Wow! The SF is really holding up in the toughest of conditions that are
occurring throughout the West's rivers. Fast flows where you can pitch into
pockets against the high banks, under overhangs, and along grass banks with
big uglies and then get out on islands and small fly fish the riffles. I
just got off the river after two days of hard fishing. Bad luck the first
day made me have to go back and fish the second! I left my good net on an
island after walking up to the head riffle with my wife. I grabbed the net
and told her we'd need it and she was going to catch some nice fish. Better
than anyone I've every known can do, I left the net in the bushes. Next
day, there it was, sticking up even, the hoop, 3-4' above the bank.
Anchored, walked up and used it...fish still feeding in the riffle. The
PMD's, on the SF, have a pinkish body and we use a pink bodied cripple,
parachute, etc. Yesterday, a yellow bodied elk- haired caddis worked very
well also.
MY TIP: If your fishing partner is your wife, who prepares the on shore
lunch, don't have her pound the water all the way down. It was very
difficult for her to high bank pocket those fast water areas throwing a big,
rubber legs, I fought the oars to get the fly to float right, and she wore
her self out force casting that big fly. Float, enjoy the scenery, good
conversation, and get out on the islands, which is relaxing fishing at a
leisurely pace. I have trouble doing that. There has been little wind down
off the Ashton hill, (I'm fishing at least a 1000 ft. lower than Island
Park) I'm also seeing, in clear water, maybe 5-7' deep, huge fish that I
can't ID. They have very large heads and then the "normal" body. Almost a
big catfish type shape. I have not seen suckers with this big of head, but
maybe so. This riffle fishing has allowed me to use a 7 1/2 ft. Sage, 3wt.
with a small, Lamson reel. It fishes short, well and is a challenge to land
any fish without having them beat you by getting out in the fast flow. Jere
