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Current Fishing Conditions:
Big browns are chasing on the edges!
May is upon us! The temperatures are up and down as
is the fishing! Lakes are picking up. Rivers are adjusting to the higher
flows.
The Lower
Shoshone is now running at 1600cfs. As of May 12th the lower Shoshone is
slightly off color due to the start of irrigation season
and fishing
is fair at best! Most of
the salad has stopped. High water means the fish will be
pushed to the edges. As the temps rise, streamers will become more
effective. I fished May 6th and got a couple on a brown conehead bugger with
a sow bug trailer! The fish took it dead drift and on the swing. Fish are
starting to spawn at the mouths of feeder creeks and side channels. Los
Jue'vos on Cinco de Mayo!
The Shoshone canyon is clear
and fishing good! I fished on the 8th and caught 15 or 20.The fish are
starting to settle in to their new spots. The
fish will take a Black Zebra fished about 4 foot below the surface! Fish are
in tight to the edges and in the eddies. I had
some fish come up and take a #6 dry at the tops of the runs. Look for
the fish to start spawning soon. The average size seems larger this year and
got a couple 16" to 17" !
The Corbett section is off color but
fishable. Water is moving! Dark Streamers would be a good choice here as well.
Willwood is now off color
but still fishable. Streamers, Streamers, Streamers
The North Fork is now closed for fishing from the
reservoir to Newton creek. Temperatures in the 70's this weekend have
the flows at around 1200cfs and some fish are above the closure.
The water is muddy as of May 12th. Got some good ones this past weekend. The fish can be caught at the
mouth of feeder creeks and in the deeper slower water. Get it on the bottom
and let it swing at the end of the drift! That is
all you need to do for the North Fork early in the spring. Big stones,
buggers, eggs, sow bugs and of course, the world famous Wal-mart wiggler
will catch fish. There is no defense against it!
The Newton lake is starting to turn on. The water is
just starting to warm and fish are starting to rise on a ton of midges. The
legendary BAH BEHR is starting to work its magic! I caught 20 or so today
May 6th on a #18 black zebra midge in a couple hours. Midges are now the hot fly! A few callibaetis are starting. We have not had a good mayfly hatch since 4 years
ago when they started diverting water from the canal but if they do come off
the fish are on them! I caught several nice browns on a sparkle dun on
Friday the 2nd. Steve Paynes Green Meany has still been
good! A few
rainbows are already starting to stage on the gravel. The cloudy calm days
are best. . The
fish are huge and in prime condition this year.
Luce Lake and Hogan Reservoir
are open and starting to fish! We fished on May 1st and had a good time.
Lots of deer and antelope and even a bald eagle! The water is slightly off
color but we could still sight fish the cruisers tight to the bank. An
olive scud, a black beadhead zebra and the World Famous Wal-mart wiggler did
the trick. Water is still cold so hits are subtle. The fish are big
and healthy! Hogan had a good midge hatch but you will need a flotation
devise of some kind to get to the fish. Those cutts are looking good!
The Lower Clarks Fork is now open for business. The
water is off color due to snow melt on May 11th. It is starting to come
down
. Mostly midges right now. A few caddis are starting.
Saw a blizzard hatch of small mayflys in Montana. You can find some huge browns in the deeper runs that have held over in the
lower flows from the spawn last year! Get it deep!
Wind River Canyon
The flows are up to 950 cfs as of the May 9th. We
fished the Bighorn thru Thermopolis on the 19th of April. The fishing was
good, however, I have never seen so many boats float this section in one day
before. 12 to 15 boats on the town section. We still caught fish but the
numbers of people had the fish down and dirty. We won't be fishing here on
the weekends any more. Midges in the morning and a sparse BWO hatch mid day. The
fishing will only get better on the overcast days. Most fish between 16" and
20".
The Wind river canyon is warming up and the browns are
starting to take streamers. Even a few on dries when the bugs are
hatching. Some real nice fish are being caught!
Licenses are up to $85 this year for Wyoming residents. Still a heck of a
deal for 22 miles of big fish water! Enjoy!
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