The South Fork of the Snake River
It is no surprise that for decades the South Fork of the Snake didn’t get much notice from visiting anglers. Though it is only about an hour’s drive from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and you can be on the water in a half hour if you drive from Idaho Falls, it is shadowed by more famous rivers like the Henry’s Fork, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers.
Even though I grew up only an hour away, I seldom fished the river. Not only were the Henry’s Fork and Teton River much closer, but I was intimidated by the vastness and size of the big river. It wasn’t until I began to understand the secrets of this magnificent river that I began to pay it the attention it deserves. Like many large rivers, the South Fork can be intimidating. You need to learn to break it up and sample it a portion at a time. By late summer hundreds of riffles, gravel bars, pools, runs, and side channels provide endless opportunities for wade-fishing. I like to think of the South Fork as a bunch of spring creeks all rolled into one.
The bulk of the trout population is native cutthroat, with a few browns and rainbows sprinkled in. In my youth most of the streams in Southeastern Idaho held good numbers of cutthroats. However, the cutthroat population has lost a lot of ground on other streams due to habitat degradation, impacts from introduced exotic species, and other factors. The South Fork is still one of those places where you can catch several dozen cutthroats in the 15- to 20-inch range in a single day on dry flies. It can be a pleasant change after you’ve had your butt kicked on the Henry’s Fork.
What I like most about the South Fork is that the fish like to feed in some of the smallest water. On any given day you’ll see dozens of good fish sipping in the shallow riffles and slicks. The water is so clear you can usually see most of the trout feeding under the water. This makes it an excellent place to understand how trout respond to your presentation and fly pattern.
The Snake River System
The main stem of the Snake River begins in the southern region of Yellowstone Park and flows through Grand Teton National Park. It cascades into Palisades Reservoir below the whitewater canyon near Alpine, Wyoming. Below Palisades Dam it is known as the South Fork of the Snake. I think the name changes because of the Henry’s Fork, which in the old days was known as the North Fork of the Snake.
Because it drains such a vast area, the South Fork is normally a large river. During the spring runoff, the flows have reached more than 30,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Normal flows during the summer irrigation season range between 8,000 and 16,000 cfs. In the fall, the flows typically drop to a fraction of that, often not more than 2,000 cfs.
While most of the South Fork flows through public land, there is also a lot of private land adjacent to the river. I recommend you check with one of the fly shops located in Swan Valley, Idaho Falls, or Jackson for information on where to access the river. Most of the shops sell a superb map of the South Fork by American Adventure Associates that has all of the information you need, including access points, roads, campsites, and boating information. The fly shops can arrange a shuttle if you have your own boat. You can also get information from the forest ranger’s office in Swan Valley.
The Upper River
The upper stretch of the South Fork flows from Palisades Dam downstream to the Conant Valley boat access. This section is the most popular because there is excellent access to the river for both float- and wade-fishing. Some of the boating access points are primitive, so you’ll need a four-wheel drive. Otherwise you can use one of several BLM accesses that require a daily use fee.
Through the upper half of this stretch, there are lots of undercut banks with plenty of structure to hold big fish. Cast as close to the holding pockets as possible with bright streamers like the Kiwi Muddler or Silver Zonker to lure the trout out. Patterns perfected by the Jackson Hole crowd, such as the Super-X, Yuk Bug, and J. J. Special, also do well.
Farther down, above Fall Creek, the river braids out into dozens of side channels. This is some of the best dry-fly water in the river. Even on the busiest days you can almost always find a channel or riffle tucked away where you can spot a pod of rising trout. Many anglers make the fatal mistake of wading through the very shallow water in search of rising trout. South Fork trout will hold in water barely deep enough to cover their backs and slyly poke their noses out to inhale a fly. Sometimes you have to hear them rise before you can spot them.
The Canyon
The canyon stretch encompasses about 20 miles of some of the finest wild-trout water in the West. There are no roads from Conant Valley to Burns Creek, a stretch of about 12 miles. The first public boat access is 14 miles below Conant at Cottonwood. Because Cottonwood is on the opposite side of the river, you have a long drive back down the river on a gravel road to Heise before you can get back to the main highway. Unless you plan to spend the night, floating the canyon stretch makes for a very long day of fishing.
BLM maintains a number of public camping areas in the canyon. An overnight trip in the canyon offers more fishing time but even more important, a special connection with a majestic river and its spectacular surroundings. The timbered canyon and rock walls offer perfect habitat for mule deer and elk and provide nesting habitat for bald eagles. The cottonwood bottoms are teeming with whitetail deer and moose. The cottonwoods also provide nesting habitat for blue heron, osprey, and dozens of other birds. One of the biggest mistakes many anglers make is to spend so much time watching their flies on the water that they miss out on the splendid scenery the canyon has to offer.
The campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Most of the outfitters offer overnight trips in the canyon as a package in addition to their day trips. Two of the outfitting businesses, Teton Valley Lodge and South Fork Outfitters, also have private access points in the canyon.
The Middle Section
Byington is the first boat access below Conant on the south side of the river, a distance of about 20 miles. There are several good boat access points from Byington south to the U.S. Highway 20 bridge near Lorenzo. You can really get lost in this stretch of water due to the many braids and side channels. Those inexperienced with the South Fork are well advised to get up-to-date information before floating this stretch. The channels can change from year to year; you risk floating into a side channel only to find it closed off by a downed cottonwood.
The South Fork doesn’t seem to get as much float-fishing pressure below Byington. Do-it-yourselfers tend to avoid it because it is the most technical section. It is also a longer drive for many of the fishing guides in the area.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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