Floated from byington to lorenzo again today. Fishing was slower than normal. We used rapalas again and there did not seem to be a hot one. We probable boated around 20 fish between the three of us. I could not hook a fish to [#ff0000]edited[/#ff0000] today missed a lot and had a lot follow my rapala to the boat. I will try again next weekend.[
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Jim[fishin]
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Going to have to change your name to South Fork Jim. I think the slower fishing is just a result of that section of the SF being hit by 10 or drift boats a day for weeks. I think you did well considering the fact that they have been seeing every Rapala under the sun.
Windriver
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South fork Jim has a nice ring to it. I love fishing the south fork it is my favorite place to fish.. The water levels have been fluctuating a little so I think that might have something to do with the slower fishing also.
Jim.
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Be extra careful floating the South Fork. A boat flipped over at the Lorenzo Bridge on Saturday (just as it started pouring in the evening). Two of the fisherman were fine, but one of them was swept downstream and drowned.
Sad to hear news like this, especially since Lorenzo is one of my favorite fishing spots. Always wear a life jacket
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If the South Fork is everyones favorite place and you guys have problems or concerns with the number of folks floating the river and fishing (crowds) you all must have missed the public meeting in Idaho Falls a couple weeks back by the Idaho Outfitters and Guide Board on the issue of guides and possible increased boats on the river and impacts of the public. Very interesting meeting and the public testimony was very very interesting. Not sure the OGLB actually heard what the public had to say. Geared one way, to the outfitters and not the public from what I saw and heard.
Here's the web link to the OGLB and what the proposals are: [url "http://oglb.idaho.gov/docforreview.htm"]http://oglb.idaho.gov/docforreview.htm[/url]
Look at the info in the review documents for both the Teton and South Fork rivers.
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Thanks for the info duksnfish. I feel that with the number of guides going down the river every day, the number of fish is really shrinking.
I was talking to a guy who has been fishing the S.F. his whole life. He said, "Never has the fishing been so bad. Hardly any fish at all compared to years past."
If the licensing board is considering a restriction on outfitters, there must be a serious issue of over-fishing going on.
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I know right where they had problems that is a really nasty spot right under the bridge. Going under twin bridges is even worse. I don't know about the fishing being a lot slower than in the years past we have had a lot of really really good days so far this year.
Jim[fishin]
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The studies still show a huge number of fish per mile. I just think that the large number of people whether they are guides or not tend to put the fish down after awhile.
I would be in favor of limiting the number of boats on certain sections of the South Fork. I know they play a huge part in the economies of several communities so I understand the drive to get as many clients as possible, but there is a threshhold where the number of people takes away from the experience. Just like any other popular spot you have to leave a little ahead of the pack or come in a little later etc...
It may come down to a lottery system on the weekends.
Windriver
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I know my buddies and I generally avoid the weekends for those very reasons and float almost exclusively on weekdays if we can. That applies to most waters, Ririe, Henry's Fork, South Fork and others.
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yes it is dangerous and a man did drown. pay attention to what you are headed into on that river you can get into a nast situation really quick if you dont pay attention.
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Poor guy. I watched one of the guys standing out in the middle of the river, just below the bridge. The boat was flipped and was stuck on a sand bar. The stuck boat allowed the guy to stand up in waist high water in the middle of the river! Lucky for him, that water was still moving fast and could have swept him down too.
The other fisherman wasn't so lucky. 3 life-vests, and no one was wearing one at the time.
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