South Fork of the Snake

Arguably the most productive tailwater fishery in the State of Idaho, the river is loaded with Rainbows, Browns, Cutthroat Trout and Rocky Mountain Whitefish, but the river is managed to protect the native Yellowstone Cutthroat population.  

By volume, the South Fork is a big river, about 10 times the size of the Henry’s Fork. Because of its size, it is mostly a boating river. The South Fork is divided into 5 float sections. The upper stretch, below Palisades Reservoir, the upper canyon, the lower canyon, the valley section, and the Highway 20 Bridge to the confluence with the Henry’s Fork. 

The water types are not as diverse as the Henry’s Fork. There are nice runs, riffles, and channels but there is no whitewater. The aquatic insect population is excellent, with good hatches of stoneflies, caddisflies, and mayflies. The trout population is high, and they grow fast. Because of its productivity, and its proximity to Jackson, WY and Idaho Falls, it gets lots of traffic. Bank fishing can be very productive by casting attractors under the bushes that line the river. Wade fishing can be very good in the side channels, but you need a boat to access most of them. The trout aren’t everywhere but our guides know the water, where to find the fish, and how to catch them, even if the river is crowded. 

One of the downsides to the South Fork is it requires a little more travel time to get to the river. Depending on the section, the drive from our shop to the South Fork is an hour to an hour and a half one way but the driver is usually worth it.