On Silver Creek, the Trico hatch continues, although it has been more sporadic of late. Also, with recent cooler mornings, the hatch has started a bit later. Small (size 22-24) BWOs have also been hatching in the morning, and fish will actively key in on these bugs. Believe it or not, there have been PMDs scattered throughout Silver Creek, particularly on the Nature Conservancy Silver Creek Preserve, and fish have been eating them when present. Callibaetis are still found on the slower sections of the Creek (S-Turns and Kilpatrick Pond), and ants, beetles, and adult damsels are taking fish. The Hopper bite has not been exceptional by any means, but on a windy afternoon, it pays to fish a Hopper.

Anglers on the Big Wood River are catching fish on a variety of flies – hoppers, small attractor dries, Caddis, Copper Johns, Zebra Midges, and a variety of Perdigons. There are still Tricos hatching in the morning on the Big Wood, so have size 20-24 Trico imitations.

In Copper Basin, anglers are having success on the North Fork Big Lost River, East Fork Big Lost River, and the mainstem upper Big Lost River. Cover lots of water and fish small attractor dries such as Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Stimulators, along with Hopper patterns.

The Salmon River downstream from Stanley continues to float and fish well; it’s Hopper time on the river for the resident Westslope cutts. Fishing a Hopper/Dropper will result in lots of hookups on cutts and whitefish.

The lower Big Lost River is another great option, and the river is flowing at 330 CFS. Again, Tricos are a staple, and the nymphing on the lower Lost is especially productive.

Please be aware that on August 24^th, Kilpatrick Road will be closed for the Kilpatrick Bridge replacement. The road closure and bridge work is expected to last until January 2027. There will be a number of floating, fishing, and hunting closures on Silver Creek due to this work, so please watch Picabo Angler social media and web site posts for more information. Additionally, more information can be found on The Nature Conservancy Silver Creek Preserve web site – Silver Creek Preserve | The Nature Conservancy in Idaho

Happy Fishing Everyone!