Post by: jackelope on May 30, 2022, 06:09:07 PM
Also I’m looking for interested parties for a 3 day weekend trip over there if anyone is interested.
Post by: simondude on May 30, 2022, 06:15:50 PM
Post by: X-Force on May 30, 2022, 06:16:50 PM
Post by: cem3434 on May 30, 2022, 07:38:29 PM
Post by: jackelope on May 30, 2022, 07:52:06 PM
What are you looking to know? My cousin lives in St. Maries and fishers the Joe pretty regularly. Shoot me a PM and I'll see what he is willing to offer up to an "apple maggot ". :chuckle:
Really just looking for a decent starting point with some campsites. I assume there’s a ton of campsites. Part of the problem is that there’s so much access and so many places to start. I feel less than confident about throwing a dart at a map. I’ll shoot you a pm. See if your bro is willing to share anything with a dirtbag like me.
Post by: jackelope on May 30, 2022, 07:52:33 PM
Post by: finnman on May 31, 2022, 11:16:37 PM
We camped in 2019 at Conrad crossing campground on the lower camp on the river. Awesome spot to camp right on the river. Upstream is a spot called Gold Creek, nice as well, more open on a nice bend in the river. I fished there and caught cutthroats up to 13”. Beautiful trout. If your a rock hound the river is laced with all kinds of cool geologic rock. I took a few home for my garden!
I would love to go back and explore more of the area….
Post by: huntnnw on June 01, 2022, 01:31:21 AM
Post by: MR5x5 on June 01, 2022, 06:50:07 AM
Post by: huntnnw on June 01, 2022, 06:56:47 AM
Post by: D-Rock425 on June 01, 2022, 07:14:07 AM
Post by: Jpmiller on June 01, 2022, 09:06:28 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 01, 2022, 10:12:56 AM
Post by: jackelope on June 01, 2022, 10:16:17 AM
I appreciate all of your insights and advice.
Post by: 7mmfan on June 01, 2022, 10:23:04 AM
Big, fluffy dry fly on top with a bead head pheasant tail nymph 12"-18" below on a dropper :tup:
This should pretty much handle it. Maybe a lightening bug in place of the PT if there are lots of caddis around. By mid July there should be stoneflies around so big and fluffy gets it done. Plus they're mostly cutthroat so they'll usually hit anything up to and including chicken bones.
Post by: Jpmiller on June 01, 2022, 11:05:17 AM
Big, fluffy dry fly on top with a bead head pheasant tail nymph 12"-18" below on a dropper :tup:
This should pretty much handle it. Maybe a lightening bug in place of the PT if there are lots of caddis around. By mid July there should be stoneflies around so big and fluffy gets it done. Plus they're mostly cutthroat so they'll usually hit anything up to and including chicken bones.
Always sure my dad didn't know what he was talking about I never went with the flys he told me. At the end of the day, he my mom and I would all have had about the same luck using whatever we tied on. As I got older I decided fly type was less important, especially there. Can't tell you how many times some old guy would wade or walk past, ask what I was using and tell me that was completely wrong for the river/time of year/temperature and I'd still be doing pretty well with it.
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 01, 2022, 12:58:46 PM
Mountain Cutthroats will hit anything that looks like food if you present it correctly. :tup:Big, fluffy dry fly on top with a bead head pheasant tail nymph 12"-18" below on a dropper :tup:
This should pretty much handle it. Maybe a lightening bug in place of the PT if there are lots of caddis around. By mid July there should be stoneflies around so big and fluffy gets it done. Plus they're mostly cutthroat so they'll usually hit anything up to and including chicken bones.
Always sure my dad didn't know what he was talking about I never went with the flys he told me. At the end of the day, he my mom and I would all have had about the same luck using whatever we tied on. As I got older I decided fly type was less important, especially there. Can't tell you how many times some old guy would wade or walk past, ask what I was using and tell me that was completely wrong for the river/time of year/temperature and I'd still be doing pretty well with it.
Post by: 7mmfan on June 01, 2022, 01:17:04 PM
Mountain Cutthroats will hit anything that looks like food if you present it correctly. :tup:Big, fluffy dry fly on top with a bead head pheasant tail nymph 12"-18" below on a dropper :tup:
This should pretty much handle it. Maybe a lightening bug in place of the PT if there are lots of caddis around. By mid July there should be stoneflies around so big and fluffy gets it done. Plus they're mostly cutthroat so they'll usually hit anything up to and including chicken bones.
Always sure my dad didn't know what he was talking about I never went with the flys he told me. At the end of the day, he my mom and I would all have had about the same luck using whatever we tied on. As I got older I decided fly type was less important, especially there. Can't tell you how many times some old guy would wade or walk past, ask what I was using and tell me that was completely wrong for the river/time of year/temperature and I'd still be doing pretty well with it.
And a lot of things that don't look like food, but might become food if they can just hold onto it long enough.
