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At last nights Water Flow meeting conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation
several flow projections were revealed that have important implications
for the Snake River fisherman. Realize however that these are only
projections and are subject to change in the case of abnormal dry or wet
periods. Nonetheless, the Bureau feels fairly confident that their
projections will come to pass.
Flows out of Jackson Lake Dam are projected at a stable 1,900 cfs (cubic
feet per second) throughout the summer. With a below normal snowpack
this winter some had feared the Snake River would suffer from low flows
this summer, but it appears now that that won't be the case. In fact,
stable releases in the 1,900 cfs range should provide very good fishing
conditions this summer and fall.
Flows out of Palisades Dam on the South Fork are not quite as rosy.
Projected to be somewhere between 12,000-13,000 cfs, flows will be
somewhat on the high side for optimal fishing. As a general rule, many
riffles will be submerged under too much water and trout will be pushed
to the banks. While this will be a boon the bank fishermen, many travel
to the South Fork specifically for the riffle fishing. My advise would
be to put on large attractors and start pounding those banks!
Also of interest is the rising snow-water equivalent of the snowpack in
the Snake River Basin. As of today, the snow-water equivalent rests at
63% of normal, up from 55% about 10 days ago. Recent rains have
contributed to this rise.
Jackson Lake
Following the earliest ice-out on Jackson Lake in 26 years, fishing
is beginning to pick up.
Nice mackinaw and cutthroat trout have been taken on Woolly Buggers and leeches in
black, olive and brown. Type II or III full sink lines can be very
useful for this type of fishing. Medium to slow retrieves with
occasional pauses works well. Concentrate your efforts off points and
around shelves and drop-offs. On windy days, fish in the lee of the wind
whenever possible. Evenings have been the most productive time of day. Snake River
The Snake is in full runoff, but the 4 mile section from Jackson
Lake Dam to Pacific Creek remains clear and fishable. Overall, the
fishing has been relatively slow but worth the effort for those anglers
anxious to wet a line. The predominant hatches have been midges and Little Black
Stones (size 16 and 14). An occasional Skwala stonefly (olive/brown
body, size 10 or 8) has been sited and Blue Wing Olives should become
more common in the coming weeks. Caddis are also starting to appear in
the evenings. Try streamers and/or nymphs to match
the above insects if no hatch is present. Olive Woolly Buggers and
Gartside Soft Hackle Streamers have worked as well as anything this
spring.
Midges can also been a factor this time of year so be sure and have a few
Griffith's Gnats (size 20 through 14) on hand.
Jenny Lake
Fishing has been slow and won't likely pick up for several more weeks.
Pre-runoff Season Overview
Runoff will normally begin in early to mid-May leaving us about five to
six weeks of clear water to fish during the spring season. Once
runoff begins however, the Snake gets too mu ddy
for fishing. Since it may be a full two months or more before the Snake
becomes fishable again, many dedicated anglers will take advantage of
pre-runoff conditions.
While somewhat inconsistent, spring fishing on the Snake can be very
productive. Streamer fishing with JJ Specials and/or Woolly Buggers are generally your best bet. On a given day (usually sunny and warm), large
dries such as a size 8 Turck Tarantula can also work quite well. If all else
fails, go low and slow with nymphs like the Bead-head Prince Nymph,
Bead-head Red Fox Squirrel Tail Nymph, Yuk Bugs, and Girdle Bugs.
Weather this time of year can range from mild to an all out spring
blizzard, so bring plenty of extra clothing and be prepared for
anything. The best times to fish are generally the warmer days when the
sun is hitting the water, though streamer fishing can remain productive
when the weather begins to change for the worse.
Jackson
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Guy Turck
Head Guide--High Country Flies
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