Fly Fishing Henry’s Fork River Idaho
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options. This site includes a Henry’s Fork River fishing report.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater/Spring creek
Species
Rainbow Trout
Brown below Mesa Falls
(Wild)
Size
Large
Location
Eastern Idaho
Nearest Towns
Island Park, Idaho
Last Chance, Idaho
Season
Last of May to November
Below Vernon Bridge – Year-round
Access: Good
Non-Resident License
State of Idaho
Seasons:
Below the Vernon Bridge you can fish
year-round. The season above the bridge
last from near the end of May until
November.
Winter:
Trout can be taken during the cold Idaho
winter where it is legal to fish. Midge fishing is standard procedure for the winter.
Spring:
Spring brings on the big hatches of
Salmonflies and the famed Green Drake
mayflies.
Summer:
The fishing can be good early and late
in the day during the summertime.
Flavs hatch and caddisflies are
abundant. Terrestrial fishing is also
popular.
Fall:
Fall can be good on the Henry’s Fork
depending on where you are fishing.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Henry’s Fork River Idaho Fishing Report, September 29, 2024
Conditions are good for this time of the year. The stream is still flowing below a normal level in all three major sections of the river with USGS stations. Very good hatches continue to take place. Check back with us often as we update the Henry’s Fork fishing report often.
Rate: 173 cfs
Level: 2.47 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 60
Clarity: stained
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data Near Island Park (Box
Canyon)
Rate: 828 cfs
Level: 2.92 ft Water Temperature: 60
Clarity: stained
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data Near Ashton
Rate: 1050 cfs
Level: 3.40 ft. Water Temperature: 60
Clarity: clear
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data At St. Anthony
Weather:
Trout Flies:
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Blue-winged Olives: size 18, nymphs, emergers, duns, spinners
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Spotted Sedge Caddis: 16, larva, pupa and adults
Western Ginger Quills: 14, Nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Mahogany Duns, size 18, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
October Caddis: 6, pupa and adults
Description of Stream: The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River in Idaho is the most difficult trout stream in the nation to describe. We could say that a few years ago it was voted by TU members as the number one fly fishing trout stream in the nation. We could call it a spring creek. We could say it is part freestone stream. We could say it is a tailwater. We could say it is a combined freestone stream, tailwater and spring creek. It is probably best described as a large spring creek with huge rainbow trout. Well, at least until you get to the box canyon. You may think you are in high class rapids there. Lets just say that fly fishing the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River provides an angler numerous choices. The River actually starts at Big Springs. This is a beautiful area with crystal clear water. The springs are huge and supply much of the water of the Henry’s Fork. Fishing is closed in the area of the springs. You can fish the river from the junction of the outlet from Henry’s Lake downstream to the mouth of Island Park Reservoir. Access is plentiful in this area. The Henry’s Fork is actually a true spring creek. it winds through open grasslands and willow trees until it gets narrower and speeds up flowing through the Coffeepot Rapids. From there, the river slows down again. At the McCrea Bridge area the stream becomes a popular fishing hole because of its relaxed regulations. It provides the spawning grounds for fish from the reservoir. From Island Park Reservoir, the river flows into the well know Box Canyon. This is a fast section of water in a canyon with steep walls. It’s about three miles long. The river can be fished from a drift boat in this section unless the water is high. The techniques used in the box canyon are completely different from most other areas. It is famous for its salmonfly hatch. The box canyon can be accessed in several areas including just below the dam, at the Box Canyon Campground and along the old highway in a few places. Below the box canyon is the Harrimon State Park. It includes about seven miles of water. This is the area shown in most of the images shown on this site. It has a tremendous aquatic insect population and some huge trout. Rainbows are taken over twenty inches in this section. Late June brings about the popular green drake hatch. The river can become crowded at that time. Access is very plentiful for the state park area. The next section is the Riverside Campground area. The water again picks up speed and flows through another canyon below Riverside called Cardiac Canyon. Access is rather