Henrys Lake again

Yesterday I got some calls that businesses were running out of flies and my book, so about 4 p.m. I took some up to Ashton and Island Park.

Of course I took my fly rod and flies so I could fish for a couple of hours before it got dark.  Only caught four fish - but one was a big hybrid at Duck Creek and one was a 22 inch brook trout at Howard Creek.

It had stormed the day before and the water was still murky, so I used the Gold Glimmer fly and it was successful, but slow fishing.  Henrys Lake should really get good around Howard Creek in the next two to three weeks - if you can miss the storms and muddy water.

Fishing Report July 27,28, and 29.

Had great fishing this week.  First trip was on Tuesday, when I went to Sand Creek Ponds and fished Pond #4.  The fish were dimpling the surface and I immediately started catching rainbows from casting from shore.  I did not take my float tube as I was getting firewood also.

Anything green would work as the damsel flies were thick.  After catching 17 I headed to my truck and visited with the assistant manager of the wildlife management area.  He said float tubers were getting from 20 to 30 a day by working the shallows along the reeds.

I did catch a large rainbow over 20 inches.

Henrys Lake.

On Wednesday and Thursday I fished Henrys Lake and it was like two different trips.  Wednesday was super, but after a huge storm Wednesday night, Thursday was slow.

Wednesday I caught fish at Targhee Creek with a Canadian Blood Leech and then on a Light Olive Crystal.  I left to explore at 9:30 and caught fish near Howard Creek, Cliffs, Phils Hole, and Duck Creek. 

Duck Creek was the best that I have seen it for several years.  I got two big hybrids, many cutthroats and six brook trout.  The hot fly was the beadhead Mity Mouse and the Henrys Lake Renegade.  I gave some to a fisherman that had not caught any fish and he ended catching 14 with them.  I ended the day with 52 fish, with three of them large hybrids.

To fish Targhee Creek, fishermen are leaving camp at 4:45 a.m. to get one of the favored spots.  Here is how crowded it gets around 7 when the late fishermen arrive.  The spot you get will determine whether you catch 5 or 40 in the morning.  Everybody has their favorite area GPSed.

Targhee Creek - good fishing

When the weather gets hot so does the fishing at the mouth of Targhee Creek on Henrys Lake.  This week I fished and guided three days on the lake and had a great time.  Most of the fish we caught were brook trout from 15 to 22 inches.  Here is one of them.

Usually there are from 20 to 45 boats in a group around the mouth of the creek.

A few of the fishermen are catching a lot of fish while others are getting skunked or catching just a few.  Here are some tips to being successful there.  Start early.   Six or six-fifteen in the morning are great times to be fishing there.  You want to be in 7 to 9 feet of water, using a slow sink line like an Intermediate, Camo, Slime or a Wet Cel 1 line.  The best flies have been the Mity Mouse, Henrys Lake Renegade or a Light Olive CB.  At times a Hare's Ear or a Pheasant-tail works well.  Experment with your retrieve as two weeks ago they wanted a fast retrieve but last week they wanted a slow one.

The large cutts and a few hybrids have been hitting a little better than they were.  Here is a large cutt that hit for me.

One evening last week we did find some cutts and hybrids in nine feet of water off Duck Creek.  That could turn on this week.

Best of Luck fishing.  If you need any of those flies let me know.