Henry's Fork of the Snake

[JohnScott]

The weather was looking rather questionable today, but the Henry's Fork has dropped some and I figured it might also be clearing. Planned to go to Seely's, but ran into a bit of a problem there and ended up at Vernon Bridge. Cloudy, but calm, and the water looked pretty decent so I decided to give it a shot.

Walked about a mile upstream from the access parking to what is normally something of a shallow, slower riffle off the main current. Usually some fishing rising there, if there are going to be fish up. Nothing. But the water is a lot deeper than any other time I have fished this place. Threw out a r.l. stonefly nymph around some structure but nothing took.

Went back downstream about a quarter mile to the place I fished the other day. Fished for a while before hooking up with this bow. He jumped five or six times before I brought him to hand. Only about 14", but fat and very healthy. Shouldn't be too long before he is one of those 18-20" bows that are pretty common in this stretch of water.



Just a few minutes after catching this fish, I caught his twin in just about the same spot. But the twin didn't go airborne at all, just kind of hunkered down and ran around in cirlcles.

Worked a little way downstream. Hooked into a really strong fish - almost thought it was a snag when I went to pick up / set the hook when I saw the indicator go under. Turned out to be a big fat mountain whitefish, about 19". With the help of a pretty strong current, he put up quite a fuss before I landed him.

Then there was another minor problem. While I was releasing the whitefish, I bent over a bit too far and my digital camera, which I had out of my jacket and turned on, hit the water. That fried it. So the bow above is the last picture on that camera - but I'll replace it and be back in business shortly.

Fished a couple more spots with no results. Then the wind came up very quickly and very strong. Looked like it was really going to storm, so I headed for the truck.

[JohnScott]

Well, after not being on Henry's Fork for three months, and not on big water since late June on the South Fork, decided it was about time to warm up for streamer season. Traded the 3 wt for a 5 wt with a sinking line on it and put my streamer box at the top of the heap.

Mentioned where I was going when I was in Jimmy's this morning, and two of the more experienced fisherman in the area who happened to be there suggested that it would be a waste since the water is so warm. Their consensus was that we needed several cold nights before Henry's Fork would fish. Hmmmmmmmm ??!!

Just before leaving for the river, I was on the BB reading the "Favorite Sayings" thread and ran across a post by Jon from Iceland, to paraphrase "One of the great pleasures in life is doing what others say can't be done." Really enjoyed that one, because I just kind of naturally go do that, given the chance, and because it just seemed a fitting way to get started on my wasted day on the Lower Henry's Fork.

Got to the river about 2:00 p.m. The surprising thing was not how warm the water was, and it was on the warm side, but how low.



Usually, there is very little gravel, if any, visible at mid-river at this access point. Headed a bit upstream and across to get to a deeper slot on the far side of the river, just up from the far right edge of the photo above, and shown below.



Took about four casts to get this brown. About 14", which was a nice way to start the day.



Fished until about 5:00 p.m. The weather was delightful - temps about 80F, light breeze, and clear skies with an early fall warmth from the sun. The water was warm. And so was the catching. Took about 14-15 fish in the 6-12" bracket, about 7-8 in the 12-16" bracket, and the last fish of the day went just about 19". What a nice bunch of warm water trout !! ( Maybe I should have posted this report on the Warm Water Forum ?? )

Fished one pattern the whole time. A Pine Squirrel Cheater, as I call it. Nothing but a pine squirrel zonker strip in sculpin olive tied on a streamer hook ( little more to it than that ) and fished off a class II full sinking line as a sculpin / baitfish. Lost one fly when I cast a foot too far or a foot too much to the left of my target and caught a lonely little bush at the river's edge. Lost another one on the last fish of the day when a wind knot decided to give it up just as I reached down to release him.

Just a couple notes on the short slideshow that follows. The pic titled the First Slot gave up the first and last fish of the day, about three hours and twenty feet apart. The pic titled the Far Side shows a really nice run that held about seven of the fish I caught today - in one spot just off the right edge of the photo, I got three 12-14" fish on three consecutive casts. All warm water browns.



Last year I had some great days streamer fishing this stretch with nothing but a Pine Squirrel Cheater. The lower end of the run in the pic titled the Far Side produced the biggest trout I've had on - a mid to upper 20 inch brown that broke off a 2X leader when I tried to hold him.

Looking forward to the next couple months streamer fishing here and on the South Fork, with a brief break, of course, for a week on the Selway and Lochsa at the Idaho Fish In.

Most of the time, the guys at Jimmy's are right. But ....

[JohnScott]

When I left home about 12:30 this afternoon to fish the Henry's Fork, this is what I took with me, along with a 9' for 5 wt with a class II sinking line and my Camelback with food and water for the afternoon.



Fished for about three and a half hours here and for about half a mile downstream.



Caught about twenty brown trout. Most were under 12", several around 14" and one about 16".



This is what I had when I got home, along with the rod and the Camelback. The wet one did all the work.




The fish are always right.

[JohnScott]

Fished the Lower Henry's Fork for several hours this afternoon. Absolutely delightful fall weather. Temps in the mid 70s. Only a light breeze. Sun provided a very mellow warmth, rather refreshing after this past summer. The water was rather low but still on the chilly side when I got there. It warmed fairly quickly and was just right for wet wading. The foliage has not really changed much yet, just a few hints here and there that summer is over.

When I got to the access parking area, there was one vehicle. With Washington State plates. No doubt about that one.

When I got to the river, I planned to head upstream further than I have fished in the past. Looked downstream and could make out someone fishing quite a way down, actually near one of my favorite spots. Well, good for him.

Found a really nice mid river hole and decided to start there. Rigged up with the pine squirrel streamer and had at it.



Connected almost immediately. Had five or six browns out of that spot very quickly, along with several really good hits that didn't hook up. Moved off downstream a bit to another nice hole and picked up a few more fish, including a small rainbow. Moved on downstream into the deep run that had treated me well last outing here. A couple more browns and then this pleasant surprise.



About the time I released this bow, which is a very rare catch streamer fishing in this stretch of water, I looked downstream and saw the other fisherman headed upstream toward the point of access to the river. He was still quite a way off when I called his name "Rex !!"

The second time I called his name, he returned with mine, and headed upstream. This was the other pleasant surprise, although it wasn't really all that much of a surprise because there was only going to be one vehicle with a Washington plate parked at the access.



That would be Rex S of Spokane WA, a fellow member from the Bulletin Board. Rex had posted recently wanting suggestions for places to fish outside of YNP while he was there for the week. He liked my suggestion for the Lower Henry's Fork, even to the point of fishing the pine squirrel streamer.

Rex also had a pleasant surprise. In a place that is almost all brown trout, his first fish of the day was an 18" rainbow. After that it was all down hill. I think he said he had something over twenty fish for the day.

After talking for a while, Rex left for West Yellowstone. His son is joining him for a couple days and he hopes to make a fly fisherman of him, although his son prefers hiking and stuff like that, at least up to this point.

I headed on downstream. It was pretty clear that a very good fisherman had worked this water. I did pick up a few browns, but it was pretty slim pickings. Ended the day with around eighteen trout. A very pleasant time, indeed.

For a few more pics of the area and the early fall foliage, click on the photo.

[Rex S]

As John said, I took his advice as to water and fly and line. MY advice is listen to John! I three hours I landed about 20 fish. One rainbow, the rest browns. Size 11-20 inches, most 14-16 inches. Beautiful water and John was the only other person I saw. Not like the Park.

John was planning on the Fish-in, so imagine my surprise when I hear my name called 600 miles from home. It was great to meet him and thank him for sharing his home waters with me. And don't worry John, my lips are zipped!
Rex

[JohnScott]

The fly box with Jeff Hamm's collection of flies starting calling to me rather loudly around noon today. Especially when the weather forecast for tomorrow was for a lot of snow. Got my stuff together rather quickly and headed for water that I thought would be a fair test of the Ewe Wasp / Jock Scott and the Hammlim Minnow.

Nearly perfect brown trout weather by the time I got to the water. Low dark clouds, wind at 10-15 mph out of the SW gusting into the low 20's, temps in the low 40's. Rigged up the 5 wt with a class II full sinking line with a 4' length of 2X tippet for the leader. Tied on the Jock Scott and headed upstream.



Didn't get anything in the first spot I tried. Started wondering if the fly was a bit too small and too light colored to get the attention of fish in this big water ?? Moved on downstream a bit to this water.



Bingo. Had a nice 13" brown almost immediately. A few minutes later, this 16" brown took the John, errrr, ahhhh, Jock Scott.



