2009 Rockies Fishing Reports

**Wysplit_ride** · 05-07-2009, 07:56 AM

HMMMMMMMM....glad I have a new 14' aluminum 9.9 hp lake boat this year!

**adipose** · 05-07-2009, 05:56 PM

Yep; we really do need to get together.:

Originally Posted by Wysplit_ride

HMMMMMMMM....glad I have a new 14' aluminum 9.9 hp lake boat this year!

**khakis** · 05-10-2009, 12:54 PM

first cast of the year!

Red San Juans were killing it Friday on the S. Platte near Deckers. There was something hatching later in the afternoon with a few rises, but I couldn't seem to match it. The water levels were on the rise all afternoon and the water was getting off-color, so it may be all washed out for a few days.

**schwerty** · 05-11-2009, 08:08 AM

On the way to a Mom's Day brunch up in GTNP we drove the Jenny Lake loop. Still got the cap on. A string of a few warm days and nights above 25 should break some of the ice up. Until then, the Jh valley is pretty much toast.

I got some so-so reports from the upper Green from late last week. Still fishable, (as was the New Fork), but prolly not worth the trip.

Haven't haerd much from the South Fork Other than lotsa water being pushed through...prolly not worth it. Things are running pretty big on the Henry's. The Fall is apparently dumping a good amount of goo....

**schwerty** · 05-17-2009, 10:06 AM

South Fork update: All tribs/feeder creeks are pushing super-goo as of yesterday. Dam is still pushing relatively clear water through. Laps from the dam - Husky is about all for now.

**neckdeep** · 05-24-2009, 07:10 AM

The big bugs are in the shallows, some adults are out. Golden hatch looks like it will be huge too, more golden nymphs than salmon under the rocks in some places.

Heard from the lodge that so many floaters have been piling into the Ora bridge access that the sheriff was down there today writing tickets on the rigs parked in the road. Go early or late to avoid the midday shit show. Late is usually better; I've seen it totally overrun with driftboats from 10am to 5pm, but from 6pm to sunset, most anglers leave just in time for some of the day's best dry fly action.

**ColMan** · 05-28-2009, 08:16 PM

Fished Long Meadow on the N Fork of the S Platte earlier in the week. Running pretty high (450-500) but still caught a ton of fish. Smallest was 14-16", largest was a 4lb football lunker. All rainbows with 2 cuttbows thrown in. Broke off way more than I care to admit on some huge fish. Did much better on 2x. Pigs kept darting downstream in the fast water.

**schwerty** · 05-29-2009, 10:10 AM

Choco milk up here.

Lower Henry's is apparently a shit-show. Lower elevation lakes are cold but fishin'.

**neckdeep** · 05-30-2009, 12:20 AM

Yeah, did Warm to Ashton yesterday and there were probably 40 boats in there. Hammered to shit. Montana dickwads passing and cutting in right below ya etc. Got one good fish and some dinks. Hatch was up to the Falls today; did the Gulch float today, only 6 or 8 boats up there and much better fishing. The big browns seemed stuffed, only moved a few to the surface, but we caught tons o' small and medium sized bows. Burly water; saw a boat get pinned and found gear from another in a log jam. Hatch should progress up through Cardiac over the weekend. Lots of yellow sallies in the mix today.

If you want to float a lower section, dont even bother putting in till 4 or 5, its retarded crowded midday and everyone is just beating the banks to death. Most fish get hazed off the shore. Put in late and look for risers in the lower light of the early evening.

**schwerty** · 05-30-2009, 07:12 AM

A buddy, (who was on the Gultch float Thursday), gave me the same report. They only saw 2 other boats....one was pinned...the other was pulled over and had obviously dumped or swamped. The guys were bailing the boat out, soaking and pissed.

**basinbeater** · 05-30-2009, 08:30 PM

Fished the Firehole River in Yellowstone on Monday, right in midway geyser basin. Fish were taking copper johns, and caddis nymphs in the afternoon.

