Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/9307
CHEERS FOR THE CAST A FLY FISHER’S PARADISE AWAITS JUST MINUTES OUTSIDE OF TOWN By Ron Cordes and Buck Goodrich Are you looking for that unique fishing adventure where the quality of the angling experience is your concern? Do you want magnificent scenery, an incredible diver- sity of waters, and the opportunity to walk in the path of anglers who have defined the sport? If so, then your journey starts right here on the banks of the Snake. From here you will be able to venture out to explore the incredible waters of southeast Idaho, northwestern Wyoming, and southwestern Montana, all within a two-hour drive. There simply is no other region of the country that can boast the combination of such diversity, such high quality and such unique fly-fishing experiences. 36 IDAHO FALLS VISITORS GUIDE 2010 Just minutes from Idaho Falls are the two branches of the Snake River, the South Fork and the Henry’s Fork, each an outstanding fishery in its own right. The South Fork, flowing out of the Palisades Reservoir, is famous for its float trips and some of the finest cutthroat trout fishing in the world. Travel through the Canyon section and remote forested stretches frequented by both Bald and Golden eagles. Present your fly along the banks for browns and cutthroats. Stop and work the riffles for rainbows. History abounds on this river. Legend has it that somewhere on the banks of the South Fork is the lost gold of bank robbers of the Old West. North of Idaho Falls is the Henry’s Fork of the Snake, which some locals refer to as the North Fork. It was on the banks of the Henry’s Fork that Swisher and Richards researched and wrote their famous work, Selective Trout. Famed for its Green Drake hatch, anglers from literally all over the world travel there to fish the Box Canyon with its deep, powerful waters that eventu- ally lead to the smooth, tranquil waters of the Harriman Ranch, now a state park. Lying in a 38-mile-wide caldera, the upper Henry’s Fork has been Mecca for fly fishers worldwide. The Henry’s Fork of the Snake and the South Fork of the Snake merge north of Idaho Falls to form the Snake River proper, which then flows through Idaho Falls heading south, then west. A popular fish- ing area is just below the Gem Lake dam, five miles south of town. ACTIVITIES