Fishing Report - Blackfoot River

This last Friday, after being rained out of a float trip on Wyoming's Green River, I fished on Idaho's Blackfoot River with my dad. The fishing was amazing and we caught around 30 fish with an average size of 18". I landed the biggest cutthroat that I have ever caught - a 25" - 5lb cutthroat. I was by myself when I landed this fish so the picture doesn't really show the size of this fish. The second picture is of a 22" cutthroat that I caught right before the big one. Here are the pictures for comparison:

25" Cutthroat Trout

22" Cutthroat Trout

Fishing was so good that we were catching multiple trout in the + 20" size in the same run which is pretty rare on the Blackfoot River.

We also lost 15+ fish in the 18-24" range. The trout were really aggressive and when hooked they would take off downstream, jump out of the water, and fight like crazy.

The hot flies for the day were woolly buggers. Black woolly buggers with a peacock hearl, green body or orange body, with some crystal flash in the tail and bead heads were the best flies. Fly sizes ranged from 4-12. There was a huge BWO hatch on so I also caught some smaller fish on a BWO pattern. The bigger fish didn't even look at the BWO's.

Surprisingly we also caught quite a few pure rainbows in the 18-22" size. This is the first year in a long time that we have seen pure rainbows in the Upper Blackfoot River. Here is a picture of one of the rainbows:

Blackfoot River Fly Fishing Report - July 1

The heat wave pummeling Southeast Idaho took its toll on fly fishing on the Blackfoot River as the day wore on but early in the day, fishing was excellent. My dad and I each caught around 10 fish with the super majority of fish in the 16-20" range. I lost a couple of fish and nipped a few more that were in the 20" + range. Although we didn't catch a lot of fish, the overall size of fish was above average for the Blackfoot River.

Here's a couple of photos of the cutthroats we caught yesterday:

We caught the majority of the fish on black bead head wooly buggers and bead head prince nymphs. Later in the morning I started catching some big fish on blue damsel flies. Even with low water the fly fishing was great on the Blackfoot River. Surprisingly, I also caught a pure 18" rainbow trout - the first rainbow I have seen on the Blackfoot in years.

Weekend Fishing - Blackfoot River Idaho

To celebrate my Father's birthday, we went fishing on Blackfoot River on Saturday. We caught probably 40+ fish between the two of us in about 5 hours. My dad hooked into two really nice 20+ inch cutthroats but lost them before I could get my act together and net them. He did land a couple in the 20" range and caught quite a few 6-12" cutthroats.

I landed one beautiful cutthroat - a 24" 4-5 pounder on a grasshopper fly that I skittered (my word for moving the fly across the surface of the water at the end of a run) across the water. He came up and drilled it on the surface. It was awesome to watch him come up and bust the grasshopper.

Here are some pictures of the big cutthroat:

No one fly was hotter than the other. We caught fish on bead head prince and hare's ear nymphs, various grasshopper patterns, and on a blue damsel fly.

Another awesome fishing day on the Blackfoot River.

Blackfoot River Idaho

The Blackfoot River was a low for this time of year but the fishing was ok. I caught 6 cutthroats - one 21", 2 16", and the rest were 8-10". I lost a couple of nice fish too. The best news....no carp!! Last year carp were everywhere but it looks like the carp trap is back in the river and doing its job.

Hot flies:

1. Black and red/orange bead head woolly bugger (size 4)
2. Bead Head Hair's Ear (size 14)
3. Bead Head Prince Nymph (size 14)
4. A white Thingamabob (yes I had numerous trout try to take my strike indicator!)

Hopefully over the next few weeks we will see the blue damselflies and some other fly hatches.

Here is the 21" cutthroat caught on a black and red woolly bugger (size 4) (same pic/different angle):

Blackfoot River Cutthroat

Here is the 22" cutthroat caught on the Blackfoot River on a size 12 blue damsel fly.

Blackfoot River - July 3 and 4

The Blackfoot River opened up this week and I was able to go fishing on July 3 and 4. Water levels are about 6-8 inches low from normal flow which means that, if the summer heat continues, it may be a short fishing season on the Blackfoot. Overall fishing was pretty decent. I caught around 30 fish the two days. Most were in the 8-12 inch range but I did land two really nice cutthroats, a 24 inch and 22 inch. Below is the picture of the 24 inch cutthroat.

The flies of the trip were black and red (orange) wooly buggers with a bead head (size 4), a size 14 bead head prince nymph, and a blue damsel fly (size 12/14).

 The grasshoppers were just starting to come out. In a few weeks grasshoppers should provide some good dry fly fishing.

Stump Creek

For the first time in a few years I wandered over to Stump Creek to try some early fishing on this small tributary to the Salt River. As a result of heavy rains and snowfall over Memorial day weekend, Stump Creek was fairly high and off color. Not too bad but enough to throw off the fishing. I caught a few cutthroats but nothing of note. It seemed that no one fly had any stimulating effect on the trout. The fish seemed non-existent although this stream contains excellent habitat. Some free range cattle may have contributed to the water's lack of clarity. Give Stump Creek a few weeks and the fishing should pick up considerably. From flipping over rocks, there appears to be a nice mayfly hatching not too far off in the future. Given its remote access Stump Creek may not be a bad place over the next month especially if you have beginner fly fishermen.

