The South Fork of the Snake River is a blue-ribbon trout fishery in Eastern Idaho below Palisades Reservoir. This area of the state had record snowpacks this winter, and the river is just entering its fishing prime.
My wife and I spend a lot of time in this area of the state and decided to take a three-day float trip down the South Fork Snake from Palisades Dam to Byington boat ramp above Heise.
My wife doesn’t like whitewater that much, so this float was a perfect compromise. I have a 16-foot cataraft that hasn’t been on the water for several years, so I pumped it up in the garage to make sure it still held air. It did.
Anybody who has camps knows that you take just as much gear on a three-day trip as a 10-day trip. The only difference is food. Our raft was loaded to the gills.
We planned on floating 40 miles. Most anglers do day trips from the dam down to the bridge below Swan Valley (about 12 miles) or from Conant Boat ramp down to Cottonwood boat ramp (another 14 or so miles).
The prettiest float is below Conant boat ramp through the canyon section. It is well away from the highway and pretty walled up.
All sections are extremely popular, especially with anglers. It is so popular, in fact, that there is talk of requiring float permits at least on busy weekends.
We floated after Labor Day and saw only one group that was camping. We did see many private and guided anglers on day trips.
The first 12 miles from Palisades Dam down to Spring Creek boat launch just upstream from the Swan Valley bridge is probably the most popular with anglers.
You float by the backyards of the mega rich whose McMansions line the river. It is scenic, but the river is like an irrigation canal — fast and straight.
Fall Creek falls just upstream from Swan Valley Bridge is beautiful. We stopped there for lunch.
If you plan on camping farther downstream, you have to pick up a self-issue permit at any of the boat ramps. Fairly detailed maps are also available, or you can pick on a boaters guide at the local forest service office just outside Idaho Falls.
You have to camp at one of the designated campsites once you are in the canyon section below the Swan Valley bridge. There are dozens of campsites, and when we were there we saw only one other group that was camping.
There are signs along the shoreline that delineate the campsites — for example a sign that says “PC1” stands for Pine Creek 1 campsite. Maps sure help in anticipating the campsites.
You are required to carry everything out, and I mean everything. So you need a groover (port-a-potty), fire pan and ash container. If you plan on a campfire, bring your own wood and firepan. The campsites are picked over.
We spent two nights in the canyon section and had the camping to ourselves.
The float itself is easy. The river gets a little braided in the canyon, but just pick the channel where most of the water is flowing and you’ll be all right. There are some snags here and there, but they are easy to avoid.
I’m not sure that I’d take a canoe loaded up for an overnight trip. There is only one set of waves right before Byington boat ramp near the end of the float, and those waves could swamp a heavily loaded canoe.
We stopped at the Byington boat ramp on the way up to check it out. It is on river left. You could miss it if you were not careful. I’m glad we stopped to look. It is about 1 mile below the Heise measuring cable.
I’d like to say that the fishing was so good that the river level went down 2 feet with all the fish we hauled out. I’d like to say that, but we didn’t see a single fish caught by anyone, not even the dozens of outfitted anglers who floated by.
I even stopped at one of the fancy fly shops on the way in to pick up a couple of recommended flies. I considered asking the fly shop owner for worms and marshmallows but I didn’t want to be assaulted.
We had much better luck fishing on some of the tributaries both above and below Palisades Reservoir.
Fall is a great time to fish, so be sure to get out before hunting season kicks in.
