River Report, NF Coeur d Alene, St Joe and Clark Fork River St. Regis MT

Well summer is peaking. Traditionally this is the hottest part of summer and this year does not disappoint. It has been well over a month since we had any rain.  The flows and most rivers are low and the temps are up.  Fishing early will be your best bet for landing some trout.  Hoppers in size 12 in tan or gray should work well.  As the season progresses the hoppers will grow.  Black and cinnamon ants have also been working well.  Right at dusk you will probably find a good caddis hatch going.  If you are a late riser the evening caddis hatch is your best bet.

North Fork of the Coeur d Alene River

Flows  110 CFS Prichard, 500 CFS Cataldo  water temps between 64-68 degrees

Hatches - Hoppers, Ants, evening caddis

While the golden stones, drake, PMD hatches have disappeared they have been replaced by the bikini, rubber beer hatch.  Right now this is extending as far up as Big Hanks Campground.  But this is public water so it is meant for everyone.  With summer the river has become fuller with other river users. But if you are on the water at 6:00 AM you won't have a problem.  You may want to do a little hiking up some of the tributaries along the the CDA, you might find some big boys hiding in those pools.  Besides hoppers and ants, SF Chernobyl Ants, hairy foam and PMX's.

Suggested Flies

Black Ants
Flying Ants
More or Less Hopper, gray or tan
Osteens Hopper, gray or tan
Para Hopper
Yeti Hopper Purple
South Fork Chernobyl
Evans Foam Baby Red
Jakes Trigger Belly
PMX
Grumpy Frumpy
Sedgehammer Caddis
Ballonhammer Caddis
Ovulating Caddis
Elk Hair Caddis
​#8 Kruegers Cicada - These were sent to me by mistake, we don't have Cicadas here, but they are     working!


St Joe River

Flows 621 Calder  Water Temps 62-66 degrees

Hatches - Caddis, Hoppers, Ants

If you walked into the shop today I would tell you to fish, The Joe.  The elevation of the river, narrower canyons, shade and runoff from a higher elevation has kept this river fishing well.  Drive time is longer, but above Avery you won't see as much of the bikini, rubber, beer hatch.  So it is worth the drive.  Flows are still at a good level, but a bit thinner the higher you head up river.  Just like the NF CDA the early mornings and evening are going to be your most productive time. Try some foam with a trailing PMD or Para Adams in the morning, hopper and ants as the day progresses and caddis at twilight.

Suggested Flies - 

The list above for the NF CDA should cover the St. Joe.  In addition I would suggest

St. Joe Special
Para St. Joe Special
Small PMX
Trudes

The Clark Fork, St. Regis Montana

Flows  3,000 CFS  Water Temps 64-68 degrees.  At the St. Regis River confluence it was 62 degrees



I've floated the the Clark Fork 4 times over the last 10 days on stretches from Superior down to 14 mile bridge.  The water is getting clearer, but temps are rising during the day as much as 4 degrees between 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM  The best fishing has been early morning right at dawn.  The fishing  stayed steady until 9:30 then it began to taper off.  The 2 stretches that fished best were St. Regis to 14 mile bridge or Sloway to St. Regis.  The 14 mile bridge float is, as it says 14 miles.  So you are on it for the entire day.  Sloway to St Regis is only about 6 miles.  You could put on at 6:00 and be off by 11:00.  The St. Regis water temp. is cooler.  At the confluence you will probably find fish bunched up in that area.  As the flows continue to go down the river is revealing more structure.  Hit those gravel bars, rocky shores and riffles hard and push through the lake regions.


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