I am posting this weeks report a bit ahead of schedule, as I will be presenting my Tony Nominated Fishing Presentation, Fishing The Yellowstone Country at the High Country Fly Fishers April Meeting in Park City tonight, 6-8:30 PM at St Mary’s Catholic Church . I don’t have a lot of new information since my last report. Flows have stayed relatively flat. 207 cfs through the Box Canyon and 939 cfs at Ashton. I will tell you that as ice recedes on Henry’s Lake, fishing has been good. The word is out, so there is a bit of a people hatch, but not terrible. Black Leeches, Pumpkin Balance leeches, and Red Zebras in sizes 14 and 16 will get the job done.
The Box Canyon has also been fishing well. Below the dam seems to be the spot. Again, Olive and Brown Zebra Midges sizes 16 and 18. I would also recommend swing streamers. Zonkers and Dali Lamas have been effective. The road down to the ramp is open. Same as last week at current flows, if you want to float, I would take a raft. Your drift boat will take a beating in the Box Canyon at 207 cfs.
The biggest issue with the lower river has been… You guessed it! High winds. Gusts up to 50 mph will ruin any fishing on any river anywhere. However, if you can avoid the wind, the fishing has been great. Blue wings and midges have been plentiful, and fish are looking up. It’s a great time of the year to fish streamers. Keep an eye on shallow water in the middle of the river. That is where I have seen most fish rising; the banks have not been fishing well for me just yet.
We are running a special for the month of April! Give us a call about our discounted guide rate, and take advantage of some early-season fishing on the Henry’s Fork. Call the shop anytime for an up-to-the-minute report on conditions. – Todd Lanning
Borrowed from East ID News:
Stream Tech – INL Partners with Local Outfitter in Experimental Partnership
What started in 2019 as a casual conversation over some Moscow Mule’s at TroutHunter’s Last Chance Bar&Grill has turned into a first in the nation pilot program to bring AI and Robotics to the fly fishing community. Thanks to a recent collaboration with the Idaho national Laboratory (INL), that vision is one step closer to reality. Most famous for their work in nuclear energy, INL located here in Eastern Idaho has been an integral part of the exploration of Mars.
The Apollo project still captures the imagination of the world at large when we think of space; however, the many projects associated with the exploration of Mars have created and advanced the world of robotics, communications, and artificial intelligence.
“We are really excited to try out this exciting technology that was developed in our back yard. We are planning on having two Rowbots work the river each day each under the supervision of a senior guide.” says TroutHunter’s Jon Stiehl. He continues,”In the near future, I can see this really providing an opportunity for guides to get some additional days off, while we can still provide guests an opportunity to enjoy a day on the river.”
ROWBOT – Artist Rendering – Skip Morrow
So far, reception from guides has been mixed. Guide Ryan Loftice isn’t convinced,
“Typical response from management,” says Loftice, “These things will never complain when they’ve had the same lunch for 5 years.” Other guide like Marty Reed see promise, “The only thing holding me back from doing more than one trip at time is me. There is only one Marty, with the help of a Rowbot, I can do two, possibly three, trips at once.”
Anglers, the ultimate consumers of this tech, can see the advantages. “It used to be trips at TroutHunter would go sun up to sun down, but now it seems like we are hitting the ramp just as we see the spinners beginning to swarm over the bushes, these Rowbots will be able to stay out later with out the fear of missing out on cornhole,” says one client who refused to provide his name for fear of guide retribution.
“AI and robotics are already here, embedded in how we work, communicate and solve problems.” Says Robert Dunker, Deputy Laboratory Director for AI and Robotics, Chief Research Officer. “The river environment is no different than the lab, lots of variables creating complex situations that need to be processed instantaneously.”
“Inexperienced anglers not interested in learning the intricacies of the sport, will certainly benefit from spending a day with a Rowbot, I mean how many times can a human being be expected to tell someone how to mend properly when 1,000 times isn;t enough?’ says head guide Pat Gaffney. “I am looking forward to the day when we get to guide robotic clients, we are gonna smoke’em!”
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