Snake River Wyoming Fly Fishing Report: (Updated 04/20/24) Good hatches and good stream conditions continue to exist for this time of the year in the tailwater near the dam. Stream levels are still near a normal level in all sections. We are still getting some good catch reports from customers fishing the tailwater below Jackson Lake where the water is warmer. March Brown mayflies and Little Black Caddis are starting to hatch. There are very good light green and red or blood midge hatches as well as Skwala stoneflies taking place. Our pre-rig tandem midges work well. Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our Perfect Fly recommendations. Keep checking back with us as we update the Snake River fly fishing report often.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone/Tailwater
Species
Snake River Cutthroat (Fine Spotted)
(Native)
Location
Northwestern Wyoming
Size:
Medium
Nearest Towns
Jackson Hole
Season
Year-round (Jackson Dam to
Palisades Reservoir)
Access:
Fair to Good
Special Regulations
Yes – See current regulations – 3
different sections
Non-Resident License
State of Wyoming
Weather
National Weather Service Link
USGS Real-Time Water Data:
Above Res. Near Alpine
At Moose
Above Jackson Lake
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing On The Snake River In Wyoming:
The Snake River headwaters are in the Southeastern Section of Yellowstone National Park. That section is covered under another Perfect Fly Stream Section. The Snake River in this section runs from Yellowstone National Park through Teton National Park to Jackson Lake and includes the tailwater section from the dam at Jackson Lake to the mouth of Palisades Reservoir. This covers 80 miles of the river. The river also runs through the Bridger Teton National Forest. Most all of this section of the Snake River flows through the most scenic section of the United States. In addition to the snow capped Teton Mountains, you will see wildlife along the river including moose, elk, deer and eagles. Fly fishing the Snake River offers many more rewards than just catching fish. The Snake River in this part of its long course is known for its fine dry-fly fishing. The Snake River Cutthroat are usually not all that selective and will take attractor flies very well. Imitations of large terrestrial insects are very popular and productive during the short season. The river holds plenty cutthroats between ten to sixteen inches, a few over that size and some as large as twenty inches. This river has braided channels, log jams, undercut banks and all types of cover that provide excellent holding places for the cutthroat.
Snake River Wyoming Fly Fishing Guide: The river from the Yellowstone Park line flows at a constant decline and meanders down to Jackson Lake. It hold lots of cutthroat trout. This river has a diverse selection of different types of water ranging from deep, long runs, wide flats, riffles, and undercut banks. It has a lot of cover in it including large rocks, tree tops and logs.The upper section of the river, between the Yellowstone Park and Lake Jackson, is a wide. It picks up the flow from the Lewis River just inside Yellowstone National Park and flows into Lake Jackson right along the Grand Teton National Park line. This section is mostly gravel bottom river with heavy willows along its bank. During the fall, brown trout move out of Lake Jackson into the river to spawn. Lake trout and cutthroat trout move into the river behind the browns. The section below Jackson Dam down to Pacific Creek, a distance of just over four miles, is very popular because it stays clear most of the year. It holds lots of Whitefish and even some Lake Trout in addition to its cutthroat trout. This section can be waded and fished from a drift boat. This is fairly smooth, slick water and the trout can become a little selective at times. Below the Pacific Creek confluence, the river is subject to being stained from the water of Pacific Creek after periods of heavy rains. The eleven mile section from the boat launch at Pacific Creek to Deadman’s Bar is quite different. You should first fish this section by boat with an experienced person. It can be difficult and even dangerous to navigate. The fishing is excellent.The eight mile long section from Deadman’s Bar to Moose can also be a little tricky to navigate. This section can be waded in several areas. It is also a popular and productive stretch of river to fish. From Moose down to Wilson Bridge, a distance of fourteen and a half miles, can also be difficult to float unless you are familiar with the river. It provides excellent fishing both by drift boat and from the banks in some locations. The thirteen mile long section of the river from Wilson Bridge down to highway 26/89 bridge (South Park) is another stretch of water that is popular with the locals. The eleven mile stretch of river from the South Park takeout down to Astoria Springs flows through a canyon. The Hoback River joins the Snake just about Astoria Springs. The last section of the Snake in Wyoming, approximately twenty miles long, runs from Astoria Springs down to Palisades Lake. It drops at a very steep decline. Rapids are common and this part of the river is white water heaven. You can fish the upper parts from the banks in some areas, but fishing from a boat should be out.
Snake River Wyoming Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Snake River of Wyoming and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. Hatches on this part of the Snake River are sporadic and not highly reliable. The diversity is quite large but only a few species provide high quantities of insects. Midges hatch throughout the year and are about as reliable as any of the aquatic insects. The Blue-winged Olives are about as reliable as any of the hatches. They hatch during the month of April and then again from about the first of September through the month of October. Most are baetis species that are bi-brooded. Little Black Stoneflies hatch during the month of April. April can provide some good fishing. It is prior to the runoff and hatches of these stoneflies and BWOs can provide some good action. Golden Stoneflies hatch from late August through the first two weeks of September. There are a few areas where Little Yellow Stoneflies exist in plentiful quantities. They usually hatch during the months of June and July. Often they are hatching during the spring runoff. Pale Morning Dun mayflies don’t hatch consistently throughout the length of the river but are present in many areas of moderate water in the river. They hatch from late August through the month of September. Where you find them, you will usually find them in good quantities and some good dry fly fishing is possible.Gray Drakes hatch in a few places of slow moving water. This hatch normally occurs during the runoff or during the month of June, but can last into July. Mahogany Duns hatch in September and early October. This hatch can provide some good dry fly action in certain areas of the river. From about the middle of August through the month of September, you will find some isolated hatches of Drake Mackerels. That’s a local name for a large Timpanogo hecuba mayfly that is similar to the Green Drakes. A large size Green Drake imitation will work for these mayflies. Caddisflies are very abundant on the Snake River. There are a few places where Little Black Caddis (brachycentrus species) exist. They hatch during late April and early May. This hatch doesn’t occur throughout the river, only in isolated places. The majority of the caddisflies start hatching in June during the runoff. The most important caddisflies are the Spotted Sedges. There are several species that hatch from June through the month of September. You will also find some isolated hatches of Little Short-horned Sedges. These caddisflies normally hatch in late June and July. October Caddis hatch from about the middle of September through the month of October. This hatch can provide some excellent fishing.The Snake River has plenty of baitfish, minnows and sculpins. Streamers that imitate these fish work well throughout the season. The terrestrial season usually runs from about the middle of June through the month of September. Imitations of ants, beetles and grasshopper work during this period of time. Grasshopper imitations are very popular on the Snake.If you haven’t done so already, please give our “Perfect Flies” a try. They are the most imitative of the naturals of any flies that can be purchased. They are also the most effective and fooling trout. Our sandwich grasshopper imitations have proven very effective on this river.