The Boise River is one of America’s great urban fly fishing destinations. Abundantly stocked and easily accessible, it’s an equally popular destination among experienced anglers and fly fishing beginners.
Formed by the confluence of its North, South and Middle Forks, the Boise River originates in the Sawtooth Mountains. The upper forks—especially the South Fork of the Boise—are excellent trout streams in their own right. The rivers converge into Arrowrock Reservoir and Lucky Peak Reservoir, and the main stem of the Boise River begins at the foot of the latter’s dam before flowing right through the heart of Boise.
Trout Populations
The Boise River offers both wild trout and stocked trout. The urban section is a coldwater stream thanks to the outflow from the Lucky Peak Dam. The tailwater is cold enough to support trout year-round. Wild, naturally reproducing brown and rainbow trout call this section home, along with a limited population of native redband trout.
The IDFG also stocks about 50,000 hatchery catchable trout in the lower Boise River annually. These “stockers” are triploid trout, meaning they are sterile and cannot interbreed with the wild native trout. Steelhead are also stocked in the river, and they return every year to spawn in summer and fall
Seasons and Fly Selection
The Boise River is a nymphing river first and foremost. That’s not to say anglers can’t have success with dry flies when there’s a hatch going, but for most anglers, most of the time, most of the fish are caught using nymphs. Top patterns include Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, Hare’s Ears and other Attractor-style nymphs. Sizes #16 to #20 are generally effective.
Streamer fishing is also popular on the Boise River, especially during spring and fall when trout are most active and aggressive. Streamers are particularly effective at targeting the river’s large brown trout, and it’s possible to tangle with fish over 20 inches on big, chunky streamers. Wooly Buggers, Clouser Minnows and Zonkers are effective streamer patterns; try targeting structure like logs, large boulders and undercut banks.
Terrestrials including Beetles and Hopper patterns can be effective in summer. In fall, when both brown trout and whitefish spawn in the Boise River, try egg patterns in pink and orange. In winter, midges make up a large part of the trout diet, so focus on midge larvae patterns. Brassies, Blood Midges, WD-40s and Zebra Midges do the trick.
Boise River Insect Hatches
Although the South Fork and other tributaries of the Boise River offer abundant insect hatches throughout the year, hatches on the lower river in and around the city of Boise tend to be sparse and sporadic. That’s not to say you can’t run into a good hatch and catch trout by matching it, just that you shouldn’t count on it.
Blue Winged Olives are the most common mayfly species, and they can appear any time between November and June. Pale Morning Duns are possible in summer but are less common. Several caddisfly species, most notably Spotted Sedges, are available in summer and fall, but none are abundant.
Midges are the most important and consistent hatch on the Boise River. They are available in larvae, pupae and adult form in almost any season, and flies that imitate them can connect when seemingly nothing else does.
Accessing the Boise River
The Boise River Greenbelt stretches 25 miles along the banks of the Boise River through the heart of Boise, providing a tremendous abundance of easy public access. The greenbelt passes through about a dozen riverfront parks, many of which are also great places to get on the water. Some of the top fishing spots on the Boise River include:
- Barber Park – Rafting is a major attraction at this park in Southeast Boise, which is also popular among local fly fishers. The Boise River flows over a low head dam at the upriver end of the park, continuously oxygenating the water and creating prime conditions for trout as the water continues over a series of shelves and riffles below the dam.
- Ann Morrison Park – A sprawling park with ample river access, Ann Morrison Park is also a popular spot to get to the water. The best fishing is at the downstream end of the park, where the river goes over a low head dam before flowing under the Americana Blvd. Bridge.
- Boise Whitewater Park – With a water feature designed for river “surfing,” this spot west of Downton offers excellent fishing access as well. The Boise River Greenbelt crisscrosses the river and provides access to some productive pools and riffles from the Whitewater access down to Veterans Memorial Bridge.
- Fish Park / Glenwood Bridge – This park on the west side of Boise is known for producing trout in good numbers, and is a regular stocking site. The river is mostly a long continuous run in this area, with quite a bit of rock and timber providing cover.
- Eagle Island – A little further west of Boise, the Boise River splits into two channels, and both can be accessed through Eagle Island State Park. A state fish hatchery is located just outside the park, and several stocked ponds are also open to anglers.
Boise River Fishing Guides
Several experienced local guide services offer fly fishing trips on the “In Town” section of the Boise River as well as other area streams like the South Fork of the Boise and the Owyhee River. Some of the top Boise River fly fishing guides include: