Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Big Hole River
The Big Hole has risesn about 700 cfs in the past day and a half leaving the water a little murky. March Browns and big Brown Drakes are still coming off in the mornings, and using a size 14 or 12 purple haze, a size 14 or 12 drake cripple, or a size 14 or 12 March Brown have taken fish. Skwalla patterns still bring fish to the surface, and some of the bigger fish tend to eat a Skwalla over a March Brown. Later in the day you’ll get Caddis that come off in great numbers, but it seems the fish prefer to take them as emergers instead of actual adults. Nymphing big stonefly imitations, sjw, size 10 Pheasant Tail, size 16 – 10 Prince Nymphs, and a wide variety of soft hackles are all very effective in taking fish. Streamers in the yellow and natural family have worked well, and we are having great luck pumping a pepperoni yuk bug in tandem with a yellow yummy.
Beaverhead River
The Beav is experiencing a little bump in water flow due to increased irrigation demand and spring run off. As of yesterday, the water flows out of the reservoir were around 261 cfs. Add in the water coming from Clark Canyon Creek, Grashopper Creek, and a handful of other springs, the Beaverhead at Barretts in pushing 500 cfs. Dirty water can be a good thing on this river as it washes in a TON of bug life off of the banks, and churns up the mossy river bottom kicking free a host of other insects. Nymph anything pink that is in your box. Pink soft hackle sow bugs, pink pt, pink ray charles, and pink caddis larvae are your best options. Small green nymphs like micro mayflies and any small BWO nymph will also take fish. On clear water days fish have been taking BWO’s and Caddis on top, and will chase a streamer even on hotter days. Today could be a great streamer and BWO day as we are expecting a front to move in and cool or temps down a few degrees.