Post by: Seabass on June 03, 2022, 10:59:33 AM
Post by: TeacherMan on June 09, 2022, 06:21:30 PM
Post by: Naches Sportsman on June 10, 2022, 06:33:35 AM
Post by: bmc02 on July 06, 2022, 08:23:04 AM
Post by: MR5x5 on July 06, 2022, 09:37:31 AM
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=12414500
Post by: luvmystang67 on July 06, 2022, 10:19:07 AM
The only time I've actually fished it was with my wife, and her favorite time to fish is around high noon. I saw a lot of fish, they saw a lot of my flies, but they kept on swimming as it was not their lunchtime.
One fun note, there are fish in the mountain lakes WAY back in there as well if you felt like a driving adventure. I happen to know for a fact that there are grayling in Steamboat lake...(Unit 9) I caught one!
Post by: bmc02 on July 06, 2022, 11:20:06 AM
From about 10 miles downstream of Avery and upriver are some pretty nice scenic pools to fish in the late summer. Certainly there are the campsites along the river, that do get busy with campers, however don't forget that you're surrounded by national forest and timberland. Virtually any of the roads up the river lead to dispersed camping spots that might be 5-10 miles up the road. The further downriver you are the more is private timberland and you technically need a $75 potlatch deltic camping permit for most of that, but once you hit about Fishhook Creek its checkerboard to mostly national forest land and you can camp at any wide spot in the road. Fishhook Creek, Kelly Creek, Prospector Creek, Bluff Creek and further up all have dispersed national forest camping once you get up the road a bit, IF the riverside camp spots are full.
The only time I've actually fished it was with my wife, and her favorite time to fish is around high noon. I saw a lot of fish, they saw a lot of my flies, but they kept on swimming as it was not their lunchtime.
One fun note, there are fish in the mountain lakes WAY back in there as well if you felt like a driving adventure. I happen to know for a fact that there are grayling in Steamboat lake...(Unit 9) I caught one!
good info, thanks! this trip is with wife and kids so will probably stick closer to the road campgrounds to keep it simple, but there is definitely a lot of area to explore.
Post by: TeacherMan on July 10, 2022, 10:17:50 PM
Post by: CJ1962 on July 11, 2022, 09:17:20 AM
Since it's a family trip, Huckleberry Campground above Calder might be a good place to use as a base camp.
Post by: TeacherMan on July 11, 2022, 10:04:42 AM
Some friends and I share a lease on the river below Calder. We were over there on the 4th of July weekend, but didn't fish. Talked to several drift boats as they floated by and all said they were doing good. Drove up to Avery one day and chatted with the owner of Idaho Fly Fishing Company. He said it was a little high right now, but was getting close to perfect walking water. Seemed like a good guy, you might want to stop in there and see what the latest intel is.
Since it's a family trip, Huckleberry Campground above Calder might be a good place to use as a base camp.
I always fish up above Avery, this time of year weekly lol. Let’s me check my trail cams too. I like to go all the way up to Red Ives. The camping up there is great and once you get above Avery the people disappear. Fly ship in town is pretty good too, best part is the ice cream lol… I’d recommend driving over the top to St. Regis and eating there sometime. Best huckleberry shake in the world, well that’s what the sign says anyway :chuckle:
Post by: CJ1962 on July 11, 2022, 11:37:40 AM
Some friends and I share a lease on the river below Calder. We were over there on the 4th of July weekend, but didn't fish. Talked to several drift boats as they floated by and all said they were doing good. Drove up to Avery one day and chatted with the owner of Idaho Fly Fishing Company. He said it was a little high right now, but was getting close to perfect walking water. Seemed like a good guy, you might want to stop in there and see what the latest intel is.
Since it's a family trip, Huckleberry Campground above Calder might be a good place to use as a base camp.
I always fish up above Avery, this time of year weekly lol. Let’s me check my trail cams too. I like to go all the way up to Red Ives. The camping up there is great and once you get above Avery the people disappear. Fly ship in town is pretty good too, best part is the ice cream lol… I’d recommend driving over the top to St. Regis and eating there sometime. Best huckleberry shake in the world, well that’s what the sign says anyway :chuckle:
The huckleberry milkshake in the Avery fly shop was pretty darn good. :)
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 02:27:18 PM
Takeaways...cutthroats aren't as easy to get to eat on top as I thought they'd be. I can cast pretty well and can present a dry pretty consistently the way you're supposed to and Tuesday was a tough day to get them to eat on top. It was not a tough day to get them to eat underneath though, and I found them to be particularly fond of a size 6 Sculpzilla. This is how I caught all of the bigger fish I landed. Didn't fish anywhere below Spruce Tree but will definitely be back and I'd like to fish more of the river. There is a ton of great looking water there.
