South Fork – 5/7/11

The Bureau of Reclamation, anticipating a significant runoff this year, has been making room in Palisades Reservoir by sending water downstream. As a result, the South Fork recently reached almost 18,000 cfs, but has now dropped back down to 14,000. This amount of fluctuation has made recent fishing on the South Fork less than ideal. Keep in mind that this early ‘flush’ is only to make room for a lot more water that is expected to come. I would expect another “flush” – perhaps a BIG one, depending on how quickly temperatures warm up, to happen on the South Fork in early summer. With all of that in mind, the name of the game right now, if you really want to fish the South Fork, is to get down deep with nymphs in slower-moving water. Or, go the Henry’s Fork, where the fishing has been more productive.

Henry’s Fork – 5/7/11

Signs of runoff are beginning to kick in on the lower Henry’s, and I would expect that current and predicted rainfall will cause the bigger tributaries such as the Warm and Fall Rivers to start pumping more off-color water into the lower Henry’s. The stretch between Vernon and Chester should continue to provide some of the better fishing on the lower river. Blue Wing Olives, March Browns and caddis are all present, and have been adding up to good fishing. Emerger patterns and soft hackles in the surface film are working well. Deeper nymphs and, on the right days, streamers, are good choices right now as well.

Keep in mind that the section from Ashton Dam down to Vernon Bridge will continue to be closed to protect spawning habitat until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

The Chester Dam rebuild has concluded, which is great news for anglers – The Henry’s Fork Foundation, Trout Unlimited and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition successfully worked to make sure that a fish ladder, and fish screens to prevent turbine mortality, are important features of the new dam. This will re-connect approx. 70 miles of river and tributaries, including important spawning grounds that have been completely blocked off since the original dam was built in 1938. This should only mean good things for the health and fish numbers throughout a larger part of the lower Henry’s system.

The Box Canyon is open, though there are still varying reports about whether the boat ramps in the canyon are accessible or not. The section from the lower Harriman State Park boundary down to the posted boundary just upstream of Riverside campground will open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Please consult the Idaho fishing regs for more detail about the other sections of the Henry’s.

If I was going to fish anywhere in the area right now it would be the Henry’s Fork, and it should continue to be the best game in town for quite a while as our other rivers continue to blow out and run off color. Get out and enjoy it!

- Bruce Smithhammer

High Country Flies