South Fork, Snake River – Idaho

It’s not a stretch to say that a solid percentage of summer guests visiting Teton Springs Resort are here to pursue a particular passion – fly fishing. After all, Teton Springs Lodge & Spa, a premier eastern Idaho boutique condo hotel, is located in the region Idaho tourism officials aptly designate as Mountain-River Country.

Extraordinary fly fishing can certainly account for why so many visitors from all over the world are enthralled with this entire Yellowstone-Teton area. There are so many rivers of significance to cast a fly and feel confident your efforts will be rewarded. The most notable rivers within easy access to Teton Springs include the Teton, Henry’s Fork, Snake River (in Jackson, Wy), Teton and the perennial favorite, the South Fork of the Snake River.

Guests visiting the area for a fly-fishing getaway can choose the one- & two-bedroom suites in the hotel, or one of the luxurious three, four or five-bedroom custom homes that dot this Teton Springs landscape. The homes enjoy sweeping balconies with incredible views, thus creating the perfect spot for swapping fishing stories after a day on the river.

Because of demand, most fishing trips should be secured well in advance of arrival and the Teton Springs Lodge staff will assist in scheduling all fly-fishing excursions. Guides from WorldCast Anglers, located in Victor, Idaho, are the local experts, boasting an impressive arsenal of experienced guides.

WorldCast has partnered with Teton Springs for many years to enhance the angling experience for their guests and helped The Bronze Buffalo Sporting Club develop over multiple ponds and streams that are stocked with an impressive variety Cutthroat, Rainbow, Tiger and Brooke Trout.

WorldCast is also terrific with teaching the beginner how to find success on the Rocky’s best rivers and to inevitably turn fly fishing into a lifetime passion. Undoubtedly, the WorldCast team has a well-deserved reputation for speeding up the learning process for all levels of anglers.

The Southfork of the Snake River is usually next on the agenda as guests arrive dreaming of dry fly fishing and hooking into a trophy brown trout that this river is famous for. It’s a quick jaunt from Victor to this glorious and ever impressive waterway. The South Fork is a tail-water, meaning; it’s a fishery below a dam and in this case, the Palisades Dam. Above the damn you’ll find the beautiful Palisades Reservoir, a place for many to enjoy both in the Summer and Winter.

It’s the tail-water status that gives the South Fork its muscle as a world-class river for luring to the surface the big Browns, Rainbows and Cutthroats. Here’s why: its flows are regulated and interestingly enough, not for the benefit of us anglers, but for the thousands of farmers downstream who depend on the South Fork for their lifeblood, irrigation water.

The level of the river dictates the flow levels and water temperature and the temperature of the water dictates the level of hatches (bugs on the water) occurring at any given time. The hatches of course in turn determine ultimately just how happy the fishermen are.

The South Fork is also chuck full of riffles and can entertain anglers all day long while success on the banks usually equates to accomplished casting and a competent guide on the oars. Watch for well-defined foam lines, deep pools and structures; there’s plenty to go around on this river. Hatches can also be very fussy so you need all the appropriate bugs to enhance your chances; this isn’t a sport of luck. Now it’s time to divulge a few secrets. Your fly box marked “South Fork” should include the following (warning: this is only a partial list!): PMDs, BWOs, yellow sallies, caddis, baetis, stone flies, mayflies, ants, and spinners. If the bugs stop flying, the fish take a break from feeding. Now’s the time to sit back, relax and watch for the abundant wildlife known to roam the Southfork. You almost always see a moose munching grass on the banks, with an array of birds of prey including bald eagles, osprey and golden eagles peering at you from above.

Fly Fishing on South Fork Snake River

Feel like being pampered? While it’s challenging to leave the creature comforts of Teton Springs behind for even a night, a unique experience like the legendary South Fork Adventure is truly worth it. Spending the day fishing this prime water and spending the night in the “South Fork Hilton” takes a fishing and camping excursion to a whole new dimension! No, this is not exactly roughing it. Bon Appetit!

Call Today to Make a Reservation

208.480.1033

Lodge at Bronze Buffalo Ranch - Teton Springs

Hours of Operation
Days: Monday-Sunday
Hours: 7am - 11pm MST

Address
10 Warm Creek Ln
Victor, ID 83455