River Conditions
Flows on the South Fork jumped to 12,400 cfs on April 23rd and held steady there through the week. Yesterday they came down to 11,200 cfs, where we’re sitting now. Water is running clear and cold, and these flows are pushing fish into the slower, softer water along the edges — exactly where you want to be focusing right now.
Good news for those of you launching from the top: the Palisades Dam boat access and parking area reopened this morning at 9:00 AM after a short closure for prep work and a fresh coat of paint on the parking lines. The improvements should make life easier at the ramp going forward.
Weather
We’re ushering in a stretch of weather that’s hard to complain about:
- Today: Slight chance of rain and snow, otherwise mostly sunny with a high near 52. ENE wind around 7 mph shifting north in the afternoon.
- Friday: Sunny, high near 58. Light east wind shifting west in the afternoon.
- Saturday: Sunny, high near 63. East wind 6–9 mph shifting southwest in the afternoon.
- Sunday: Partly sunny, high near 64. Slight chance of rain after noon, with snow levels well up around 9,000 feet.
Overnight lows in the upper 20s to mid-30s, so layer up early and shed as the day warms.
Tactics
With high, cold flows, prime fishing windows are going to line up with the warmest parts of the day — generally late morning through mid-afternoon. Don’t feel like you need to be on the water at first light right now. Sleep in, grab a second cup of coffee, and time your float to the sun.
Concentrate on the slower water types: buckets, tailouts, holes, seams, and eddies. Fish aren’t going to be hanging in the heaviest current at these flows. Streamer fishing can still be productive, but keep your flies low and slow — short strips, long pauses, and let the fly hang in the soft water.
A quick note that’s worth repeating from past reports: it’s always worth probing a riffle with a rubberlegs, worms, egg patterns, BWOs, and midge patterns, but you may not hook up right at the drop-off where you’d find fish mid-summer during a PMD hatch. Instead, as you float or wade further down, you might find fish holding in the deep, slow pool a hundred yards or more below the riffle. And if you do find fish stacked in a pool, there are likely more — it’s worth rowing back up and taking another slow pass through the run.
Hatches
Hatches will be limited this week. Expect midges throughout the day with a chance of BWOs. Fish aren’t keying on surface food much yet, so the action is mostly subsurface.
Recommended Flies
Nymphs: Pat’s Rubberlegs (black, brown, coffee/black) #6–10, San Juan Worms (red, pink) #10–12, egg patterns, Zebra Midges #18–20, Two Bit Hookers #18, Pheasant Tails #16–18, Frenchies #16–18
Streamers: Sparkle Minnows, Dolly Llamas, Sculpzillas, Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow — fish them deep and slow
Dries (just in case): Griffith’s Gnats #18–20, Parachute Adams #18, small BWO patterns #18–20
At the Lodge & Fly Shop
We be welcoming our first guest at the lodge this weekend — always a good day around here. We still have rooms and guides available through May, and our lodging rates are excellent right now. It’s a great time to be on the river before the summer crowds arrive. Book a day trip or stay at the lodge by calling 208.483.2222.
Floating options are wide open with all of the access points now in play.
Our fly shop in Swan Valley is open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We’ve got everything you need for a great day on the river, both in-store and online. Don’t miss our HUGE fly sale going on right now. Stop by or give us a call at 208.483.2727 with any questions.
Tight lines, and we’ll see you on the river.
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