Aug 25, 2017 River Report NF Coeur d Alene, St Joe River and the Clark Fork River in St Regis

Just in time for the weekend!  With the cooler air temps and slightly shorter days  the water temp has gone down and the fishing has  taken off.  I was on the NF CDA the other morning and the water temp was 58 degrees.  I saw stronger hatches and more risers.  I've been re-reading Neele Streeks, "Small Fly Adventures in the West, Angling for Larger Trout" and decided to go small with my flies.  In the morning on the NF CDA I've been using size #16-18 flies. Kicking Klinks, Greased Lightnings, Humpys, Royal Wullfs, PMX, and Grumpy Frumpys have done very well for me.  Most of my success has been in the seams along long pools and around island.  Riffles have also been producing as well.  If your interested in fishing smaller flies stop by the shop.

North Fork of the Coeur d Alene

Flows; 87 CFS Prichard,  394 CFS Cataldo  58 degree water temp

The water is getting a little skinny in the upper reaches and is concentrating the fish and making it easier to cross the river and fish some islands. Overall the river is fishing well but we do need some rain to get the flows up.  Riffles have been doing well as have the deeper runs.  With the water this low you need to be a little stealthier.

Hatches;  Hoppers, Ants, Caddis in the evening, small tricos in the morning

Suggested Flies

More or Less Hopper #10-12  Tan or Gray
Osteens Hopper #12
Yeti Hopper
PMX
Sedgehammer Caddis Green
Ovulating Caddis
We have too many Caddis to mention
Greased Lightning
Kicking Klink


St. Joe River, Avery

Report have been very positive from my customers fishing the St. Joe.  I'll be fishing it next week.  There have been some large caddis hatches coming off in the evening in the upper reach above Avery.  During the day hopper in tan and gray, size #10-12 have done well.  This is probably one of the best times of the year to fish The Joe and it will only get better as September approaches.

Flows; 446 CFS Calder, 56 degree water temp

Hatches; Hoppers, Ants, evening Caddis

Suggested Flies

Para Cinnamon Ant
Foam Black Ant
Henryville Caddis
Ballon Hammer Caddis
Yeti Hopper
BLT
Struggling Green Caddis
Black High Rider
Championship Caddis
PMX
Grumpy Frumpy
St. Joe Special, tied by Shauna Hillman, she's been tying this pattern for 30 years!

Clark Fork, St Regis MT

Flows; 2,450 CFS  62 degree water temp

Hatches:  Hoppers and Caddis

I floated the Forest Grove section to Superior with my daughter and her boyfriend during the eclipse on Monday.  The forested upper section fished really well in the morning.  I tied on a #8 Krueger Cicada (I know we don't have cicadas here!) to my daughter line and 3 casts later we had a nice rainbow in the net.  So we each tied one on and got a few more.  Hoppers and PMX's were also working well.  The Riffles before and after some of the long flat water fished well.  I usually push through some of the long flat water but we were seeing the occasional risers in the middle of the river so we targeted them.  Steve, my outfitter at Clark Fork Trout has been having good success on small flies in the AM and hoppers during the day on the St. Regis to 14 Mile Bridge section.  I have some days open in September if you are interested in a guided trip.

Suggested Flies

#8 Krueger Cicada (go Figure?)
Chernobyl Ant
South Fork Chernobyl Ant 
PMX #10-#16
Hoppers #10-12 
Cooper Haze
BWO Parachute
Kicking Klink
Greased Lightning
Grumpy Frumpy

Thanks for reading my report.  If you find it helpful support our shop!  We appreciate your business.