Salmon River

Warmer temperatures the last couple of days have cleared the slush ice from the river, and the beautiful clear water is making us all think about steelhead fishing. A nice hatchery female was caught by this writer’s significant other last weekend at Deer Gulch, drifting green and black yarn and a corky. This writer did well catching the suckers, and did get a hard hit on a silver and blue Half-Fast spoon. Other anglers are having luck drifting shrimp, or fly fishing with dark steelhead nymphs and streamers. Be sure to call the store before heading out this weekend to check water condition, as warming temperatures could cause the water to color up.

Big Lost River

The Big Lost is currently flowing around 90 cfs, so lower flows are requiring careful presentations. Midges are the hatch, so fishing small brassies or zebra midges under an indicator, or Griffith’s Gnats if fish are rising should produce some nice Big Lost rainbows.

Mackay Reservoir

Fishing has been hit and miss this year on Mackay, with some fishermen catching their limit of Kokanee in a day of fishing, and some not seeing any.  Nice rainbows are being caught, but the kokanee fishing is slow. Try pink Ratfinkees tipped with wax worm, or jigging a Swedish Pimple for the kokanee and the trout.

Jimmy Smith Lake

Jimmy Smith is still fishing well, and last week’s kid fishing derby produced lots of nice fish. Pink jigs tipped with wax worms seemed to be the preferred bait, and the big fish was over 1.5 lbs.!