One Last Fly Fishing Report for the Season

Information provided by Jason “JB” Balogh, lead guide at Fish The Fly in Jackson Wyoming. Fish The Fly offers drift float and backcountry fly fishing trips in the Greater Teton Region as well as scenic wooden boat floats on the Snake River.

Teton Region Fly Fishing Report

Winter has finally decided to return to Jackson Hole and with it our thoughts turn to Brown trout. This means heading towards the South Fork or up into Yellowstone Park to chase fish that are getting ready to spawn. I’ve had a chance to check out both places in the past two weeks with good success. Since brown trout are a light sensitive fish, cloudy days are best.

The South Fork below Cottonwood is fishing well with streamers, nymphs, and dries. Blue-Wing Olives, Mahogany Duns, and October Caddis are hatching and the trout are on them after 1pm, possibly later on colder days. I like to fish two dries in tandem, with an #12 Orange Stimulator in front and a #18 BWO Film Critic trailing. Streamers in various colors are working, so I’d have both bright and darker colors. The general rule of thumb is dark day=dark fly, but doesn’t always hold true. Nymphing a Rubberlegs with a Midge or BWO life cycle pattern below it is effective as well, just be prepared to see a few whitefish.

The Brown trout run out of Hebgen Lake up into the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon Rivers in Yellowstone is in full swing. BWO’s are hatching in the Madison and the Firehole above the Falls daily after 1pm or so. Look for noses of larger trout, especially on those cloudy days. Swinging soft hackles (yellow, black/olive, or white)is a great way to find big trout and cover alot of water. Stripping streamers is fun as you get to watch fish chase your fly. As water temperatures drop, try a smaller JJ’s Special and slow down the retrieve as fish will chase less and strike more deliberately.

Yellowsotne closes November 4th, but the South Fork should fish all the way through the month…

Have a great winter and pray for snow!