GEAR UP FOR 2012 FISHING SEASON

Happy New Year to all our valued guests and guests-to-be!  The Lodge at Palisades Creek wants to make your New Year’s fishing shopping as simple as possible.  There are two easy ways we offer shopping for upcoming season’s gear at your fingertips. First, on our website, www.tlapc.com, our online Orvis tab opens the door to everything from flies to waders to rods to integral clothing.  Endorsed by the premier fishing company, The Lodge has access to the latest and greatest Orvis flyfishing gear on earth.  One click and one-stop shopping!  The Lodge has also teamed with Pro-Guide Direct to offer gear at discount prices which you may not find on our Orvis site.  Follow the Pro-Guide Direct tab on homepage and preview new gear which will surely enrich your 2012 fishing or hunting season.  And remember, Pro-Guide offers discounts and shipping with the click of a mouse and can tailor your trip down to tippet size!   Either option will save you time and money and also helps the Lodge continue its legacy and reputation as the finest trout fishing destination in Idaho if not the entire rocky mountains.  The Lodge at Palisades Creek wants to see you equipped for the 2012 season.  The trout may not be as excited!!

LODGE THANKS ALL FOR A TERRIFIC YEAR

A gracious thanks goes out to all our esteemed flyfishing guests and partners from the staff of the Lodge at Palisades Creek. We could not have done it without you!  What started out as a dramatically slow season, turned out to be a terrific fishing year.  Being a month or so behind, the South Fork is still fishing unseasonally well.  Typical late-November flows at 2,000 cfs have been replacd with 3,500 levels this year and spawning browns have begun to reign the day. Egg patterns and streamers are fooling dressed up brownies as well as  rainbows and cutts positoned to capatalize on protien rich meals preceeding a long winter which has already hit the area with temps in the low teens.  Unfortunately, as every angler on the South Fork knows, every wonderful season comes to an end but ushers in fond thoughts of the next.

The Lodge at Palisades Creek is proud to be opening for the 2012 season on June 1st for public dining, guest reservations and flyfishing accomodations. Keep in mind that weather permitting, this date could be earlier.  To all that have not, please sign up for our latest newsletter and also take advantage of our discounted rates for June and July 2012, positoned  to be one of those stellar seasons which historically follows high water years! Our website has every bit of information you may need from concise reports to immediate booking information and is also undergoing many exciting updates so be sure to stay tuned!

SOUTH FORK ON FIRE

I would like to exclaim that pmd fishing is in full swing.  Water levels are at 8500 cfs, constant for three weeks, and pale morning dun hatches are the best they have been for weeks.  Don’t expect fish until 11:oo but once you see some pink pmds flying around you better think fish are looking for them.  By midday, many mayflies are bouncing about the riffles and slicks and if you dont think your properly presented pmd cripple or emerger will not get eaten, you are mistaken.  Many cutts, rainbows and even our brownies are wating for midday-to-late evening hatches of pmd’s and mahogony mayfies. Your 4-weight will be perfect!!   Keep in mind that this year is different. Fish are following hatches that normally occur in July and August. This fall, however, will be better than many summerswe have seen.  Cooler temps and later-than-normal hatches are bringing big South Fork fish to the net.   The Lodge is open through mid-October this year with bookings filling sheets daily.  Get in on this historic year, may not happen again like this for some time to come.  Stay tuned,  Chris

PMDs ARE HATCHING

Well friends, our most famous and wonderful hatch, the Pale Morning Dun, is going off!  I cannot speak for other guides, however, I will tell you that no less than 20 fish from 17-20 inches fell victim to both the dry and emerging pmd pattern.  All stretches are fishing well with munching trout in riffles, shallow drops and long flats.  It takes some searching, but once you see a rise form or head popping, your fly better be just upstream of it.  Pattern choice does not seem to matter either – YET!

Stay tuned,  Chris

Fishing on South Fork Picks Up!

We have climbed the mountain of high and off-color water and things are really looking up.  The river is steadily dropping and at 9000 cfs, offers anglers some of the best fishing in the area.  Although hatches of mayflies, the typical staple this time of year, have been sparse, fish are munching on a variety of offerings.  Stoneflies still are fooling trout as well as smaller nymphs from sallies to pheasant tails.  Those willing to throw streamers are grabbing fish as well.  Guides are coming home with more smiles than in previous weeks and if things shape up the way they are going, we ought to be seeing clear water and big trout in abundance soon.  This nice brownie fell prey to one of Chris Jensen’s secrets!  Nice fish.,  stay tuned

Well, notwithstanding the nymphing (as well as the strike indicator in picture) the South Fork is once again fishing!  Guides are filling score sheets on our latest shootout with the Gig Brummel Group annual derby.  Aside from great numbers of trout coming to the net, this last week saw no less than a dozen fish over 20 inches with a few topping 23!  The water is dropping and currently is at 15,000 c.f.s.  Dry flies are a mere mention away!!!!

Stay tuned,

Chris

South Fork Rises to Former Glory

Well anglers, it has been a long spring and early summer for that matter.  Make no mistake, the South Fork is fishing!  Today it is at 18,000, the drop-offs and riffles are emerging and the clarity is like none that we have seen to date this year.  I took a fun day today and was amazed at the 4 feet of visibility as well as the distinct bubbly drop-offs which held trout.  Now I will not say which ones I fished as the guides I do so respect would shoot me, but rest assured, they are there!!!!

Stay tuned,   Chris

South Fork Improving!

Howdy all!  Well I have to say that although water levels remain fluctuating, the fishing is definately improving.  Water clarity still seems to be the issue as the level, now at 23,000, is not a detriment to catching trout.  Guides are nymphing daily with rubber legs, worms and egg patterns.  The bugs are out in force though.  Golden stones are flying, salmon flies have been sporadic from the canyon through the upper, and  yellow sallies, caddis and some mayflies are out daily.  We are still not yet to our elegant dry fly fishing the South Fork is famous for, but make no mistake.  It is coming. For now, goin down is the remedy for catching good numbers of trout and whitefish every day.

Stay tuned,  Chris

The Lodge Adds Ririe Reservoir

One new addition to the Lodge at Palisades Creek’s outstanding fishing opportunities, is a permit to fish Ririe Reservoir.  This may be a fine option for spring high water years such as this one.  The smallmouth fishing here fast paced and great and is close.  Give the Lodge a phone call for more information on this exciting new permit.  Additonally, this action can be top water much like our summer big dry fishing.

On an aside, I fished the upper section of the South Fork today and it was suprisingly good.  Between a fine friend and I we boated 14 trout and countless whitefish.  Rubber legs and worms were the hot ticket.  We also spotted a couple stoneflies, there were hatches of sallies, caddis and some pmds as well.  The water is clearing slowly but surely.  We all hope the levels remain stable and the water continues to clear.

Stay Tuned,  Chris

River Rises with Heat

Howdy all!  The South Fork continues its rise with the temps in the 80′s recently.  Inflows into Palisades Lake are 30,000 cfs. and outflows are 17,000.  This will change in the upcoming days and we should see flows reaching 20,000.  It is always a good idea on years like this to call ahead and get an accurate report.  Although we should be fishing well right now, the water needs to clear.  Give the Lodge a call if you have plans or bookings in the first couple weeks of July.  We are optimistic but want to be realistic as well.

Stay Tuned!