South Fork Snake February

Two guys on the South Fork of the Snake in February. After a week in the office, a little crisp air was needed. Gary and I schemed up a plan to put in at Palisades Creek, but we soon changed our plans finding that only a Targhee tram could get in to the put in. Obviously no one had put in there for a long time. We altered our plans and soon were sliding the boat down the Irwin Slide, a put in that is just a gravel drop near our family friend's cabin.

Upon launcing, the sun came out from behind the soupy fog, and we knew we were in for a good day.

The first run we fished gave us a big blank, so we moved down to a gravelbar that has a soft backside where hatches are always put down by eager Yellowstone Cutthroat. After fishing the faster run on river right, and finding nothing but a couple light whitefish strikes, we walked up to the softer water and observed. After watching for a couple minutes, we found a couple ripples, evidence of Cutthroats eating emergers.

I tied on a Parachute Adams, due to the lack of emergers in my depleted fly box. After a handful of long casts and poor drifts, evident of a long nymphing season, I had a decent drift. An eager Cutthroat lifted jaw directly onto my fly and my eager right arm lifted to nothing. On the next cast, I appropriately waited until the cutthroat had a chance to taste my fly, set the hook, and landed the fish of the year (6 weeks into it). This beauty pushed 19", and I was stoked.

Gary was in observation, and was called into action with my rod. After a few casts, he found the twin of my cutthroat under the same drift. We didn't pack the camera on our wade up to the softer water, so I'll have to make sure the visual of these fish sticks with me for years.

Grab some lunch, custom PB&Js, and we're off running nymphing rigs with a Pat's and a beadhead. After a few fishy takes, I'm hooked up with a bright Brown Trout. We switch rowers and move down to more rising fish. Nothing there except snobby trout (not) turning their noses at our offering.

We ended up catching a couple more whitefish, and one more brown trout under a giant cliff.

A great day, especially for February, warmed us up and I felt that spring was already had.