Trout Fishing Tips - Jackson Hole Wyoming

JACKSON HOLE - Salt River

The Salt River is a fairly small river that flows out of the Salt River Range, through Star Valley and into Palisades Reservoir. When fishing the Salt you can expect to catch many cutthroat and browns with an occasional rainbow. On the average the fish range from 12 to 14 inches, but every year there are several browns caught between four and six pounds. One thing that makes fishing the Salt River such a pleasure is the public access that is available to fishermen. Heading south from Alpine Junction, toward Afton, keep an eye out for the signs that indicate public fishing areas. These pieces of property have been purchased by the Wyoming Game and Fish department from ranchers for the use and enjoyment of sportsmen. These properties are surrounded by local ranches and farms, so please respect the landowners by not crossing any fences or harassing their stock. Since the Salt is a fairly small river, wading can be an effective way of fishing. But you will find the river best fishes from a boat or a raft. Private property, strong currents, deep holes, and other such factors are the reasons behind this.

A very favorable characteristic about the Salt is how early the water usually clears. Usually by about mid or late June the Salt can be fished, while other rivers are still in runoff.

The Salt is home to some very decent caddis hatches. From mid June through July, both early and late in the day, caddis can be very abundant. Elk Hair Caddis, Peacock Caddis, Olive Stimulators and Goddard Caddis are usually effective patterns. During the day the Golden Stones may come off, so be sure to have an imitation in your fly box such as a yellow stimulator. July brings about the lazy days of summer and some of the more popular hatches. In morning and late afternoon, if the conditions are right, Pale Morning Duns can come off the water in fairly decent numbers. You may also see some Grey Drakes, in which case a Parachute Adams will work nicely. During the day, fishing with a Yellow Sally imitation and attractor patterns can be effective. Toward the end of July, grasshoppers become more and more abundant and fish can be taken on their imitations. August and September can be the best two months of the year to fish the Salt. The weather is warm, but not hot, and the afternoon winds tend to calm down at this time of the year. Fish can be taken on hoppers and big attractor patterns, thus making for an enjoyable day of top water fishing. Besides trying to match the hatch, be sure to fish attractors also. Some flies that would be a good idea to have in your box when heading toward the Salt are: Parachute Adams, Humpies, Stimulators, Madam X, Turck’s Tarantula, trudes, terrestrials, mice, Renegades, Double Humpies and Dry Muddlers.

Catching big fish is what the sport is about and fishing deep is how to stir them up. The Salt River has an ample supply of baitfish; therefore, streamers can be fairly effective in pulling fish off the bottom. Be careful, though, for last summer there was a story going around about a fish named "nightmare." The fish earned its name by a guy who was kept awake at night thinking about it. He fished the Salt at least two times a week just to fish to this fish, and every time he caught "old nightmare," he got either broken off or the hook was thrown. By the end of the summer, the fish supposedly had twenty dollars worth of fur, rubber legs and weight in his jaw. You stand the best chance of catching this pig on Double Bunnies, Kiwi Muddlers, Wooly Buggers, Matuka’s, Zonkers, Girdle Buggers and a JJ’s Special.

Nymph fishermen will find the Salt a very enjoyable place to fish. The chances are that you will have a double digit day. Nymphs that you want to stock up on are Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tails, Zug Bugs and nymphs with rubber legs.

October and November mean fishing for spawning browns in the river. Fishing at this time of the year can be most fun for a couple of reasons. The first reason is the amount of big fish holding in the river and the second is fighting the elements. Now, there are a couple of ways to fish for these "spawners." One way is to blind fish with streamers or nymphs through suspected runs. Another way is to walk the banks looking for "redds" or places where the fish clear a section of the riverbed to lay their eggs on. When you see a fish laying on a redd, you can sight nymph fish to them, using caution with these fish, for they are extremely spooky and will frighten at any irregularity. The best patterns to use during this time of the year are streamers and nymphs, but be sure you have a couple of glow bugs in your box.

Above everything else, the best part about fishing the Salt is the number of people you will see. The Salt receives very little pressure and the chances are you won’t see another fisherman the whole day. The Salt is also a great place for beginners. There is plenty of room for casting and the water is very easy to read. Even the experienced fisherman may wait and take advantage of this by practicing certain skills that may need a little work.

When fishing the Salt, you would probably want to have two rods. A five weight for fishing dry flies, and nymphs, and a seven weight for throwing heavy streamers. Leaders tend to be on the heavy side. Use 9 foot 4X and 5X leaders for fishing dry flies and nymphs, and six or eight pound Maxima for fishing streamers.

