Dry Flies, Rivers, Trout & Tarpon.: SFB At 320 CFS

Oct 17, 2018

SFB At 320 CFS

So I asked Larry what he had fished while travelling between The Fork and the O. He said Silver Creek and the South Fork of the Boise. "How was the Boise?" "Good, it was really good!" I heard him. Instead of waiting until 3pm for another hatch on the O, I headed to Anderson Dam. I had never fished this section of the Boise, despite hearing about how I should for many years.

The river changed drastically in 2013 due to catastrophic summer fires in the canyon and above in its entire drainage. Then in September, a flooding downpour triggered 7 mud/rock slides, nearly wiped out the river road, and destroyed campgrounds. Regulars said it would never be the same, and apparently it isn't, but its still got big trout. Flushing flows from Anderson Ranch Dam in 2014 helped restore habitat.

Fire

This doom and gloom news kept me away from this part of the river until now.Good thing I got the kick from Larry. Trust a Ranch resident. I had been reading good reports of big fish on forums and from a couple of other dry fly fanatics, so it was on the list, but I drove right past the turnoff between Silver Creek and the O a few days ago. Not this time. Never again when flows are low like this.

The river from 1000 feet above

The road down, with a sheer cliff, washboard, and no guard rails. Slow down and pay attention, or die!

First place I peered over, saw a big head just upstream

One on each side of the rock

Left side of this rock had the big one. Had to cast upstream due to upstream wind and water depth. The only way.

Score

#20 you-know-what on 6X

And another

Making my way across to that shady side

Gotta be somethin' here, right?

Three big heads in these three little current lines. Top one was the biggest. Again, had to approach from below and cast upstream due to wind and water depth