One final trip to the Blackfoot River

On Friday, I made one last trip to the Blackfoot River before winter sets in. If was a pretty slow day for the most part and the bigger fish were absent from my line. I did catch one 19" cutthroat and 5 more in the 12" range. My dad caught 10 - one bigger than 14". The water was icy cold which may have made the fish a little lethargic but it was an average day according to the moon phase calendar so 16 fish wasn't too bad.

Fly of the day: Size 12 bead head prince nymph. Nothing else worked.

Mid September Excellence

My father and I spent Monday fishing the Upper Blackfoot River for probably the last time this year as temperatures begin to dip and my annual elk hunting excursions begin. We fished for 3 hours and caught over 40 fish between the two of us. The majority of the fish were in the 10-14" range but we did catch 10 fish over 17". In one hole my dad landed 10 fish.

But the monster of the day was a 22" 5 pound cutthroat that obliterated a size 8 foam hopper. After a 10 minute fight we landed this beautiful fish but regretfully the camera was having a technical difficulty.

It was a great day and it is amazing to see the Blackfoot returning to its prior glory. Just 10 years ago there was almost no water and the river was full of carp. An outstanding turnaround for one of Eastern Idaho's best fisheries.

The flies of the day were a size 8 gray foam hopper and a size 14 bead head prince nymph. No other fly was necessary.

Three Days of Fishing

This last weekend I spent three days fishing three different locations:

1. Blackfoot River. On Monday I fished on the upper Blackfoot River and had an ok day. I caught 12 fish, three over 17 inches. I lost one big cutthroat that was probably a 24" fish. The fish were a little sluggish because the night before a heavy thunderstorm messed up the water quality. I caught the fish on a medium sized foam hopper (size 8) and a hairs ear nymph (size 16). The 21" trout is in the picture:

2. East Fork Teton River (Bitch Creek - sorry for the name). On Saturday I fished on Bitch Creek which flows into the Teton River. It is a beautiful mountain stream with big boulders and slippery footing. You'll need good shoes and be in good shape to fish this stream. I caught 10-12 fish, one 16 and one 14 incher. All fish were cutthroats. Most of the fish were caught on a size 16 prince nymph and a couple on foam hoppers. Here are some pictures of the creek:

3. McTucker Ponds. On Friday I went with my kids to McTucker Ponds and they caught 20+ bluegill and smallmouth bass each. It was a fun day for them. The fish were caught on prince nymphs and hare's ears. They really like shiny gold colored objects. It is a great place to go to get kids hooked on fishing.

Montana's Yellowstone River: From the Teton Wilderness to the Missouri
Flyfisher's Guide to Idaho (Flyfisher's Guides)
Fly Fishing Idaho: A Quick, Clear Understanding of Where to Fly Fish in Idaho (No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guides)
Fly Fishing Adventure: Idaho's Silver Creek

An Amazing Day fishing on the Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River was HOT today!! Idaho fly fishing for cutthroat trout could never be better than today. After landing more than 50 fish, I amazingly was worn out (and so was my knee after a few unceremonious falls into the river). The majority of the fish were in the 8-10" range. I did land 3 over 20", 2 in the 16-18" range, and after both long and short battles, lost 3 other fish that were over 20". One was probably a 24" that rivaled the biggest cutthroat I have ever caught on the Blackfoot River. It was an amazing, excellent, superb, wild, etc. day to be fly fishing.

Here are some photos from the trip. Note my excellent photography skills hastened by the need to release the trout :)

HOT FLIES FOR THE DAY:

Size 16 Bead Head Prince Nymoh
Size 8-10 Gray Colored Foam Hopper (with green strike indicator)

Cutthroats caught in No Name Lake

Here a couple pictures with me and some cutthroats caught in No Name Lake.

16" Cutthroat caught on a size 16 parachute adams

14" Cutthroat caught on a size 16 parachute adams

Yellow Lake

This last weekend I spent hiking and fishing at a couple of lakes near Leadore, Idaho. We camped at what I call "No Name Lake" (because the map does not reference a name), a small lake nestled below some of the impressive Lemhi range mountains. No Name is full of native cutthroat trout which range from the 4" to 16". I have seen a few bigger fish taken out of this lake but based on the number of campers/backpackers, No Name is no longer a secret. Fishing pressure and keeping the larger fish has taken a toll on the bigger fish. However, I did land two beautiful 16" inch cutthroats as well as a couple of 14" cutthroats.

I was fishing with my spinning rod, a clear plastic bubble, and flies. At first I tried wet flies and caught a few on bead headed woolly worms (green was the best) but overall it was pretty slow. I ended up catching three small cutts.