Also fished Ennis Lake on Saturday using a spin rigg with a mepps. Caught a nice lunker despite the dog splashing around me constantly.

The rivers in the area, the Madison below Hebgen, Beaverhead, and Big Hole were all quite high, and not very clear, hence my decision to fish Ennis Lake instead. A friend of mine said that the only good river fishing in the area would have been upper Beaverhead. That is all I know for now.

**schwerty** · 06-01-2009, 11:24 AM

Yesterday, I decided to tell my 2 fishin' buddies to go to the Henry's Fork without me for one of my favorite floats, (Lower Mesa - Warm), despite a Hall Pass from my Wife. Instead of catching multiple large trout on big dries, on a relatively remote float, drinking beer and Crown with 2 of my best friends, I opted to take the solo drive to Jellystone.

I told myself I wanted some solitude and wade fishing.

Shoulda listened to my firends.

Yellowstone:

Upper Snake and tribs: Gone.....for a long fucking time.

Lewis River is SWOLLEN. Fishable if you want to wade up to your neck above the canyon. If you're wanting to deal with getting down in the canyon...things looked good.

Lewis Lake: Still got the cap on. Road to the outlet and put in is closed.

Gibbon: High and a little silty. Might go if you wanna take a long walk but I wouldn't bother.

Firehole: Typical tea color. High but definitely fishable. Fishing was so-so. Best fishing now is above Midway G.B. Seasonal hatches of pmd's and some bwo's heavy when not windy. Good midday caddis also....X patterns and emergers. Stay away from the yarn/bobber deal. Nymphing was much better using trad. techniques with any general mayfly or caddis patterns.
Below Midway you'll find a touron hatch. For the most part, I left the lower river alone but saw plenty of folks fishing. I did wet the line off Fountain Flats Rd. Great walk back there. Not too crowded off the path. Storm came through...stream bite was on. Black was the ticket.

Nez Pierce: Fishable.

Maddy: Gone.

**NippleHighPow** · 06-01-2009, 01:26 PM

Was up in Yellowstone last week at this time and had the exact conditions. Took the West entrance down to the Henry's and caught the tail end of a Salmon Fly hatch. Lots of rises and some hits...

**neckdeep** · 06-05-2009, 07:06 AM

Robinson creek is clear(a little high, 3-4ft vis) and has a solid caddis hatch underway. No stonefly shucks observed. Fish tore up the ever reliable rubberleg/prince combo; got thirty bow, brown, brookie 6-13 inchers, two 14 inch bows and a 15 and an 18 inch brown. Nobody should be crying about high water cuz it is on in Fremont county. Never saw another angler or much of what could be called a "trail.". If you get away from boat ramps and easy hiking trails there are over 50 miles of prime hike-in fishing available today on the Henry's and low elevation tribs. Much of it is being ignored in favor of the ramp to ramp floats and the lure of "easy" salmonfly action. My advice...floating is nice but don't degenerate into a boat bitch.

**72Twenty** · 06-05-2009, 01:03 PM

Is Jackson Lake full? Man the Snake was charging at the bridge going to Wilson.

**schwerty** · 06-07-2009, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by 72Twenty

Is Jackson Lake full? Man the Snake was charging at the bridge going to Wilson.

Currently at 92%. Here's a good link for the res. system around here:

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm

Tne "scheduled" peak flows out of Jackson Lake will be on the 10th. If they follow the plan, flows will decrease slowly over the next 5 weeks. Should be around 2000csf by the 3rd week in July.

**neckdeep** · 06-12-2009, 09:52 AM

Speaking of reservoirs, the Ririe res flyfishing bass tourney was good fun yesterday. As great as the prizes are, I'm suprised more local anglers don't pony up the $50 entry for this. I was row bitch for the team that got fifth out of 17 teams. Fishing was either hot or slow depending on what banks one worked. Congrats to Kim and Quincy. Despite hangovers, a broken rib and no oarsman, the girls spanked some of the best in the local guiding community and took home a big pile of cash, loot and bragging rights.

