It’s mid-April, and the snow is on its way out. Flows out of Island Park Reservoir will match inflow. The ramp in the Box Canyon is still snowed in, and the Last Chance boat ramp is not quite ready. All the ramps in the valley are open and ready to go.
Water temperatures in Last Chance are 50 degrees, and the blue wings and midges are happy. It’s not hard to find rising fish, depending on the day. Out of IP Dam, flows fluctuate to match inflow and are currently 736 CFS. Blue Creek, just north of the fly shop, adds color to the river. The flows out of Ashton Reservoir are 1630 cfs and 1850 cfs at St. Anthony.
Blue Wings, Midges, and Caddis are around, and the caddis should improve as we approach May. If you spend a little time looking, you can find rising fish, but be patient. It can be a tough time of the year to find consistently rising fish. Fear not; I have been told there are other ways to get trout to eat. A streamer fished tight to the bank can be effective. You can’t go wrong with a zebra midge and a rubberleg. Plenty of Skwala Stones are around, so don’t be afraid to fish a size 12 purple or olive chubby along the bank. Keep an eye on the flows and the weather this time of the year. If you can get an overcast day and the flows have been steady for a few days; call in sick and get on the water!
Come check out the shop if you are in the area. We have some new gear to check out. We are now a Skwala and Grundens dealer. We also have a great hat selection to choose from. Keep in mind that Darby is sitting around with nothing to do and would love to row you down the river! The summer months are filling quickly, so call today to secure a spot.
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