Today's Read
Snake River is fishing around blue-winged olives and midges. Start with the patterns below and adjust only after fish show you something different.
Jackson Hole and the South Fork region
Best Flies For Snake River
On the Snake in late April, fish subsurface first and treat dry-fly shots as bonus windows.
Bugs & Best Matches
What's active
Fish this
Blue-winged olives, size 16-20, midday on gray days
BWO nymph, size 16-18, nymph; BWO Cripple, size 18-20, dry
Midges, size 18-22, slow edges and side channels early
Pat's Rubber Legs, size 6-10, nymph
Stonefly nymph movement, size 8-12, all day subsurface
Pat's Rubber Legs, size 6-10, nymph
General subsurface
TJ Hooker or large perdigon, size 14-16, nymph; Sparkle Minnow olive or black, size 4-6, streamer; Parachute Adams, size 16-18, dry
How To Fish These Flies
- Use a boat or cover water methodically from shore, focusing on soft shelves and structure instead of random midriver drifts.
- A stonefly lead with a smaller mayfly dropper is the cleanest all-day setup in mixed spring conditions.
- If the water is clear and stable, mix in short streamer swings along banks and logjams to move the more aggressive fish.
Current Conditions
FlowSpring flows can rise quickly with weather, especially across broader valley reaches and below tributary input.
Water TempCold water keeps the better fish close to soft banks, depth breaks, and current shelters.
WeatherClouds help. Wind can shut down surface visibility even when bugs are present.
Rating5/10
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