will be blow out again by this weekend.  It will be another week to ten days before we are out on the Snake River again, but it’s going to be a good one this year. Check out what WY Game and Fish has to say about their electro-shocking results from last Fall – WY Game and Fish

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing – Guides Report 4.9.14

The dry fly fishing on the Upper Snake in Jackson Hole is on fire!!  Daytime temperatures are in the 50’s and the bugs are hatching.  Midges, BWO’s, Little Black/Brown Stoneflies, and a few Caddis are all on the menu for our Cutthroat.  Dry fly action is best from Wilson Bridge-Sheep’s Gulch, but is improving upstream as well with warmer temperatures.  Nymphing on the Moose-Wilson stretch with Skwala patterns has produced some great trout too. We are up and running for the season!  Take advantage of our Spring Fly Fishing Special that is in place until runoff hits….  

Jackson Hole Fly Fishing – Guides Report 3.26.14

The fly fishing has really turned on here in Jackson Hole, WY! We have seen consistent daytime temperatures above freezing and more sunshine, which has woken up our Cutthroat trout! Midges are still the main hatch, but we are seeing more Black/Brown Stoneflies especially on cloudy days.  Cutthroat are rising to the surface in shallow riffle flats and back eddies. Deeper water still requires nymph rigs to get into consistent fishing.  The streamer bite is hit or miss with water temperatures still on the chilly side for trout to give chase. There are a few sections of the Snake River open to float including Wilson-South Park and South Park to Astoria. The ramp at Moose is open as well, but makes for a very long float. All of this will only get better as we move into April!!