Hagerman Fly Fishing in April
The Hagerman area of Idaho is one of a few really great places to fish in Southwest Idaho that is relatively unknown or at the least a little under used by fly anglers as a general rule. I recently spent a short weekend up in the area and between golfing and soaking in the many hot springs I managed to get a good pulse on what the trout fishing has been up there lately. With the Malad River closing on April 4, 2010 and Billingsley Creek closed until Memorial Day weekend to most people there is little to distinguish the Hagerman area from any other trout fishing area.
Even with the Malad River closing for the spawn the Hagerman area is alive with outstanding fly fishing if you are in the know. Riley Creek is a spring creek the supports the two major hatcheries In Hagerman and the creek is open all year below the Hatchery. If you have never seen Riley Creek you should check it out the next time you are in the area. It's a beautiful spring creek with plenty of biomass and lots of bugs to feed the fish. It's probably, next to Billingsley Creek the most under fished spring creek in Idaho and its open all year in that section.
The hottest spot to fish in the area has got to be Oester Lake just below Riley Creek. Everyone I talked to had caught their limit of fish. With sizes from 12 inches to 18 inches, Oester Lake is a great place to put on medium sinking line and enjoy a spectacular day of horsing in a lot of rainbows. The best time to fish these lakes is during the week, however when I was there the parking lot only had a few cars parked and there were only a few anglers working the lake.
This is April and if you are going to the Hagerman area do not ignore the Snake River. Smallmouth Bass are just about ready to spawn and if you time it right you can head down to Bell Rapids and work the area for trout and then switch your gear over and work the same water for Smallmouths. Pound for pound nothing can fight harder than an angry Smallmouth Bass. Smallmouth Bass, in the Snake River at this time of the year, will school up in preparation for spawning and you can really make a killing if you hit it right.
Probably the best thing about the Hagerman area in the off season is the hot springs. If your fishing proves to be unproductive and you have spent the best part of the day worked over by the fish then you can always go over the Miracle Hot Springs and spend a couple of hours in natures best enjoying the hot water and a wonderful day spent outside and a great start to the fishing year.
Master of the Sport
Over the years I've often overheard in fly fishing conversations the use of the term Fly Fishing Master. I never really put too much thought into it other than the guy must be a pretty good angler. But recently I've notice the term being bantered about loosely in several books and magazine articles. Whether the term is "The greatest fly fisherman of my generation" or "So and so has mastered his craft" or simply "Became a master" it all boils down to an angler reaching the plateau of being Master of the sport.
The subject of mastery is not a new revelation in fly fishing. It's more like the idea of mastery has quietly grown over the years and embedded itself in the world of fly fishing. It's like suddenly waking up one day and while combing your hair you see your first gray hair. I never saw it there before, it just somehow showed up. With the increasing popularity of fly fishing in the last thirty or so years there has also been an explosion of fly fishing media which has opened the door to the sport to almost everyone. The quantity of books, magazines, television shows, and the web has brought to the angler unimaginable amounts of information and entertainment. New flies, techniques, and destinations are easily assimilated by the angler. The byproduct of this assimilation leads to a better understanding of the sport and the people who make up the voice of the sport. Because of the easy access to information on fly fishing the term "Master" has slowly started to float to the surface.
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Preseason Angling
April has got to be one of the toughest months for fly anglers. Most rivers and streams are now closed and those that aren't are crowded with other anglers on the weekends. The rivers and streams are still at winter low levels and the wind in April can blow you off the river quicker than lightning can on a lake. There are still premium places to fish but at three dollars a gallon for gas, you like a lot of other anglers, may be limited to where and how far you can drive.
This past winter has been fairly mild so I have had my share of cold weather fishing so I'm not quite as bad this time of year as I have been in the past. My strategy is to not fish my home water that stays open all year long but to fish all the water I can that closes the first of April for the spawn. Now that those rivers and streams are closed I head to the my home river that stays open all year and I can fish it like its new water. If you fish the same water over and over you not only tend to get bored but your fishing skills don't improve as much as if you were fishing a lot of different water.
Like football and baseball has a preseason, so do I. April is my preseason; it's time to get it all together for the coming of opening day. I have already planned my calendar through October so my schedule is set. Now is my time to be sure I have all the right flies and my gear is all in order. With all the winter and spring fly fishing I've already done and all the fly tying that I've done over the winter, it's just a matter of waiting until the season opens before I go full contact.
Snake River Fish Report
June 12. 2011
The South Snake River is well above 20,000 csf with the water being muddy and difficult to fish. Some salmon flies and PMD's can be fished along the bank but most of the trout being caught are on weighted nymphs along seams and tailouts.
April 5. 2011
What has changed on the Snake is the river flow and not the fishing. The river is currently flowing at around 10,000 cfs and climbing weekly if not daily. The fishing has been about the same as reported before with the exception of a few more Baetis on the water and it's a little warmer.
March 25, 2011
The flows from Palisades Dam are around 3500 csf. It's still cold up there and you will find some snow around but the fishing has been pretty good for the hearty few who fish this river on a regular basis. Midge fishing and a scattering of Blue Winged Olives are what the fish are rising to if you are lucky enough to find a pod of rising fish. Most successful anglers are using nymph rigs with either a double bead head or a weighted rubber leg with a bead head dropper. Fish the bottom hard!
August 26, 2010
With the river flowing just under 9000 cfs this river has been fishing extremely well. PMD's, caddis and hoppers should all be in your fly box along with their emerger patterns if you are going to the Snake. Even though the PMD's have slowed down some, trout are still rising to the fly and you should still see trout in some sections dinning on them. The evening is a special time on the Snake. The caddis are coming off on a consistent bases and you should do quite well depending on what section of the river you are on. The key to this hatch is have a good caddis emerger to drop behind you Elk Hair Caddis when you start.
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Another Super Sale
All Madison River Merlin Fly Rods Are still on sale! Save 20% off the regular price and receive a free aluminum rod tube with you purchase.
MR Fly Rod 9' 0" | 7 wt. $183.00
Our Madison River Series Fly Rods are the best fly rods on the market for their value. They are light weight and perfectly balanced for the most delicate dry fly fishing challenge to big water nymph and streamer fishing. There is a quality rod priced especially for you. Limited life time warranty.
MR Fly Rod 9' 0" | 6 wt. $183.00
Our Madison River Series Fly Rods are the best fly rods on the market for their value. They are light weight and perfectly balanced for the most delicate dry fly fishing challenge to big water nymph and streamer fishing. There is a quality rod priced especially for you. Limited life time warranty.
MR Fly Rod 8' 6" | 6 wt. $165.00
Our Madison River Series Fly Rods are the best fly rods on the market for their value. They are light weight and perfectly balanced for the most delicate dry fly fishing challenge to big water nymph and streamer fishing. There is a quality rod priced especially for you. Limited life time warranty.
Merlin's Trout Shop 