News and Fishing Reports

"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.