Stanley Area Fishing Report:

August 8, 2008 Fishing Report


Trout Fishing: Fishing in the Sawtooth Valley, Stanley Basin and Upper Main Salmon area has been great this past week and the water level is near normal for this time of year. The spruce moth hatch has been in it's prime the last week or so all along the Main Salmon River and it's tributaries. A light colored elk hair caddis should work well as the moths look somewhat like a caddis. The Upper Middle Fork area above Dagger Falls and on up is running close to normal and Cutthroat fishing in that area has been great fun. The Main Salmon has been stocked for several week in a row with "pan sized" rainbows so the upper end should be fishing well for these smaller stocked rainbows.

NEWS FLASH: August 7-Thunderstorms in the Sawooth and White Cloud area blew out many sidestreams and the Main Salmon River is runnning brown as of this morning. It usually takes 2 to 5 days to clear to decent fishing so plan accordingly. Many sidestreams are still fishable.

Local valley lakes have been decent and mornings and evenings should be the best times to fish in those locations. Idaho Fish and Game has stocked many of the valley lakes and ponds in the past few weeks and fishing should be fun on most of them. Try terrestrial patterns and nymphs or streamers for the best luck.

SALMON SEASON: If you didn't know it, this year was our first Salmon season in over 30 years. It opened on June 19 and ended in late July. Indications are that we should have a chance to fish for these fish again next year.

Many of the fish we catch here in our area are Westslope Cutthroat, native Rainbow trout and Bull Trout. These fish are native, natural fish and must be released. If you do not practice catch and release and prefer to keep fish, there are a few rainbows with missing adipose fins which can be kept. If you are fishing the Main Salmon River,please be sure to check the adipose fin and if the fish has one and is not a Mountain Whitefish or Brook trout, it must be released. Please handle it carefully and let it go to catch another day. Consider fishing only with a single barless hook to increase survival rates of the native fish and don't keep the fish out of the water for over 20 seconds. Hatchery stocked, catch and keep rainbow trout will be missing the adipose fin. Middle Fork tributaries are CATCH & RELEASE only. Check the regulation book for exceptions and remember that many fish are protected and cannot be kept. The regulation book tells what can be kept and how to tell the difference.

Call local Stanley oufitters and shops for up to date information.