Spent some time on Valley the past two days. Water temps are fine at the moment with the cooler weather but flows are low and clear. Another few days of hot weather will warm the stream quickly so please keep an eye on the water temp if you plan on going here in the near future. Yesterday I was only able to fish for about an hour but in that time I landed 6 brownies ranging in size from 6-15". Two took a #18 foam ant and the rest took a #16 wet ant. Today I had a bit more time but fishing was slower (funny how that works!). Brought 4 to hand, 2 on the wet ant and 2 on a BHHE. Largest today was 12". Saw a huge water snake today as well, fortunately not with a trout in its mouth ;)

If there was a "Class A" for water snake populations, Valley would hold that designation too.

Nice report, I've been fishing Valley a lot this year and the best I've caught was 11". 15" is a real nice fish from there.

I haven't been to Valley in about 6 weeks due to my schedule but I can't wait to find time to get back there. A nice guy, who will remain nameless, turned me back on to it about this time last year. I have had a blast fishing it this past year. Thanks nameless guy!

I'm sure there are plenty of water snakes too. But what I've seen on Valley aren't water snakes, they're queen snakes.

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We'll call it a Class A Water/Queen mix then!

The "tree snakes" are probably Queens though.

yeah, they are. All the one's I've seen in the water are too, and I've seen quite a few there. Great swimmers.

That said, normal water snakes are virtually everywhere, so I have to believe there are a few of them around too.

I definitely think I've seen some green snakes there now that I looked up a picture of them. Fox..I still haven't had a chance to fish that section you told me about. We should try to get out when I get back from my trip to Yellowstone. I need to give those greenie weenies you gave me a whirl there.

Green or queen?

Green snakes are hard to misidentify. They're bright freakin green!

I was recenly on Valley and saw a snake in the water that was at least 30 inches (possibly more). It was not a green snake. Looked like a northern water snake.

98 degrees and wild Browns were hit'n ants on the top today.

Andy,

Did you check the water temperature? Thinking of fishing it tomorrow, but will pass if the water is too warm.

I did not temp the water today and was given mixed signals from the folks at a local fly shop. I heard it never will get above 65 while a patron said it was at 70 already and rising. It was noon and 98 today and the correct drift yielded action. Wet the hands and get em back fast but the negative worry about temp does not matter that much OB Valley Creek. IMO

Valley does warm up in the summer. The air temp is in the 90's and has been close to 100* in the area right now, and the water is very low (<20cfs). Even when it rains, the runoff from the hard surfaces (the nearby highways, parking lots, and roofs) inject hot water right into the stream. Those fish are tough, but please don't make it tougher on them by fishing for them. Give them a break.

Afish,

I agree, but there still hasn't been a temperature reported. USGS gauge doesn't measure temperature on Valley. I'm leaving to go up there shortly. I'll take the damn temperature and won't fish if it's too high. By the way, Valley was at 17 CFS at 5:30 this morning. Very low.