It’s hard to believe we’re already into the last week of July and it feels like the fishing season has just gotten started, and for a lot of our favorite spots this is true. It was a long wait, but its prime-time now.

The Big Wood has been providing some outstanding fishing. With cool nights and the water still pretty cold the action has been best in the afternoons. When the bugs start popping it’s been a mix of green drakes, pink albertae and small slate colored duns. For the fly box, have some drake patterns in size 10 and 12 and an assortment parachute and wulff patterns in sizes 12-16. Mix the colors on these parachutes and wulffs with standard grey, some orange and a local guide favorite, purple. In addition to these mayfly patterns add some stimulators in sizes 10-16 to match the golden and yellow sallie stoneflies. For the late evenings add some caddis patterns in 14 and 16 to the mix and you’ll be all set.

Silver Creek is seeing the typical type of action for this time of season, trico. The appearance of these clouds of tiny mayflies sends the trout into a feeding frenzy. It also sends a lot of fishermen into frenzy so you won’t be alone. This is an early morning affair and with a good number of fishermen heading to the creek for this, you’ll want to get an early start, I suggest heading down shortly after sunrise. In addition to the trico, pmd and baetis may be present so be prepared with a good selection of all of these mayflies. When the wind comes up and knocks the mayfly hatches down try some terrestrials, ants and beetles, hoppers should start to fish soon as-well

The waters of the Upper Big Lost and Copper Basin have come into shape now and well worth some exploring. Basic mayfly and stonefly attractors with small trailing nymphs will suffice up here.

In summary, everything is fishing pretty well so get out on the water and enjoy the bounties of our great outdoors!