henry's fork
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jabink84
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- Aug 21, 2011
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I live about 3 miles from it in rexburg idaho for about 8 months a year while attending college. Fish it at least once a week when there. would be more if i wasnt in love with all the other choices in the area. pm me and we can discuss details. I head back out in april and plan on staying there year round for the next few years till i graduate.
pcray1231
Well-known member
I spent 3 months there and fished it some. Certainly don't know as much as jabin, I'm sure.
I fished several places, but settled on the area where Warm River runs in as my favorite. It's farther down than the famous stretch. But there's a handful of pools, one just below the mouth and one above, where it's slow enough to do some decent wade fishing, and I did well. Stocked and wild bows, plus a handful of really nice browns. I never saw a rise all summer there, it was purely nymphing and streamers.
Another place I fished was below the Ashton reservoir. Size was noticably better, but I didn't catch all that many there. River was very fast in that area and wading was more difficult. To be sure, the fish were there. I wasn't a great fisherman then and the current just made it real tough for me.
And of course I fished the most famous stretch around Last Chance, Harriman State Park area. The river is certainly slower and more wadable, and that's the only place I fished where dry flies come into play at all. And the fish are big, like averaging 20 inches big. But crowds are much higher and the fish are tougher than either of the previous places mentioned. To be quite honest, I struck out on fly and dunked a few worms (I was in the transition from bait to fly at the time), and did VERY well on worms.
I fished several places, but settled on the area where Warm River runs in as my favorite. It's farther down than the famous stretch. But there's a handful of pools, one just below the mouth and one above, where it's slow enough to do some decent wade fishing, and I did well. Stocked and wild bows, plus a handful of really nice browns. I never saw a rise all summer there, it was purely nymphing and streamers.
Another place I fished was below the Ashton reservoir. Size was noticably better, but I didn't catch all that many there. River was very fast in that area and wading was more difficult. To be sure, the fish were there. I wasn't a great fisherman then and the current just made it real tough for me.
And of course I fished the most famous stretch around Last Chance, Harriman State Park area. The river is certainly slower and more wadable, and that's the only place I fished where dry flies come into play at all. And the fish are big, like averaging 20 inches big. But crowds are much higher and the fish are tougher than either of the previous places mentioned. To be quite honest, I struck out on fly and dunked a few worms (I was in the transition from bait to fly at the time), and did VERY well on worms.
pcray1231
Well-known member
🙂. It was on a fly rod, and let me tell you, I got some interest from others as I was the only guy catching anything. The infamous garden hackle.
Spot riser, wade into position, cast worm, catch fish. Repeat again and again and again.....
Spot riser, wade into position, cast worm, catch fish. Repeat again and again and again.....
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I fished the Harriman ranch one time - and wasn't very impressed with it. Very shallow and weedy.
Supposed to be some nice fish there, although I didn't catch any of them. Did get some small ones.
Supposed to be some nice fish there, although I didn't catch any of them. Did get some small ones.
Sylvaneous
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Really, I'd recommend other waters, having experience with several out there and having close friends that live, fish & work out there. First, i'd recommend the Big Horn. Next, I'd recommend the Missouri. They will give you Henry's fork -type conditions but you'll catch something! And it'll be big & beautiful & fight hard. Those rivers made me forget I ever wasted a lot of 2 vacations on the Henry's fork. Here's something: You'll see LOTS of HFO (henry's fork anglers) boats floating the madison. They vote with their feet, so to speak.
Syl
Syl
pete41
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Henrys Fork had a big draw as being the first really name stream coming up from The south and southwest-Fly fisherman worked it to death but locals knew it wasn't utopia-Pat and others mentioned further down the snake-bigger fish,more western.
pcray1231
Well-known member
well, I mentioned other parts of Henry's Fork, which IMO, were better fishing than the famous spots. At least if you want to actually catch decent numbers of fish. The problem with those other areas is that there's only a few spots were wade fishing is productive, best in a drift boat, and I didn't have a drift boat.
