Late Winter & Spring Fly Fishing on the Snake River
It's early March and while we most certainly will see another snow storm or two, you get the feeling the season is rapidly changing. Just a week ago we had temps in the single digits and our ponds and creeks were frozen over. In a matter of 3-4 days things changed drastically, roads are clear of snow and life is buzzing about. Migrant birds are moving in and without a doubt, trout are rising on the Snake River to midges in the early afternoon warmth.
It's a special time to get out. The tranquility and serene solitude is amazing, not to mention the fishing can be breathtaking and very active for a couple hours daily. Perhaps a walk and wade excursion makes the most of your time, that is if you can handle the walk over deep frozen snowpack. Just remember if you walk in a mile or so in the morning the afternoon or evening walk back could take triple the time due to the soft conditions. Snowshoes are advised.
Our favorite is getting out for those first floats of the New Year, seeing the river come to life and taking in the snowy landscape is magical. While it is important to keep moving it is also hard to pass up a pod of rising cutthroats, so choose wisely.
The bugs are typically midges and small winter dark stoneflies in early March. Then later we get a few days of BWO's and lots of midges, peak spring hatches. While much harder to pin point, the Snake does have a solid skwalla stonefly hatch, typically after April 1st or after the river is off color a few days then returns to normal, a mini flush we could say. Once this happens you have just a week or two before the river blows out, most years this occurs around May 1st, plus or minus a week or so.
Lastly, most would imagine the fishing improves as you get later into April but really what happens is the snowmelt increases, thus dropping the river's core water temp back into the the upper 30's and suddenly bug life stalls and the fish hunker down again and most often the river will blow out soon since flows are increasing. Short of it is, the window is brief. Get out there and enjoy a magical period in the annual cycle of the Snake River.
We are now operating Spring trips and are offering a special from March 1st to the end of May for $650, $150 off the peak season rate. Give us a call or drop us quick email or text to inquire about availability. Hope to see you out there!
