Jackson Hole Fishing Tips
Rule #1: If you're planning to come to Jackson Hole early in the season, be aware that spring runoff may be a factor . Different streams clear at different times so it's important to plan your fishing spots carefully. Spring runoff can last from the beginning of May to the middle of July. On a positive note, among other pluses of early season fishing is fishing on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, a classic wilderness, spring fed river draining the Yellowstone Plateau.
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The Mighty Snake
Bugs and Trout
Early Season Options
If the lakes are thawed out, you should think about renting a float tube and hitting Yellowstone Lake or one of the lakes at the base of the Tetons like Jenny, Bradley or Taggart. (Cast out big wooly bugger, pull out some line, kick. Repeat.)
Second, if you can gain access to some of the region's spring creeks, they will most likely be clear and fishable. However, many of them do not open until August and many others are assessable via private land. (the best spring creek may be a river, the Henry's Fork of the Snake over in Idaho, a short drive away).
Third, the tail water section of the Snake just below Jackson Lake Dam usually runs clear for four miles or so until the muddy waters of Pacific Creek and Buffalo River join in.
Your best bet, if you arrive in mid June, is to drive into Idaho and hit the Henry's Fork. The famous green drake mayfly hatch starts over there about mid-June and if you've never experienced it, the journey is worth the effort. Some Henry's Fork advice: Think dry fly. Think light leaders and delicate presentation. Think patience.
The Mighty Snake
As for the Snake, you can start fishing it with nymphs and streamers as soon as you get a few feet of visibility. You should start seeing some surface action by late July. While going at it on your own is rewarding, hiring a guide is strongly suggested. This is not a sales pitch, it's simply the reality of properly fishing a river that is very difficult to wade. Guides have boats and know how to use them to get you where you need to be.
Bugs and Trout
When it comes to fly selection, mayflies, caddis flies and any sort of nymph is really just practice for when the big bugs come to town. Around mid-August, just before summer gives way to fall, the airspace above the Snake fills with hoppers and a few giant stone flies. It is then, when the river is most clear and the trout are most hungry, that you really want your fly on the water. There is very little sipping action, cutties can hit hard and heavy so you'll want to bump both tippet size and attentiveness up a notch.
While an occasional brown will be taken and small brookies can be found near major tributaries like the Gros Ventre, fishing the Snake means you'll be chasing cutthroat; the only native trout in an increasingly nonnative ecosystem.
What does this mean to the practical angler? It means fishing big flies whenever possible, including streamers if you've got enough rod to pull it off without embedding a #2 hook in your shoulder blade.
As always, talk to folks in the local fly shops for the best, most up-to-date information and don't forget to have fun. That's why you're out there.
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