I agree if I had total choice other rivers would come first. I'd pick out a nice, mountainous area without all the hubub of fame. Gross Ventre Wilderness, Teton or Shoshone National Forests, or somewhere in central Idaho in the River of No Return area. And that's just Idaho/Wyoming, I don't know Montana all that well. Pick out a good looking random blue line you've never heard of, away from roads, with some interesting tribs here and there. Pack camping gear for a long hike. Spend a day hiking in, set up camp, do a lot of fishing, hike back out.
But in many cases it's merely a matter of time. I was based out of Idaho Falls for work reasons and, generally, taking day trips. Day trips suck if you gotta go several hours to get there and several more to get back. And thats real common in the west, there are good areas with lots of good fishing, but they may be hundreds of miles from any real civilization. So the only way you ever actually get to fish them is to devote a multi-day trip for the sole purpose of fishing. Nice when you can do that, but it's not like you can just decide to go fish for the evening after work. The good streams take planning. The famous ones are famous because they don't, they're closer to actual people, rather than being better fishing.
I agree if I had total choice other rivers would come first. I'd pick out a nice, mountainous area without all the hubub of fame. Gross Ventre Wilderness, Teton or Shoshone National Forests, or somewhere in central Idaho in the River of No Return area. And that's just Idaho/Wyoming, I don't know Montana all that well. Pick out a good looking random blue line you've never heard of, away from roads, with some interesting tribs here and there. Pack camping gear for a long hike. Spend a day hiking in, set up camp, do a lot of fishing, hike back out.
But in many cases it's merely a matter of time. I was based out of Idaho Falls for work reasons and, generally, taking day trips. Day trips suck if you gotta go several hours to get there and several more to get back. And thats real common in the west, there are good areas with lots of good fishing, but they may be hundreds of miles from any real civilization. So the only way you ever actually get to fish them is to devote a multi-day trip for the sole purpose of fishing. Nice when you can do that, but it's not like you can just decide to go fish for the evening after work. The good streams take planning. The famous ones are famous because they don't, they're closer to actual people, rather than being better fishing.
pcray1231
Well-known member
Again, distance.
Bozeman to Henry's Fork = 2 and a half hrs.
Bozeman to Silver Creek = 6 hrs, and you go by Henry's Fork on the way there.
I mean, don't get me wrong, all else being equal I'd probably choose Silver Creek too. But all else ISN'T equal. if I were going 6 hrs, neither Henry's Fork nor Silver Creek would likely be my destination. I'd probably be somewhere in the wilderness west of Salmon, or west of Missoula, or in the Flathead. Somewhere like that.
Bozeman to Henry's Fork = 2 and a half hrs.
Bozeman to Silver Creek = 6 hrs, and you go by Henry's Fork on the way there.
I mean, don't get me wrong, all else being equal I'd probably choose Silver Creek too. But all else ISN'T equal. if I were going 6 hrs, neither Henry's Fork nor Silver Creek would likely be my destination. I'd probably be somewhere in the wilderness west of Salmon, or west of Missoula, or in the Flathead. Somewhere like that.
jayL
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- Jan 2, 2007
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All of the above will be done. 🙂
Neil made friends with an outfitter on silver, which makes it attractive. I'll probably only do one trip to each of them. Henry's is near a lot of other options, so I may end there as a plan b pretty often.
This will be the summer of doing something new every weekend. The cream will rise to the top the following year.
Also planning a long weekend or two around the deschutes and metolius for various reasons, some of which being wild steelhead and large bull trout.
Neil made friends with an outfitter on silver, which makes it attractive. I'll probably only do one trip to each of them. Henry's is near a lot of other options, so I may end there as a plan b pretty often.
This will be the summer of doing something new every weekend. The cream will rise to the top the following year.
Also planning a long weekend or two around the deschutes and metolius for various reasons, some of which being wild steelhead and large bull trout.
jabink84
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- Aug 21, 2011
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jay we should meet up and do some fishing at some point. If I am not in class I am somewhere fishing for something. my roommates dont even ask where i am off too anymore. but seriously if your up for it, i would love to meet more people out there.
