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Silver Creek, ID

2061 Views 11 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  TD
7
Some of you know that I moved to southern Idaho last fall and have been eagerly anticipating the fly fishing opportunities this area offers. The legendary brown drake hatch on Silver Creek was one such opportunity, and it did not disappoint. I've fished Silver Creek this past winter and had good success (along with nearly frostbitten extremities), but the brown drake hatch is where it's at, so I kept my eyes/ears open hoping to hit it just right. This is a short-lived hatch (~2 weeks in duration) and if you miss it you'll have to wait another year.

Thanks to a very understanding better-half, I got to fish it three consecutive evenings during the peak of the hatch from about 7:30 PM to just after dark and had pretty good success. Nothing of monstrous proportions to report - these fish have doctorates in entomology due to the number of flies (natural and artificial) they see, so any hookup should be celebrated.

Here's a natural.
Hand Insect Arthropod Pollinator Dragonflies and damseflies


A couple shots of the surrounding area
Water Sky Cloud Plant Mountain


Water Sky Mountain Cloud Plant


I only took a few pictures of the rainbows and browns that I caught (not the best photos - sorry)
Vertebrate Fish Salmon-like fish Fisherman Terrestrial plant


Water Fluid Fin Fish Liquid


Water Vertebrate Salmon-like fish Fish Marine biology


Even managed to get the young fella out for some bug collecting (note net and bug box - I'll take two thumbs up from him while out on a river any day!).
Sky Plant Cloud Mountain Natural landscape
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Not sure how this ended up in the 'fly tying' forum. Can it be moved?
Not sure how this ended up in the 'fly tying' forum. Can it be moved?
Yup.
Just don't let the kid know how highly evolved your alterior motives are. ;)
Just don't let the kid know how highly evolved your alterior motives are. ;)
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I remember fishing that creek when I was 10 and thought the only fly you needed was a royal wulff. I came up empty handed. Awesome area, nice fish!
I love that "creek". I have not fished the brown drake hatch, but I did have a great day there once fishing scuds and another epic day there during the trico hatch. During the trico hatch I was fishing from my knees, sitting on my heels, down drifting a pattern into a school of well over 40 fish, all with their mouths open on the surface sucking in flies. I think they were less taking my fly as my fly was just sliding into their mouths. Cool experience and at the time everyone else not belly crawling or kneeling, simply were not catching fish.
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Cool experience and at the time everyone else not belly crawling or kneeling, simply were not catching fish.
Sounds about right. Spooky fish.
Thanks for posting. I fished it once probably twenty years ago and it was awesome.
I love that "creek". I have not fished the brown drake hatch, but I did have a great day there once fishing scuds and another epic day there during the trico hatch. During the trico hatch I was fishing from my knees, sitting on my heels, down drifting a pattern into a school of well over 40 fish, all with their mouths open on the surface sucking in flies. I think they were less taking my fly as my fly was just sliding into their mouths. Cool experience and at the time everyone else not belly crawling or kneeling, simply were not catching fish.
Ain't that the truth!!!!? It's tough!
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