If you are interested in fishing the Salt, we do offer guided trips. To arrange a trip, or to get some questions answered, stop by the store or give us a call at 800-570-3270. Act quickly though because space is limited. And for the sake of future fishermen, please practice catch and release. greys river Like most other rivers in this area the Greys River also has a spring runoff. After this is over, early in July, the river offers many miles of good fishing water accessible from the Greys River Road. This is an enjoyable river to fish and it’s even floatable in some areas. In the middle stretches, where the water flattens out, there are numerous log jams, some cut banks and some pocket water which all provide cover for the crafty browns and cutthroat. For the person who wishes to camp, there are a couple of campgrounds right along the river. In general you don’t need to get too specific with hatches. Bushy dry flies, such as the Humpy and Royal Wulff, some hoppers and some small Muddlers will usually fill the bill.

Pacific Creek
Pacific Creek is a good river for the wading angler, offering both good access and solitude. The river crosses the Park road near Moran Junction and heads north from there.

Pacific Creek Road, just a short distance from the river, roughly follows the river, providing good access for anglers wishing to do a little walking. Eight miles up the road is a parking area and the wilderness boundary. This is a good place to begin a hike for those anglers wishing to get into the backcountry. Fly choice for Pacific Creek is similar to the Snake, but use slightly smaller sizes. Since in many places this is a small creek, you may wish to go to a 7-foot 4X leader.

Gros Ventre River
The Gros Ventre provides somewhat more secluded fishing than the Hoback. Although the road follows the canyon, it moves away from the river in many places allowing the angler to get more seclusion. While most of the fish are cutthroat, there are still some rainbows. For those wishing to fish some pocket-water for rainbows try just below Slide Lake. The best fishing of the year here is when the stonefly hatch occurs in the second week of July. During that time both dry and wet stoneflys will produce. Otherwise, attractor wets and some of the smaller drys are a good bet.

Hoback River
For the visiting angler, the Hoback offers more access than most rivers in the area and a stable population of moderate sized cutthroat. Through Hoback River Canyon the highway closely follows the river with pullouts and a couple of camp areas. The canyon is very scenic and worth the drive in itself.

As is true with many rivers in the area, there is a runoff that usually starts early in May and lasts into the beginning of July. The duration will depend on the amount of snowpack in the drainage area. The best fishing of the year occurs during the stonefly hatch which is generally the first week in July. During that time stonefly nymphs and drys will work well. Thereafter Trudes, Humpies and Hare’s Ear nymphs will produce.

Jackson Lake
Lake trout were first introduced in our area in the late 1800’s, when they were stocked into Lewis Lake. Over the years, the smaller fish made their way down the Lewis River and into the upper Snake River drainage. Once in Jackson Lake, the fish grew, spawned and started a good population of their own. The Game and Fish has further enhanced this fishery by planting fish and doing extensive studies. Jackson Lake is now a trophy Mackinaw fishery, with a state record 50 pound fish to its name.

Excellent fishing on Jackson Lake starts right after ice out, usually early to mid May but sometimes as late as early June. At this time the fish are in the shallows in search of baitfish, which makes them especially vulnerable to bank fishermen. Concentrate your efforts on points, shallow coves and large flats bordering dropoffs.

Once the warmer weather sets in and the water warms these fish will spend the majority of their time in water 80-200 feet deep. This makes them out of the range of the fly fisherman and for the most part, the shore spin fisherman too. Anglers using trolling rigs or vertically jigging will do well in the middle of the summer.

In mid-September the water temperatures start to drop, triggering the spawning urge of the lake trout. The Mackinaw spawn on deep wind-swept points in 20-90 feet of water with gravel and boulder strewn bottoms. The fish become the most active at sunset and in the night. Midday action can be incredible if a big storm rolls through. I’ve had excellent action in severe snow storms in late September. Be careful at this time of year, as the water is cold and the waves can swamp a small boat in no time. Jackson Lake is closed in October to protect the spawning macs and opens up again in November.

Tackle is very similar to other lakes of this size and your choice depends on the season. For spinning gear in the spring and fall I recommend a medium action with 8-12 pound test line. Some of the favorite lures include Krocodiles, Panther Martins, Flatfish, Rapalas, Kastmasters, jigs and Jake’s Spin-A-Lure. As I said, in the middle of the summer you’re best off with a trolling rig.

Although fly fishing is not easy on a lake of this size, it can be done, especially if you have a float tube or canoe. Because of the wind, have a 9 foot rod for a 6 or 7 weight line. Both sinking and shooting tapers will all be useful for fishing here. Some suggested wet patterns should include Wooly Buggers, Zonkers, Double Bunnies and Bunny Leeches.