Blog

"A Message of Spring"
Words and Images by René Harrop

As the original fair weather fisherman, the Osprey’s autumn departure from the Henry’s Fork warns of winter’s arrival. Always the first to leave with the approach of cold weather, Osprey do not return until winter storms become a memory and the hatches of spring bring trout into a position of availability.

As of tax day 2009, all of the nests along the lower river are occupied and Osprey have joined trout hunters of the human variety in search of rising fish. Baetis, March Browns, and Skwallas are the current fare, and caddis are due at any time.

As the water begins to rise from an abundant snow pack, we are seeing signs of an early appearance of Salmon Flies. The giant nymphs are easily found in significant numbers a short distance from the edge of the river. With this indicator, many of the Henry’s Fork guides are loading their fly boxes with dry and subsurface patterns in preparation for the Salmon Fly action that could start as early as May 15.

Rainbow activity on the spawning beds indicates excellent numbers of mature fish. And as this ritual nears completion, hungry trout recover depleted strength by feeding voraciously on spring’s bounty of early and diversified hatches. It is a great time to be alive on the Henry’s Fork.

Late Spring is one of our favorite times of year to fish the Henry's Fork. Book a vacation with us between May 10th & June 7th and receive an early season discount on guide services and lodging. Early season hatches of Blue Winged Olives, March Browns, Caddis & Salmonflies produce consistent dry fly fishing from mid May through early June. When the trout aren't rising, the streamer and nymph fishing is typically excellent. The Salmonfly hatch clearly produces some of the most exciting dry fly fishing of the year. The presence of these enormous stoneflies on the water entices even the largest of trout to leave the security of their deep water lairs to feed on the surface. The last two weeks in May and the first week in June are the best times to experience this remarkable hatch.
Early Season Special - May 10 - June 7, 2009.

Full Day Guide Trip	1 or 2 Anglers.  Float or Wade. Idaho, Montana or Yellowstone.	$425
One Night Lodging	Single or Double Occupancy. 1 King or 2 Queen Beds.	$100
Guide/Lodge Combo	1 Day Guided Fishing & 1 Night Lodging. 1 or 2 Anglers.	$500
Angling Vacation	5 Days Guided Fishing & 6 Nights Lodging. 1 or 2 Anglers.	$2500   $1250 pp*

For more information of fishing the Salmonfly hatch check out last year's blogs:
Salmonflies & Dog Food by Rich Paini
A Team Effort by Marty Reed
Rick's June 6, 2008 Report by Yours Truly
Take advantage of these great deals and come visit us soon. We look forward to sharing Spring on the Henry's Fork with you. -Rick Smith