Almost missed this one.

John Juracek, writing over on the Blue Ribbon Flies blog, has a great post up covering a recent Green Drake focused run down to the Henry’s Fork (the Ranch) with his brother.

They were met with a couple of surprises, one of which was this….

But that was just one part of an interesting morning. For it wasn’t only Green Drakes that were on the water. Alongside them, emerging en masse, were Hydropsyche caddis. As I watched both hatches unfold (all the while casting to feeding fish), the caddis began stealing more of my interest. That’s because it was apparent that this wasn’t some ordinary, run-of-the-mill caddis hatch. This was different. This was a monster emergence; a river-blanketing phenomenon. The kind of emergence the Henry’s Fork used to experience regularly (and which we took for granted). The kind of hatch I hadn’t seen in years.

Read the full post and see some snaps here.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

The full poop here.

Tags: Events

Early Box Canyon Opening. from TroutHunter on Vimeo.

Tags: Fish Stories

From the press release 25 March……

The Henry’s Fork Foundation announces that Steve Trafton, Executive Director since 2002, will complete his service with the Foundation in April in order to take up a position with the national coldwater conservation organization Trout Unlimited.

“This was a very, very tough decision to make,” Trafton said. “I am excited about my new opportunity, but I love the Henry’s Fork Foundation and I love living here, and it’s going to be hard to leave. I couldn’t possibly thank properly all of the people who have made my time here so happy, but there is no doubt that this organization works because of its members, staff and Board, and because all of our colleagues in the field and throughout the watershed. I am very grateful to all of our many supporters.”

Those with exceptional qualifications and a desire to fill a very big pair of shoes in a nifty job may be interested in reading the Executive Director’s Position Announcement and Description.

The HFF is one of the granddaddies of Western river foundations and have been nothing short of an astounding advocate for the HF.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

This morning’s Island Park webcam screenshot suggests your angling garb today will include your union suit.

Blue wings and midges for the hardy – bugs are in the massive 22-24 range.  I’d be throwing a soft hackle emerger down there this afternoon but the more polished may prefer a cripple.

Winter will be hanging around the neighborhood for a few days.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

Like many most of the rivers we report on Henry’s the upper Henry’s in particular has seen its share of winter already this fall season.  Now that the pattern is back to a more or less normal weather cycle for this time of year things feel a bit more fishable.   Nights are chilly but 50ish during the day can feel downright balmy with all your gear on.

Flows in the Box remain below average – 349 cfs this morning (today’s mean 410 cfs) – but are not as  far off the average flow as a few weeks ago.  The Box remains very wadable though is pretty damned skinny for a float, and the flies of choice remain rubber leg and BH nymphs as well as streamers.

Last Chance / Harriman continues to offer Baetis as the main attraction; better weather makes it easier to tolerate the technical fishing required to succeed here.

The lower river has been fishing a bit more actively on streamers, rubber legs and beadheads above Ashton, with things a bit more active from the Ashton dam down to the Ora bridge.  Chester to the Fun Farm has been good too we hear.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

Awaking this morning to a layer of ice coating the world from last nights freezing drizzle / rain has added a bit to my (hopefully incorrect) perception that winter is making a damned convincing effort to set up shop here in southwest Montana about six weeks early.

Thankfully the remainder of the neighborhood doesn’t share our snow cover and cold temps.  Amazingly Island Park while almost 2000 feet higher than Bozeman is quite a bit warmer and snowless, with a forecast that looks pretty promising for the week, at least from a fly fishing perspective.

Flows remain low out of the Lake making for much friendlier wading in the Box; small bead heads and soft hackles remain the bread and butter here, with evening streamer fishing better every week.

Baetis have been out in force along much of the river; Harriman / Last Chance remains tough sledding for finicky fish – have a life cycle assortment in your box and bring along an extra measure of patience.

Our most ardent HF fishing neighbor thinks the Ashton to St. Anthony stretch is the go to water right now; it’s a little warmer down there, and the Baetis have been very strong on the cloudy days.  Streamers early and late.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

We haven’t posted anything about the Henry’s Fork in the past few weeks; until the recent weather change things were pretty steady down there (and pretty challenging).

The Box is still fishing early and late with streamers, big dark rubber legs and BH nymphs; flows have been running between 400 and 450 cfs for days now and the river is eminently wadable here.

There are Baetis and Mahoganies out at Last Chance / Harriman; you’ll still need patience, fine tippets and a very careful approach, but the cooler, cloudy days due this week should make for some decent fishing.

Streamers have been working well on the lower river when it’s cloudy and there are still some terrestrials alive and kicking down here, though they may not be for long given the weather changes coming this week – it’s going to get cold in Island Park….

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

The bright sunny days of the neighborhood’s Indian Summer are still having an impact on the fishing up and down the Fork.  Looking at the weather forecast for  the week shows lots of sun and warm temps are due again this week.

Not a lot has changed since our last report; the Box remains very wadable at lower flows and is fishing best early and late with beadhead nymphs (now many times have you heard that this year), streamers and stonefly nymphs.  There are fish throughout the river but we’ve heard the best fish stories from folks working the banks carefully.

Harriman / Last Chance has been a bit of a frustration for several friends down lately – they saw Trico, Olives, Mahoganies and even a few PMDs, but few fish.  Patient, stealth, long leaders and some luck are still the order of the day.   Beetles on the right day (warm with some breeze) have also helped ease some angler angst.