**schwerty** · 06-15-2009, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by neckdeep

Speaking of reservoirs, the Ririe res flyfishing bass tourney was good fun yesterday. As great as the prizes are, I'm suprised more local anglers don't pony up the $50 entry for this. I was row bitch for the team that got fifth out of 17 teams. Fishing was either hot or slow depending on what banks one worked. Congrats to Kim and Quincy. Despite hangovers, a broken rib and no oarsman, the girls spanked some of the best in the local guiding community and took home a big pile of cash, loot and bragging rights.

I woulda joined in the fun but was up in Canukistan slinging the line for smallies and toothy monsters.

Good for Kim and Quincy. Fun times! I'll be there next year.

**neckdeep** · 06-16-2009, 07:39 AM

No need to wait till next year. I have heard that a "Fall Classic" tournament is already in the works. Entry fees will be raised to $100 and a cap of 30-35 teams is being considered. Its all still in the planning stages, but the word is that first prize will be a lightly used and refurbished demo boat donated by Boulder Boatworks. Schwing! I'm gonna be there. Two angler teams, designated rower allowed in boat, fly rod/flies only, no trolling, 10 hp motor limit, 5 bass team limit, fish must be alive at weigh-in to count.

**schwerty** · 06-17-2009, 08:46 PM

I'll fish, (or row), in a fall tounrey.

**schwerty** · 06-18-2009, 12:40 PM

South Fork of the Snake is UP and going UP more. 22,000cfs is the planned peak this weekend. So, don't bother if you are planning on coming up or down to fish this river.

**neckdeep** · 06-19-2009, 07:37 AM

Yep, expect to see every regional angler shift over to the Hank for a while. It is fishing very well anywhere above the Fall river confluence. The big mayfly species are coming off down low - reports from anglers who defy the weather and stick it out to sunset have been very positive. Most anglers have bailed before the rustys, grays, flavs and green drakes return for spinner fall.

**neckdeep** · 06-25-2009, 11:27 AM

Henry's is unusually low because the abundant rains have quenched the demand for irrigation water. The water managers are banking the water for later in the summer. Now is the time to hike into the lesser seen waters of Cardiac Canyon-flows out of IP are down to 550cfs and that makes for relatively easy wading in the pocket water sections; you can get into stuff that is normally out of reach. Lots o' bugs on the water. The lower's ramp-to-ramp floats have been crowded, but folks are catching fish. Expect the Ashton to Chester float to involve competition for space because at these low flows, the fish in that section get predictably concentrated in the deeper runs. Anglers can get reluctant to give up a prime zone when there are only a dozen holes in a four mile float and each one has a boat or two or three anchored up on it.

Teton and its tribs are still blown out, big time. The Fall is dropping and has had a great salmonfly hatch that was fished by only a few guys. Too high to wade in most places and still running too strong for the taste of most drift boaters, so it has remained virtually untouched this year. Robinson creek and the Warm River continue to produce good results. The Warm has seen considerable pressure so try Robinson up in the Nat'l Forest if you want some really stupid fish. A bud and I got 70-80 fish in under a mile of Robinson Creek on tuesday(ok, we were bushwacking in unfished water on private property. Hey, there are advantages to working for the person who owns the lower mile of the canyon. Loads of good water to be had upstream on public land, however. Take spray, deet and pepper). Pine Creek opens in a few days and could provide some nearby fun for J-Holers looking for clearer waters and eager cutties.

**schwerty** · 06-29-2009, 11:11 AM

Things in the Jackson Hole area are still a mess for the most part. Flows have been ramped up again on the Snake. Most of the tribs are shot too. I did have a chance to hit Pacific Creek on Sunday for a bit. It's one of the only 2 viable river options around this valley and Teton Valley ID as far as I know. Pacific Creek is a little off color but fishable. If you are heading this way or live here, the slower channels will be ON by end of the week. They were decent yesterday. The most solitude and productive water will be found a mile below the wilderness boundary on up....

Waiting for some reports from the Green. Plenty of scouting boats went down this weekend. The water is still high and prolly off color but we'll see....