short in this section. There are a couple of sections that can be floated in a drift boat. This area includes the popular Upper and Lower Mesa Falls. Fast water tactics are used here. Nymphs and streamers are popular flies. The section from Aston Dam downstream to Chester Dam is one of the better sections of the river. It has all types of water except for the canyon, fast water. It has some large flats like the State Park area but it’s mostly riffles, runs and pools. The river can be fished from the bank or a drift boat. Access is fair in this section of the river. Below Chester Dam downstream to St. Anthony you will find another section of water. Brown trout become much, more plentiful. Access is limited in this section. The river is also fishable below St. Anthony but there is limited access and fewer trout. As you can see, the Henry’s Fork consist of spring creeks, large smooth flowing flats, a series of lakes, fast water canyons, sections of riffles, runs and pools and about every type of water conceivable. It may best be described by this short story: A few years ago I meet two guys who had left the Madison River to fish the Henry’s Fork. They said I should go to the Madison. Salmonflies were laying eggs and the rainbow trout were going crazy. They said they had caught around twenty each that morning. I ask why they left. They answered by saying that they had rather catch one rainbow on the Henry’s Fork than twenty on the Madison River. Now I am not sure that everyone would agree with them, but that is how many anglers feel about the HF. When you catch a large rainbow from the Henry’s Fork, you have done something.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Henrys Fork of the Snake River:
Fly fishing Henry’s Fork of the Snake River ranges from fishing smooth, clear flowing spring creek like water to the fast pocket water of the canyon sections. The various locations and hatches require completely different methods and techniques. Most of the time you would be stalking and fishing to one trout. This requires every skill you can master. You need a PhD in fly fishing to catch trout in the Harriman State Park section of the Henrys Fork. It is impossible to outline everything you would need to know or do to fish the Henry’s Fork successfully day in and day out. The biggest problem with doing that is the diversity of the water itself. We have already said it could be described as a spring creek or a tailwater and it also has many freestone stream characteristics. What we will try to do here is to describe the types of fishing and water in its different sections of water. The best way to approach the Henry’s Fork is to think of it as either smooth or rough water sections. The area pictured above on your left is smooth water. Its surface stays fairly smooth without riffles and runs or pools. Some describe it by comparing it to a flooded parking lot. That really isn’t true because the bottom does go up and down. There are deeper areas and shallow areas and sometimes only inches apart. You can wade across it just about anywhere, so there is little water that is very deep. The bottom has a solid mass of aquatic vegetation that is part of the cause of its tricky currents. Getting a drag free drift isn’t easy. In fact, you have to fish downstream to many fish in order to fool them. I am fishing upstream in the above image but most of the time, I am fishing downstream. In this section the usual best method is to find a feeding trout and fish to it. Blind casting is usually unproductive. In the image to your right, I am fishing in an upstream direction. Although you can’t see them very well, this section of the river has runs and riffles. This particular place is downstream of Ashton Dam. There are islands in the water just below me. Here you would fish upstream and you can catch trout blind casting in the current seams The best way to approach the Henry’s Fork is to think of it as either smooth or rough water sections. The area pictured above on your left is smooth water. Its surface stays fairly smooth without riffles and runs or pools. Some describe it by comparing it to a flooded parking lot. That really isn’t true because the bottom does go up and down. There are deeper areas and shallow areas and sometimes only inches apart. You can wade across it just about anywhere, so there is little water that is very deep. The bottom has a solid mass of aquatic vegetation that is part of the cause of its tricky currents. Getting a drag free drift isn’t easy. In fact, you have to fish downstream to many fish in order to fool them. I am fishing upstream in the above image but most of the time, I am fishing downstream. In this section the usual best method is to find a feeding trout and fish to it. Blind casting is usually unproductive.
Henrys Fork Hatches and Trout Flies:
Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Henrys Fork of the Snake River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else.