Down lower it’s been warm enough still to keep terrestrials in play and hatches skimpy; won’t be long before streamers will make more sense down here.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

I’m hearing two things from my colleagues who love to fish Henry’s right now.

One, things look this week about like they did last week.  There is fishing to be done, particularly in the Box and below Riverside in the Canyon, but most would call it tough sledding.

Secondly, most of them are wishing it would get cooler, much cooler, and turn on the fall hatches and fishing.   Looks like we’ve got a day or two of cooler weather and then it’s going to warm back up.  Not yet, my friends.

Here’s a pic from the neighborhood taken last 13 November; there was a bit of snow in the hills around Bozeman back then, looking northeast over MSU toward the Bridgers.  Thinking about snow season and 5 months of nymphing coming up, I don’t mind if the seasons change on their own sweet time….

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

Looking at the webcam this morning looks like another sunny summer-like day is on tap.

The news of the week from the Henry’s Fork includes the fact that flows were decreased on the 28^th down to the mid-600 cfs range.  This has made wading the Box much easier and consolidated fish just a bit.  BH nymphs continue to be the bread and butter approach to fishing this water, though after getting back into town I’ve heard more than one story about smallish stims and hoppers working here as well.

Harriman / Last Chance looks from what I can tell very similar to last week – head hunting mornings and evenings probably still makes the most sense.  There are PMDs, Tricos, some Caddis, Callibaetis, and the usual ants, hoppers and beetles.  Our most prolific HF contact swears by little beetles here this time of year.  She’s mostly insane though, and has been know to spend half a day patiently working a fish or two here this time of year.

From Riverside down through the Canyon remains productive – sounds like Goldens, stims, terrestrials and standard nymphs have been working.

The lower river isn’t quite as badly dewatered as it was a few weeks ago, though it’s still relatively warm and slow from what I hear.  Sounds like it’s still morning spinners, terrestrials midday, and Caddis evenings.  Will be much better in three to four weeks.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

Despite a few breaks from the summer sun of late – this week’s fly fishing options on the Henry’s Fork sound a lot like the week before (and before that, and before that….).

Terrestrials rule the day along most of the river, particularly later in the day, and there are still some caddis around to make things interesting.  Trico spinner falls in the morning add a bit of variety, albeit a tough one.  Add in a few Baetis, tiny PMDs and some Mahoganies to round out the mayfly team.

The Box is still nymphing pretty well; there might even be a few Golden Stones around.  Harriman is still offering head hunters some rewarding and damned challenging fishing – plan on being very very stealthy and careful.  Sounds like the trek into Cardiac Canyon is worth the sweat; folks are throwing big attractors and hoppers.

The lower river has a tad more water, there are still hoppers around, and folks are beginning to openly look forward to September fishing down here.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

The report from the Henry’s Fork is pretty much what you’d expect  this time of year, and things haven’t changed a great deal from our report last week.

Sounds like the most consistent fishing on the main river is to be had in the Box, where flows have been hanging in around 1000 cfs over the past week.  Nymphing remains the approach of choice, and while a bevy of beadheads have been productive, it sounds like adult Golden Stones rule the day.  Streamers early and late wouldn’t be a bad choice either.

Harriman / Last Chance continues to tease fisher folk with an impressive array of bugs including PMDs, midges, Tricos, Callibaetis, and Caddis.  Ants have been the stealth weapon in the terrestrial category (see which ant is on the water).    Mornings and evenings again this week as the sun comes back out.

From Riverside down is pretty much the same as last week’s report.

September’s cool weather isn’t that far off.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

As is typical for the neighborhood in August, fly anglers are finding the Henry’s Fork a little tougher sledding during these bright days of August.   I’ve even talked to a local fisher friend who found her recent Henry’s Fork fishing outing “stressful” (she’s used to catching lots of fish whenever and wherever she wants….).  Here’s the advice I offered her…..

Flows out of the Reservoir into the Box were lowered yesterday to below 1000 cfs – flows were 943 cfs in the wee hours this morning.  Patient and persistent fly fishers have been nymphing the Box with success, and some are still throwing Goldens and small stims too.

The Harriman / Last Chance Section stills has a fair number of bugs and fishers, though the fishers are finding some very challenging conditions in the bright August sun.  It’s time to experiment some, remember your terrestrials tight to the banks, and be on this water early and late.

Riverside to Warm Springs (Cardiac and other stretches) is still fishing pretty well; you’ll need to invest some sweat equity in your approach, and have a box full of a variety of bugs including Goldens and terrestrials.

From Ashton down the river is still warm and dewatered; if you’re in the neighborhood think early and late, with spinners mornings, terrestrials during the day and early evening, with caddis late.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork

Persistent fly fisher folk are finding the Henry’s Fork a bit more challenging during these long, sunny, hot summer days.

Not only were flows dropped last week on the 30^th to the 1050 cfs range (1080 this morning), but there has been lots of bright sunshine which helps to make wary fish ever more cautious.

Our best Henry’s Fork source said she’s been having the best days working the Box hard with an assortment of nymphs (including some big stuff) and streamers and playing the hatches as they come off.  Sounding a bit like Al the Pal she insists the late afternoon and evening Caddis hatch is the best one to count on these days.

Cardiac Canyon is fishing decently – bring lots of water or a trusted filtration system, and the lower river has been dewatered a bit and has warmed.

Terrestrials are out top to bottom; beetles and ants late in the day around Last Chance for a stiff challenge.

Tags: River - Henry's Fork