Jackson Hole Fly Fishing Report- Cinco de Mayo!

Welcoming May warmth and higher flows on area rivers highlighted a gorgeous Spring weekend in Jackson Hole. After a typical runoff start and stall in April I think we can safely say it is here to stay for the 2014 season. Flows over the weekend on the Snake River jumped from 1300cfs to 3000cfs(@ Moose) and its important to note that is not dam released, it is all from tribs in GTNP, namely Pacific Creek and the Buffalo Fork. South of town the Hoback River is raging with high flows there topping 3000cfs for the Snake River tributary, putting canyon flows above the reservoir around 8ooocfs.

It will get interesting as warmer conditions come into the mountains over the next few weeks. Our peak flows are typically in June when the high country really starts to flow down, then we may see staggering numbers coming from the gauges.

Finally finished up a video edit from last year… a product of high water, check it out!

In the meantime the best fishing in JH will be below Jackson Lake dam and on Fish Creek and lower Flat Creek until our lakes ice off. The ice on Jackson Lake is shifting and thinning so break up could be close, Jenny is still a couple weeks away. Once our lakes ice off it is hard to pass up a good day scouting the shallows for macs, one of my favorite spring fishing windows.

The South Fork, now @10,000cfs is another hot fishery but flows are soon to jump. There rainbows are hot on worms, eggs and streamers in the upper section, flows are murky below Palisades, Rainy and Pine Creek yet the big trout bite has been good.

Lake trout(char) can be just as attractive as the "true trout" of the region, especially when lying on a grill!

Spring Rainbow on the Bighorn

Last week fellow guide and friend Ben Brennan and I slipped away for a quick two days on the Bighorn in Wyoming. A few years ago I would not think of mentioning this fishery but I think the cat is out of the bag on this river, its simply awesome! 

Ben enjoying a good streamer day on the Horn.

Stay tuned for flow updates and ice conditions, thanks for viewing!