June 29th River Report NF Coeur d Alene, St. Joe and Clarke Fork

The rivers are hitting their stride now!  Waters levels have come down, temps are at good levels and our summer weather has arrived.  The Clark Fork is still high at 12,800.  It has gone from a dirty brown to a clear green.  We will start guiding in 2 weeks.  If you are interested in a trip give us a call.  

The NF of the Coeur d Alene rivers levels have been creeping down.  This can be good news and bad news.  As the levels come down the water temps go up.  This is also good news because  the fish will start to concentrate in the deeps pools and runs.  We are still seeing good hatches coming off daily.  You can expect to see golden stones, PMD's (though tapering off) green drakes, yellow sallies and caddis.  While not a hatch, try Throwing some ant and beetle patterns as well.  My suggestion is to ignore the lower river from mile post 16.  Below mile 16 the giant bikini, beer and rubber tube hatch is going off daily.  Head up river instead.  You have over 30 miles to explore and fish.

Reports from the St. Joe point toward some very good fishing.  Like the NF CDA the best fishing can be found above Avery away from the giant bikini, beer and rubber tube hatch.  Again you have mile and miles of river above Avery to explore and probably have to yourself to fish.  Moon Pass and the pass from St. Regis are now open.  The hatches on The Joe are basically the same as the NF CDA, but about 2 weeks behind.  The water level is down to a manageable  level.  But do be cautious.  I also had a report from a camper on the NF of the Joe that it was fishing well.  Besides matching the hatch try some foam and some "classic" attractor patterns like Trudes and Royal Wulffs.

NF of the Coeur d Alene.

Flows  992 CFS  Cataldo, 460 Enaville & 194 Prichard

Hatches

Golden Stone
Green Drake
Yellow Sallies
PMD
Caddis

Suggested Flies

UM Butt Yellow Sally
Goulds Half Down Sally
Rogue River Golden
Henry Fork Golden
Bugmiester Golden
Ants! Black Cinnamon and Flying
Pats Rubberlegs, Kaufman Stones and Galloup War Birds as droppers
Sledgehammer caddis
Ballonhammer Caddis
Championship Caddis
Jakes Green Drake
Christianena Green Drake
Travis Green Drake
Purple Haze
Grumpy Frumpy 
South Fork Chernobyls
PMX  Love this fly!
Jakes tiger Belly
Evans Baby Foam Red.

St. Joe

Flows 1,910 Calder

Hatches
Golden Stones
Yellow Sallies
Green Drake
Brown Drake
PMDs 
Caddis.

Suggested Flies  - See above but also try

St. Joe Special - Tied by local Shuana Hillman
Copper Johns
Brassies
PMD Cripple
Brittens Golden Stone nymph
Serendipity

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