Fly Fishing Stream Conditions Report: Snake River - South Fork

This year: The South Fork of the Snake River is currently running high, with flows around 13200 CFS. Throughout June, flows have consistently been in the range of 11600 to 13500 CFS, making for a robust river experience. When nymphing, a double nymph rig under a hefty indicator is your best bet to get down to the fish. Consider patterns like the Duracell Jig, Pat's Rubber Legs, and Hare's Ear. For those targeting larger browns, streamers will give you a better chance, with flies such as the Borski Bonefish Slider proving effective.

Prior years: Fishing on the South Fork is generally good, with some periods of fair fishing when the water is stained. Flows have been variable, ranging from approximately 2,900 cfs to 12,600 cfs. Water clarity is often clear, though it can be stained at times, particularly with higher flows. Surface water temperatures range from around 52 degrees in the morning to 58 degrees in the late afternoon. Nymphing remains consistently productive across all reaches. Beadhead patterns, stonefly imitations, aquatic worms, CDC soft hackle patterns, and caddis patterns are all effective. Midge imitations like Perdigons, Devil Jigs, and Zebra Midges also produce. Use double nymph rigs and adjust depth with split shot or tungsten to get your flies down, targeting the ½ to 2/3 depth in the water column. Both "down and dirty" bugs and smaller, technical nymphs (size 16-22) are working. Focus on riffles, seams, troughs, parallel drop-offs, and eddies. Dry fly fishing is picking up, especially on the lower sections where fish are looking up for foam and smaller dries. Salmonflies are emerging on the lower reaches and have made their way up to Wolf Eddy, with larger numbers seen on the lower sections. Green Drakes are hatching on the lower river, particularly below Twin Bridges and around Lorenzo, though some drakes are fading. PMDs and caddis are also present on the water. Topwater foam action has taken off, and a dry-dropper or tandem dry rig is worth trying. Streamer action is decent, particularly when focusing on the lower two-thirds of the water column. Use sinking tips (3ips to 8ips), full sinking INT lines, or floating lines with heavily weighted patterns. Employ slow to moderate retrieves, especially in slower currents. Lighter colored streamers can be more effective on sunny days. Rubberlegs and streamers are also productive when flows are higher. Cutthroat are moving into riffles and sitting in shallower water.