Skip to content
  • Fishing Report

South Fork of the Snake River Fishing Report – September 3, 2026

The Lodge at Palisades Creek Guide, Logan Thompson with a 30" Brown Trout from the South Fork of the Snake River.

River Conditions

Flows out of Palisades Dam dropped this week from 9,500 cfs down to 7,000 cfs, putting the river into a much more fall-like condition. Air temperatures have cooled off considerably as well, which is keeping water temperatures down and the fish happy.

The Word From Our Guides

This time of year on the South Fork, there’s an opportunity to catch fish on just about any tactic you’d like to choose. The drop in flows will push more Mutant Stones into the system, and that’s an early-morning game — twitching Chernobyl ant–style patterns along the banks at first light. Our guides have also had great success fishing small rubberlegs in the afternoons, or trailing a small rubberlegs behind that Chernobyl. Hopper-dropper rigs are still very much in play with terrestrials on the menu, and we’ve had clients catching quite a few fish throwing small streamers.

Tactics: A Full Gamut of Options

  • Early morning: Twitch a Chernobyl or Mutant Stone dry along the banks before the sun hits the water.
  • Afternoon: Small rubberlegs, either on its own or dropped behind a Chernobyl or hopper.
  • All day: Hopper-dropper with terrestrials on top, or small streamers for anglers who want to cover water.
  • Cloudy and cool: Blue Winged Olives and Mahogany Duns come out, and the technical dry fly fishing gets very good.

Looking Ahead: Labor Day Weekend

The forecast is calling for more of the cloudy, cool weather over the upcoming Labor Day, which should bring out the Blue Winged Olives and Mahoganies. Keep a few of each in the box along with your streamers and stonefly patterns and you’ll be ready for whatever the day brings.

At the Fly Shop & Lodge

If you have questions or need flies or gear, swing into our Swan Valley Fly Shop and Brody will get you set up with anything you might need. Looking for a last-minute guide trip? Give the lodge a call at (208) 483-2222.

We also still have lodging available in October, and we’re offering more than 20% off our lodging rates throughout the month. It’s a great time to be on the South Fork — fall bugs, cooler weather, and fewer boats on the water.

Thanks again, as always, for checking in on The Lodge at Palisades Creek Fishing Report. We’ll see you on the river.

Want the report delivered to your inbox every week? Sign up for our newsletter HERE for weekly reports May through October.

Blog Categories