St Joe, CDA + Clark Fork Rivers: Fishing Report 8.14.2017
St.Joe River Fishing Report
The Joe has been fantastic of late. Even with the heatwave, this stream produces fish all day long. I fished up there for two days last week and had two great days. Fish were receptive to all sorts of things, including small beadheads, beetles, ants, hoppers of many sizes and colors, PMDs, caddis and even some small streamers. A parachute Madam X with a small Pheasant Tail dropper was a great rig. I ran my dropper maybe 12-18” behind the hopper, but actually got more eats on the dry than the dropper.
You might need to expand your tippet selection right now.
I fished quite a bit of water ranging from the upper river above Gold Creek and Red Ives all the way down low to Marble Creek. All fished great. This week should be dynamite as we are suppose to get a change in the weather, meaning 70s and 80s and a chance of showers. This should do wonders for the St. Joe and other rivers. Floating is still a great option on the lower end of the river and I’m getting great reports from folks drifting from Marble Creek downstream to Big Eddy. So if you have a chance to get out next week in the cooler temps, I envy you!
Coeur d’ Alene River Fishing Report
The Coeur d Alene River has been fishing decent. Again, the hot spell for the past couple of weeks put a damper on fishing here. The evenings and early mornings have been good, but the CDA is a bit of a struggle during midday hours. The cool down this coming week will help. Purple Hazes, PMDs, small PMXs in yellow and lime, and mid-to smaller Morish Hoppers are good bets. Beetles and ants are a good choice behind your hopper. Swinging soft hackles in the evenings during the caddis hatch work wonders, too.
Here's a selection of dry patterns that will work out there.
Don' be afraid to pull a big black or olive streamer through the run you just fished with your dries. Still hearing of decent streamer fishing on the CDA.
Clark Fork River Fishing Report
The Clark Fork River in Montana (near St. Regis) has been good. Pick your battles though. At daybreak look for trout in the flats sipping Tricos. Also look for an egg laying caddis bouncing around from the previous night. A small #14 or 18 caddis, skated or twitched with a soft hackle behind, produces well. Large hoppers or Chernobyls tight to the banks will roll some big boys, but try running a simple black beetle behind the big fly for the picky fish. You may get three out of 10 fish to eat the big hopper, which is fun, but the beetle can up your counts a bunch. PMD's will be around early, too. Match them with small #16’s-20’s. A good combo is a PMD Sparkle Dun or Comparadun with a Trico spinner as a dropper behind. That works well on sippers. A big crayfish imitation will get some looks too. Strip them fast and don't be afraid to look for fish in pretty skinny water early in the morning—they may surprise you. Small beadhead rigs in the foam-lines and rock walls will get them as well. Evenings will be fantastic with tons of caddis about and PED (pale evening dun) spinners as well. In the evenings, downsize your caddis to #16-20 and run a small caddis emerger or soft hackle behind it.