1-800-594-4726
There are numerous hatches that takes place on the Henry’s Fork. It water is very fertile, with much of it coming from springs. There is also very diverse range of water, from fast, pocket water in the canyon sections, to steady smooth flows in areas like the Railroad Ranch. That too, makes a difference in the kinds of aquatic insects that inhabit the stream. One of the most plentiful ones are the Blue-winged Olives. Now of course there are several species of them which come in several sizes. If you lump them together as BWOs, you can say they hatch from about the first of April all the way until the first of November. That will vary from one area to another. That doesn’t mean that on any given day, in any one given spot, there will always be BWOs hatching. From about the last week of April through the month of May, you will find some March Browns hatching, mostly in the fast water areas of the stream. In the lower section of the river, from about the middle of May until about the third week in June, you will find the Green Drakes. People think of it when they think of Green Drakes. I have found other streams with a larger population but, the Henry’s Fork does have plenty of them. Just as important, in my opinion, are the Little Green Drakes called Flavs. They hatch just after the Green Drakes. That could be anywhere from the last week of May until the middle of July. From about the last week of May until the first week of July, again depending on where you are talking about on the river, Gray Drakes will hatch. You will even find some Brown Drakes that hatch in certain areas of the river during the month of June. Both of these larger mayflies can produce some good catches if fished properly. From about the middle of June until the middle of August, you will find two different species of mayflies called Pale Morning Duns hatching. This is as good of a hatch as any on this river, and probably accounts for more trout than any other mayfly. From the middle of July through the month of September, in many areas of the river, you will find hatches of Tricos. These little mayflies can be important because there are fewer hatches occurring during this time period. From about the same starting time, or mid July and all the way to the end of September, some areas of the river have hatches of Speckled-wing Quills. The most plentiful and most important of them all are the Spotted Sedges. There is more than one species of them that hatch from about the first of June through September. There are also a few of their Little Sisters. They usually hatch from mid June through July, depending on the location on the river. You will find huge hatches of the Little Speckled Peter caddisflies the last two weeks of June. Black Dancers, long-horn species, hatch from mid July to mid August. Lets don’t forget the midges. They hatch all year long but become important when nothing else is hatching during the cold weather in the sections of the river that are open to fishing. One of the best ways to catch trout in the otherwise (at times) difficult to fish river, is to use imitations of the terrestrial insects. You can fish grasshopper, ants and beetles along the grassy banks of the stream and catch trout from about the first of July through September. Oh yes, I forgot to mention many areas of the river have good populations of scuds for the trout to eat. In addition, there are sculpin, minnows and baitfish and plenty of leeches in areas. Now you know why the trout are so big in the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. They have a lot of food to eat.
Over the years, we have tested our “Perfect Fly” trout flies on this river. Some were developed here. We have specific imitations of every insect and other trout food that lives in the stream. If you haven’t already done so, please give them a try. They not only are the most realistic, they are the most productive flies you can use on this river.
Fishing Report Archive:
02/16/19 The stream levels are still high in all sections. The two tailwaters offer the best opportunity. The weather and water are still very cold. The closer you fish to the bottom discharges, the warmer the water. Midges, winter stoneflies and Black Flies are hatching.
02/23/19 The river is still a little high in some sections, okay in others. Fish near any springs or spring creek confluences, or fish as close to the two bottom discharge dams as the regulations allow. The water is slightly warmer. The weather is going to be a little warmer this coming week but with lots of snow.
03/04/19 The stream levels are all just a little above normal. We recommend fishing the lower two tailwaters near the dam. The further downstream you fish, the colder the water. Midges, Winter stoneflies, black flies and Sculpin are the flies you should be using.
03/11/19 The upper sections of the river are still running a little high, too high to wade in most sections, The two lower tailwaters are currently in good shape but always subject to change, Midges, sculpin and winter stoneflies are still the main flies to be using,
03/18/19 The river is still running a little high in most sections. It is going to be much warmer this coming week and I’m sure this is going to melt a lot of snow and ice and likely stain the water in places. The river is still cold, so fish the areas near spring water inlets and confluences and/or below dams in the tailwaters.
04/02/18 The stream levels are all running just a little above normal. It is difficult to wade most places. The water is gradually getting a little warmer but melting snow and ice and continuing snow precipitation keeps it down around 40 degrees. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week.
04/17/19 he water is gradually getting warmer but still in the low to mid forties. The streams are all running a little above normal. We didn’t receive any reports from anyone fishing this past week.. Keep up with the latest by clicking the above link to our Henry’s Fork fishing report.
04/28/19 The river is high in all sections. We recommend waiting until it drops. It is too high to wade anywhere and only the upper tailwater at Aston, is low enogh to fish from a drift boat. Fish were being caught before the high water and should be again as soon as it drops.
05/08/19 Trout are still being caught by the few anglers fishing. The water is generally okay in the upper sections and canyons. It is generally high in the lower river tailwaters. March Browns are starting to hatch.
05/29/19 Most sections of the river are in good shape. The tailwater at Ashton is in the best shape with good numbers of trout being caught. There are lots of insects hatching.
06/09/19 Stream levels are generally high in most all sections but can still be fished by drift boats and wading in some areas. The should be falling back down soon. There’s not a real runoff on this river. Water is from mostly rain.
06/17/19 The river is in good shape except the lower tailwater is still running a little high. Trout are being caught in good numbers in all other sections of the river. There are lots of hatches taking place including the big stonelfies.
06/26/19 Conditions are very good. Stream levels are good in all sections and trout are being caught in good numbers. There are multiple hatches taking place including Green Drakes and the Big Stoneflies among other insects. This coming week should be a very good one.
07/02/19 Conditions are still good. Trout are being caught.
07/09/19 The river is in good shape in all sections. There are lots of trout being caught in all the different sections. Multiple hatches are taking place. Of course, these vary with the particular section of water being fished. Let us know where you will be fishing and we can help you with a good fly selection.