Friday morning we hiked over the mountain to Yellow Lake. Fishing was relatively slow at Yellow Lake. I caught three 12" rainbows. One on a size 12 black gnat and two on a size 4 bead headed woolly worm (green).

Friday afternoon changed things for me. I noticed the fish jumping and just happened to have a size 16/18  black bodied mayfly land on my arm. So of course I switched over to a the closed thing I had...a size 18 parachute adams. I drained my bubble to 3/4 so it would float and threw it out for a test run. First cast resulted in a nice 12" cutthroat. After about 6 fish I finally caught a hefty 16" cutthroat. The water was so clear that I was able to watch him take the fly about 20 yards out. I ended up catching over 10 trout with this set up.

I went back out later that night and after a very slow start finally found the right fly...a size 16 yellow bodied elk hair caddis that was similar in color and size to some golden stoneflies that I noticed flying around. I ended up catching 7 fish on the caddis, one was another 16" cutthroat that I watched sneak up from the bottom and take it off the surface.

The fishing wasn't the hottest but after 30+ fish I definitely call it a success. No Name and Yellow Lake are amazing high mountain fisheries and should be visited by any lover of trout fishing.

McCoy Creek - July 23

I spent Friday afternoon fishing on McCoy Creek, another beautiful Eastern Idaho stream. McCoy Creek flows into Palisades Reservoir and is comprised of small rim rock waterfalls and meandering flats. The fishing was pretty good for 6" cutthroats. I caught 20+ of these. I also landed one 14" cutthroat in a nice little hole below a willow bush. It was a really fun day but it would have been nice to see a few larger fish.

Hot Flies: Size 14 foam hopper (gray body) and size 16 bead head prince nymph

A few more pictures from the Blackfoot River

Here are a few more pictures from my Blackfoot River fishing trip:

Blackfoot River - July 17, 2010

I spent Friday evening fishing on the Blackfoot River and had a decent afternoon...nothing great but I ended up catching 10 fish. One was 15" and another 18" but the others were all 10" or smaller. All fish were cutthroats. The hot weather has heated the water up so fishing in the mornings and later mornings would probably be more productive. As often happens on the Blackfoot, I caught a fish on the very first catch which is just one reason why the Blackfoot is an Idaho fly fishing treasure. If you go, try the Stocking Ranch or the 8 mile stretch in the Monsanto property (you'll have to walk a lot!) for excellent fly fishing.

Hot flies: Size 10 and 14 gray-colored foam hoppers. My dad also caught some on size 16 bead headed prince nymphs

Pebble Creek - July 9, 2010

I went camping with my family at Big Springs Campground on Pebble Creek above Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Friday evening I ventured out for about an hour and half to fish on Pebble Creek. Pebble Creek is a small stream with native cutthroat trout. Word to the wise - Pebble Creek is very brushy so casting is limited and you spend most of your time flipping your flies or doing small roll casts, but for someone who loves small streams it is a fun place to go. I ended up catching 9 fish - only one was 12". The rest were in the 8" or smaller category. I fishing a section that flows through a meadow about 1-2 miles downstream from the campground.

Hot flies: Beadheaded Prince Nymph (size 16)

Blackfoot River - July 15, 2010

After significant concerns over water flow this year, late spring rain storms have kept the Blackfoot River flowing at a normal rate which means outstanding fishing for native cutthroats. This last Tuesday I fished the Blackfoot River and caught 15+ fish, three were over 20". I also caught the largest cutthroat trout I have ever caught...a 24" bruiser that weighed in the 4-6 pound range. He smacked a grasshopper fly off the surface and then raced away downstream. After about a 1/2 hour of reviving, he swam away for hopefully another adventure in the near future. He was a beautiful fish.

Hot flies for Tuesday: Beadheaded Brown Wooly Bugger; Beadheaded Prince Nymph (Size 16); and medium sized foam or para hopper Grasshopper (grey or dark tan)

Skunks, badgers enlisted to control Idaho pelicans

Idaho Fish and game has introduced skunks and badgers on Gull Island on the Blackfoot reservoir to control pelican populations. Hopefully this will reduce the pelican population and likewise the predation on the spawning cutthroats that run up the Blackfoot River. See the full story here

Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Fishery Plan

Back in 2007 the Idaho Fish and Game developed a plan for the management and conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Of specific note,the Blackfoot River had 4,747 fish run upriver to spawn in 2001. In 2005 and 2006 there were 20 spawners each year. The pelican situation definitely does not help - their population has doubled since 2001. 2009 seemed a better year as the fish size and quantity of larger fish was higher in the upper Blackfoot River, but the river has a long way to go to get back to the peak runs in the 50's (10-15,000). Cutthroat trout populations have been impacted in many other streams and rivers in Eastern Idaho.

Make sure to carry a net with you to land and release larger cutthroat trout as soon as possible to help prevent mortality rates!

The entire management plan can be found at the Idaho Fish and Game site here: Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.