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 02:36:07 PM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/f9e1a322ab793f3c4f2a31904e19746f.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/86de13e0566862cc631756fa13117eaa.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/f46973bae9fc9fb33824d1e4940f83c3.jpg)
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 02:37:50 PM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/94b4ed72a903cd415f91f3ddc912418d.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/722c71d3039f2b5e222b61c5580ac5b5.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/0afbe79400870b3e834ea2de7d559121.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230713/29930fa364ac0f9f258bc2e3836964af.jpg)
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 02:46:01 PM
Post by: Woodchuck on July 13, 2023, 03:04:27 PM
Post by: Jake Dogfish on July 13, 2023, 03:29:42 PM
Looks like someone from Poulsbo followed you over.
Post by: Timberstalker on July 13, 2023, 06:16:28 PM
Post by: Clearcut on July 13, 2023, 06:57:26 PM
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 07:52:43 PM
Ahhh.. some good pizza there!
So good!
Post by: jackelope on July 13, 2023, 07:53:21 PM
Awesome trip no doubt. Thanks for sharing, Jack!
I thought you were there when I saw this in our campground.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230714/68cbf840ecdfcbdb9895522299944ff9.jpg)
Post by: Timberstalker on July 13, 2023, 07:58:42 PM
Post by: Alchase on July 13, 2023, 08:44:25 PM
Thanks for sharing :tup:
Post by: Henrydog on July 14, 2023, 05:15:57 AM
Post by: birdshooter1189 on July 14, 2023, 06:12:35 AM
Post by: Jpmiller on July 14, 2023, 06:30:31 AM
Post by: Machias on July 14, 2023, 08:53:46 AM
Post by: kellama2001 on July 14, 2023, 09:12:03 AM
Post by: jackelope on July 14, 2023, 10:28:51 AM
Spruce Tree is a good campground and gives you access to the best water. Lots of traffic now a days up there but you were in the best water. Down by Avery you have to have a raft to fish it properly fish it and from the turn up to Red Ives is pretty flat water that gets pounded all summer.
It's almost like people don't realize the other side of the river thing in that section. A raft would open up a whole different opportunity in that section. I'm daydreaming of backpacking upriver and staying in for a few days of true backcountry fishing. Maybe there's less moose up there too :yike:
Post by: whacker1 on July 14, 2023, 10:49:31 AM
Post by: Henrydog on July 14, 2023, 10:50:57 AM
[/quote
I've fished up that trail for 35 years....there is always....always a moose at the Garnet mine and most of the time a moose a the 2nd creek about .75 miles from the trail head.
Post by: jackelope on July 14, 2023, 11:35:53 AM
. Maybe there's less moose up there too :yike:
[/quote
I've fished up that trail for 35 years....there is always....always a moose at the Garnet mine and most of the time a moose a the 2nd creek about .75 miles from the trail head.
That's right about where they were. 3 different cows, one had a calf and those 2 were in the river. One was in the pond along the trail and the other was on the river bank. I think I posted a pic of that one.
Post by: Jpmiller on July 14, 2023, 03:31:28 PM
Post by: kellama2001 on July 14, 2023, 04:03:05 PM
So I've gone back and forth on that Subaru with the cut paint job, cool or no? I originally thought it was stupid, but then decided I really like it. Now I'm not sure what to think.
I think its super cool 8)
Post by: metlhead on July 14, 2023, 04:09:38 PM
Post by: jackelope on July 14, 2023, 09:22:00 PM
A brightly colored Subaru will get mixed opinions in the NW. Me, way not coolWhy not cool? Please expand. That dude spent at least 3 days up the trail backpacked or horse packed into some of the coolest country north Idaho has to offer. Nevermind that he came all the way from Seattle to do it.
Post by: luvmystang67 on July 17, 2023, 01:17:28 PM
I hiked into St Joe lake 3 weeks ago now and caught a nice cut on a hare's ear. Came in from the Montana/Idaho border. I love that area, not many people around! Thanks for the photos.
Post by: Mtnwalker on July 17, 2023, 01:30:39 PM
A brightly colored Subaru will get mixed opinions in the NW. Me, way not coolWhy not cool? Please expand. That dude spent at least 3 days up the trail backpacked or horse packed into some of the coolest country north Idaho has to offer. Nevermind that he came all the way from Seattle to do it.
This really requires explanation? :chuckle: to each their own I guess.
Post by: metlhead on July 17, 2023, 02:38:33 PM
Post by: Naches Sportsman on August 07, 2023, 09:28:34 PM
Post by: CJ1962 on August 07, 2023, 10:16:14 PM
Post by: jackelope on August 09, 2023, 05:53:10 PM
Heading over Wednesday. Camping at our lease below Calder. Hoping to get further above Avery, then in the past. Not sure if we will go as high as Spruce Tree though. But great pics and now I'm contemplating it :)
Sent you a pm. You might be better off staying closer to Avery.
Post by: TeacherMan on August 09, 2023, 07:44:11 PM