This was pretty heavy water. Maybe that contributed to how big I thought this fish was when it hit the fly, and all the time I had him on. Could have sworn this fish was in the 18-20" bracket from the way he fought. Not the prettiest fish in the river, but a real fighter. Maybe he just didn't want anyone to see him ??!!

Shortly after landing that fish, I lost the Jock Scott on a errant backcast. Tied on the Hammlim Minnow, which is an original created by Jeff.



About this time, the weather changed from cool and windy to cold and windy and snowy !! Fortunately, just before I left the truck, I decided to put a goretex jacket on. I didn't have quite enough fleece on for winter weather, but at least I stayed dry.

( Continued )

[JohnScott]

Fished some water that usually holds some nice fish. Nothing. Wondering again if the fly was too small for the water ??

Moved on down a bit further. There is a slot along here which occasionally gives up a fish or two.



Found a willing rainbow. First fish in the U.S. taken on the Hammlim Minnow !! History in the making !!



Caught a smallish brown trout just after the bow. About that time, the weather got serious. Decided I had done what I set out to do and headed for the truck. But when I got into the wooded area along the trail, and got a bit of shelter, the wind was less cruel. Decided to check out one of the braided channels near the trail.



The fish in these braided channels are generally smaller than those in the mainstem. Today was true to form. The Minnow took a small rainbow and five small browns plus enticed a bunch of hits in around twenty minutes in that one little patch of water. Lots of fun.

This little brown was the last fish of the day. His red spots were about as bright as I have seen on a brown around here. ( That white streak just off the tip of the fly is a snowflake. )



The mainstem, I think, would have fished better with a larger and darker streamer, like the pine squirrel streamer that I typically use on that water. But the braided channel was made for the Hammlim Minnow in the size that Jeff sent me.

The good news is, even though we might get as much as 6" of snow over the next few days, there are some more braided channels up there that I haven't fished that might provide some fast action on the other smaller streamer style flies left in the box.

John

[JeffHamm]

Hi John,

Some nice looking fish there. Both flies "up size" well and I think you're right, larger versions might be called for. The most common size I use for the Minnow is a size 10 2x length hook from Black Magic, whihc is a standard straight shanked hook. I don't have any size 10 of the tmc 200r style hooks, which is what I wanted to send you as they look nicer. Looks like you read the situation perfectly though! This is a lot of fun.

- Jeff

P.S. Did you find the tmc hook to be threatening to straighten at all?

[Xdscott]

John

prettiest fish of the day.

[JohnScott]

The flows on the Henry's Fork were pretty high up until the past week or so. They came down enough to make it appealing for wading, and have stayed stable for a number of days. With a nice weather forecast, decided to give it a try. First time I have fished this section of the river this late in the year.

Wanted to give my Visitor From Missouri, Night Angler1's Hibernator, a chance on this water. He was up to the task, and when finished, was ready for more.



We did have a minor delay and had to make a detour on the way to the river.



This was the largest cow moose I can recall running into - well, didn't actually run into her, but got pretty close before I noticed her. Cow mooses can really give off the bad vibes, usually only when they are with a calf. This one was about as docile as I've encountered, but did not want to give up the trail. Moved in a bit to see what she would do. Not move, that's for sure. With her head up, she stood close to seven feet tall. Didn't want to get close enough to measure for real, so took a detour off to the left about a hundred yards.

The river was somewhat higher than I expected, considering what it looked like only about 200-300 CFS lower last time I was up here. That pretty well limited the fishing to the near half of the river. The best water has been across to the other side, but no way I was going to wade over there by myself this time of year.

Caught a brown within a matter of minutes. Very encouraging.



It wasn't red hot, but it was steady. Most of the fish were smaller, like under 12-13", but there were a couple near 15". By the time I had worked my way down to the spot I planned to turn around, I had landed about a dozen browns. Four of them came very quickly in the last piece of water I fished.

On the way back to the truck, kept a good look out for mama moose and the calf. No where in sight. That was good news, because I wanted to fish one of the braided channels just about where they had been earlier in the day.

Hooked six and landed five browns and one rainbow in the braided channel, all under a foot, except for "the one that got away." The one I lost probably went around 14", guessing by the pull and the boil he made when he did come up just before I lost him. All that in about twenty minutes. One of these days I really do need to concentrate on the braided channels instead of just hitting this one on the way back.

All in all, just about as fine a late fall day as I could ask for. For some more pics of what I had to endure, click on the photo.