Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Fishing Report by Bill Mason


It's pretty clear that the weather is playing hell with most of our river systems despite the fact that we've lost a great deal of our snowpack in just the last week. Most of our waters remain high and unseasonably off-color. Even some of our hatches have been affected and unfortunately, this week's weather pattern is not conducive to a brighter outlook. Early in the week we will have a few days of reprieve but the end of the week does not look great. As Rosanne Rosannadanna use to say "It's always something". Let's see what's in store.

SILVER CREEK—Hatches have been good when there but they have also been horribly inconsistent from both the time of day and from one day to the next. You are never quite sure what you will find and when you will find it. The most consistent has been the Pale Morning Duns seen midday but then again, you'll also see it in early evening (see what I mean?). PMD Parachute #18, Crippled PMD #18 and a Flashback Pheasant Tail #16 will always tip a few heads upwards. On some days, Beatis has been reported heavy in the late afternoon but on the following day it appears it leaves town (don't you love June?). If encountered, a Mason Quill Spinner #22 and a Parachute Lt. Olive Dun #22 will take fish. Midges are always present so you need to be armed with some tiny stuff.

The weather has had the biggest effect on the Brown Drake. It popped heavy one night late last week but the rain prevented the ensuing spinner fall from materializing. As I said last week, the spinner stages have a disdain for nasty weather (survival of the species) and the results were the obvious case. The hatch also have seemed to have stalled and may appear before this column hits the streets but when it comes, it will come big-time and it will be hot and heavy. You just have to be ready with your car packed ready to go. Para Brown Drakes, Cut-Wing Drakes, Brown Drake Emerger and a Mason Brown Drake Spinner #10-12 will work depending on what situation you are presented with. Good luck.

BIG WOOD RIVER—The snowpack has shrunk considerably but the rain and mudslides out Warm Springs and Trail Creek have left the Wood high and unfishable. The weather forecast isn't helping.

BIG LOST—The upper river (the Basin) is still very high and the lower river is now unwadeable. Despite the heavy rains reported in Mackay, it's obvious they are now letting water out of the dam for in-coming storage purposes. Save some gas money for it's probably going to be this way for months to come (irrigation).

WARM SPRINGS/TRAIL CREEK—Forget it for awhile.

PENNY LAKE/LAKE CREEK/GAVER'S LAGOON (Hasper Hatchery)—All planted regularly with catchable trout and are perfect for those anglers using flies, bait and spinners and wishing to take home a few fish.




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