07/16/19 The river is in good shape in all sections. There are lots of trout being caught. The canyons have been especially good but all are tuning out a lot of trout. There are multiple hatches taking place but they vary some from section to section.
07/23/19 Conditions are very good. There are lots of Small Western Green drakes hatching or local called FLAVS, along with lots of other inssects. There are good numbers of trout being caught by our customers in all sections.
08/03/19 All sections of the river are in good shape. All but the lower tailwater are running just a little below noraml stream levels. There are still a lot of hatches taking place and our terrestrials are also working good.
08/13/19 Conditions are very good with our cutomers sending in some good reports. There are lots of insects hatching and terrestrial like our carpenter ants and Japanese beetles are also working good. This coming week should be another. All sections of the river are in good shape and turning out trout.
08/25/19 Conditions remain very good in all sections of the big river. We continue to get good reports from customers fishing it. The weather remains cool all day and there are good hatches taking place. Hopper fishing has also been good.
09/06/19 All sections of the river are in very good shape with good stream levels. There are still plenty hatching insects and our terrestrial patterns are working good as well. The weather is turning cooler and this will help make the opportunities even better.
09/16/19 All the sections of the river from the uppermost dams and upper tributaries to the lowest tailwater below Chester dam is in good shape with good stream levels. Our customers are sending in some very good reports. There are still some good hatches underway.
09/28/19 The stream levels are all in good shape. Trout are being caught in all sections of the river. As you probably know, it is much colder with snow and the water temp is dropping. This will change the hatches and in some cases, improve the conditions
10/12/19 The much cooler weather has changed the hatches big time. There are lots of Blue-winded olive hatches, October caddis and Cream and Blood or red midges. This coming week should be a good one.
11/06/19 The cool weather has helped the hatches and the river is in good shape. We are getting good catch reports from our customers. BWOs, October Caddis and Midges are hatching.
02/22/2020 Stream levels are a little high in all sections of the river.There is snow forecast everyday for the coming week. The two tailwaters offer you the best opportunity, provided the discharges stay down reasonable.
02/292020 The river is in good shape in most sections. Trout are being caught mostly in the two tailwaters near the dams where the water is a little warmer. Areas where spring creeks flow into the river are also productive.
03/18/2020 The river is in good shape in all sections. We are getting good reports from our
customers. There are some good hatches taking place and this coming week is going to be a good one.
04/06/20 The river is in very good shape for the first part of April. We are receiving good reports from customers. It should just continue to get better as the water gets a little warmer.
04/17/20 The river is still in good shape. We are getting some good reports from customers fishing. The weather and water temperatures are sill a little lower than normal but get ready for some good spring hatches very soon.
05/12/20 Conditions are good throught the river in all sections. There are some major hatches starting to take place in the lower section of the river. These will most upstream as the water gets warmer.
06/06/20 The river is in good shape in all respects. The stream levels are good and the water clear. There are some major hatches taking place in the lower sections of the river and actually about everywhere.
06/18/20 The river is in good shape in all respect. It is the best place to fish in the West right now, due to runoff conditions most places.
06/29/20 The river is in very good shape in all sections and good numbers of trout are being caught by our customers. There are multiple hatches taking place.
07/11/20 Parts of the river are a little high and stained from recent heavy rain. It should be back in excellent shape very soon. There are still a lot of trout being caught by our customers.
07/28/20 The river is in good shape in all sections. We are getting some very good reports
from customers. There are multiple hatches taking place. You should be able to catch good numbers of trout anywhere you fish the river right now.
08/16/20 The river is in good shape in all sections – good stream levels and clear water. We continue to get some good reports from customers. There are lots of insects hatching but vary some due to the section of the river your fishing.
09/04/20 The stream levels are in good shape in all sections of the river. We continue to get some very good reports from customers. There are still a lot of hatching insects.
09/23/20 The river is running low in the upper and middle sections. We continue to get good reports from customers. Our sculpin steamers are catching some nice size trout. There are still plenty hatching insects.
Note: We no longer will be posting the archive reports due to the fact we already have many.
| 1. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing this stream and we will send you a list of our fly suggestions. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response. 2. Call us 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide which flies you need. 3. Email us (sales@perfectflystore.com) with a budget for flies and we will select them to match the budget and get them to you in time for your fly fishing trip. All orders are shipped free in the U. S. Orders of less than $100 are sent regular first class mail. Orders of $100 or more are shipped via Priority Mail. |