Excited to have the back cover in the current issue of American Angler. Perfect timing as the Brown Drake thing just ended...
Brown Drakes smother a wooden fence post on Silver Creek, Idaho.
Silver Creek
Brown Drakes did not happen last night, but, as always, it was a great time waiting, watching and hoping... Silver Creek, Idaho.
English Setter extraordinaire, Boone, takes on brown drake watch duty.
Picabo, Idaho
So far, the Brown Drake hatch has been extremely moderate to say the least. A few bugs here and there with 10 minute spurts of smoldering spinner falls. I have not yet seen the grassy banks loaded with Drakes. Hopefully that is all in front of us... In the end though, it's all an excuse to be on Silver Creek during the magic hour when the warm light is perfect and all kinds of different birds are calling singing their choir and the wild iris is hit with the end-of-the-day warm light and you know, even though you are likely tired, there's no better place to be on an early summer evening.
The images below were taken last night, May 31st.
Picabo, Idaho
Silver Creek & Riser
Zac Mayhew waits for a riser and an emergence.
Guide Zac Mayhew getting ready to move on to another spot on Silver Creek.
Riser and fisherman.
Night Heron
Silver Creek Brown Drakes
Brown Drakes, the Grandaddy of Silver Creek mayflies, have started...
This Brown Drake dun was likely obliterated in the hail storm that occurred roughly two hours after I took this shot. It's game on though...
Brown Drake Nymphs
I seiened a few silty areas near gravel on Silver Creek recently looking for Brown Drake nymphs. Here's what I found:
Brown Drake Nymphs. Ephemera Simulans. Silver Creek.
Silver Creek Brown Drakes
Below is a two page image in the new Spring issue of Fly Rod & Reel of John Huber fishing a prolific Brown Drake spinner fall on Idaho's Silver Creek. This was the heaviest spinner fall I saw last year.
Fly Rod & Reel Spring 2015. John Huber on Idaho's Silver Creek.
Silver Creek Brown Drakes V
Brown Drake Spinners
Spinner Fall From Heaven. Brown Drakes. Silver Creek, Idaho.
Brown Drake Spinner Fall
Last night's Brown Drake spinner fall was a spectacle. We usually have one super heavy night and last night was it.
John Huber searches for a riser in the midst of a crazy Brown Drake spinner fall.
Waning light and spinner fall madness. Ray Gadd.
From dun to spinner. A Brown Drake sheds a layer.
Spinners
Guide hat and Drakes.
Brown Drake Spinner.
Silver Creek Brown Drakes IV
Here are a few more images from the last few evenings on Silver Creek...
Nick Anderson finds a target during a decent post 9 pm emergence.
John Huber and an after dark Brown.
Silver Creek Brown Drakes III
The Drake thing this year in addition to coming off early is creeping upstream at a snails pace. There was a small emergence and spinner fall late this morning as we had a little cloud cover. Hopefully tonight is a good as last night...
Brown Drake & Negative Space. Silver Creek, Idaho.
Brown Drake. Silver Creek, Idaho. There were not many bugs in the grass this morning but I did find a few including this one.
Silver Creek Brown Drakes
The Brown Drakes on Silver Creek started two nights ago. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be on Silver Creek. Expect to have about 5 more good nights with tonight and tomorrow night likely to have the most prolific bugs...
Bent Rod, Brown Drakes and Silver Creek.