The Salt River between Thayne and Alpine WY has been a lot of fun lately! There are plenty of bugs to fish on the surface or below- Stoneflies, Hoppers, Caddis, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, and Craneflies. I like to use the hopper/dropper technique on this river since there are Cutthroat, Browns, and a few Rainbows here that all are looking for foods in different forms. Streamers are a good way to go on cloudy days, especially since the Palisades Reservoir is down to 24%. All of the trout that live in the Reservoir have to go somewhere!

It’s been awhile since my last fishing report for the Jackson Hole area, so it’s time to catch you up… The best fishing in the Jackson Hole valley is taking place on our backcountry creeks.  These fish see light pressure and eat dry flies readily.  Recent Golden Stonefly hatches are pulling up Cutthroat trout up to 18″ to eat these big bugs. Water Walkers, Chubby Chernobyls, and Circus Peanuts are great flies for this action.  We’ve also been fishing #10-12 Yellow PMX’s for the Yellow Sallies, and #12 Parachute Adams for Grey Drakes.  A Yellow Stimulator seems to always to do well for either Sallies or Caddis… The Snake River is flowing at 6400 cfs at Moose currently.  This is a little high for this time of year and has slowed the dry fly fishing some.  Nymphs are pulling up the best fish south of the town of Jackson- Rubberlegs, Cased Caddis, Prince, and Copper Johns. Some smaller trout are eating dry flies, especially in slower water and side channels. The Snake River in GTNP is fishing better on dry flies than down lower. Stonefly patterns are bringing up nice Cutthroat even in the faster main stem. Side channels are still the best way to go with some smaller PMD or Yellow Sally patterns…

Here’s the latest on fly fishing conditions in Jackson Hole, WY – Backcountry creeks – these are all high and muddy with the exceptionally warm weather over the past five days.  I’m thinking this will peak this weekend and we will be able to start guiding on these creeks sometime next week. Soda Lake is a gem that continues to shine with large trophy Cutthroat being caught daily.  Expect to see a few folks, since this is one of the better games in town currently. Snake River – 7100 cfs at Moose and blown out currently. The Buffalo Fork is pumping in alot of mud and will continue to do so for the next week to ten days. We expect to be guiding here at the end of June. Jenny Lake in GTNP – we don’t run guided fishing trips here, but we love to fish it in June.  Why? Consistent action for Cutthroat  and Lake trout in the shallows.  Sight fishing to cruising trout over sandy bottoms with flying ant patterns or nymphs is a blast! If that isn’t happening, fishing small leech patterns or Clousers on a sinking line near the inlets is productive.

What a great few weeks!  Lots of sunshine and warm temperatures have made for excellent fly fishing on the Snake River.  The majority of our valley snowpack is now gone and there is good access at Moose, Wilson, South Park, Astoria and Elbow boat ramps. Game on! Our Cutthroat are loving it with good bug options – Midges, BWO’s, and small Black/Brown Stones.  Riffles, shallow seams and side channels are all holding rising trout daily from noon until dusk. Nymphing and throwing streamers are still good bets, especially in deeper, slow runs. Best flies: #14-18 Furimsky’s BDE, #14-16 Black Caddis, #16-18 Para Adams, #12-16 PT’s and Hare’s Ears, #14-16 Black AP Nymph, #6 Olive or Black Buggers