I am going to say that the studies show that the big Cutts are not meat eaters which could explain why I do much better on the smaller flies and maybe why the Rapala’s didn’t do much.
I am told that Scuds/Sowbugs are a big anytime meal up there.
Hey Joni,
Thanks for the input. I’ve seen that advice from you before, and we did use some small stuff, without success. Probably fishing in the wrong place. The reason we tried the Rapala was that a fisherman came in with a 10 pounder that he caught on a Rapala as long as your foot.[crazy] I’ve always done better fishing the weedbed edges out of a pontoon, than out of a boat, which we were compelled to use this trip. We’ll gettum next time, and we’ll follow your counsel on the smaller flies. When’s the HL party?
It will be in the middle of September. I am getting some great coaching on zeroing in on what week, plus I really wanna stay at Red Rock Camp ground (Gordon and the guys up there are the best) and I understand he likes to shut the camp ground down the last of September, so gotta get there before he locks the gates.
In my limited two years of fall fishing at Henry’s I have two favorite “results” spinners and three flies. The basic silver blue fox with silver blade and the holographic rainbow panther martin. Flies were a black and blue bead head copper john. Bill’s purple showgirl and his halloween pattern were the two others that consistently caught fish. Spinners in the morning and evening and the flies mainly in the evening. My 7 y.o. grandson caught two 3 lbers off the state park dock in the morning with the panther martin. He lost a hog one morning that finally stripped his Zebco and snapped the 8lb mono. Flies tossed right at the edge in the evening produced several 19" to 22" cutts. From the boat in the evening we caught and released numerous of the same size on the showgirl straight out from the state park launch. This was over two 10 day periods and it wasn’t like we slayed them. Day trips into Yellowstone were the order of the day as well as hiking the Henry’s Lake paths. Fishing was usually once and hopefully twice a day for 2-3 hours per period.
There’s nothing better than a 20" cutt grilled within an hour or two of coming out of the water! Henry’s is an awesome lake. Really have to watch the weather; it changes in a heartbeat. Choose your times in between and be careful. We choose October when the crowds thin out. Last year there was on average two other RV’s in the park during our stay over the ten days. Weekends saw a upsurge of local guys in the mornings but during the week it was thin to moderate at best.
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I am going to say that the studies show that the big Cutts are not meat eaters which could explain why I do much better on the smaller flies and maybe why the Rapala’s didn’t do much.
I am told that Scuds/Sowbugs are a big anytime meal up there. [/reply]
I would be curious to see that study. I don’t fish Henry’s Lake but I have a couple spots where I have caught some really nice cutts and hybrids on 3-4" minnow imitations. In fact, the area we fish we seem to do better on large streamers, or at least as well, as when we use small nymphs.
I figured that once a fish hit 5 or 6 pounds they keyed in on larger meals?
I would be curious to see that study. I don’t fish Henry’s Lake but I have a couple spots where I have caught some really nice cutts and hybrids on 3-4" minnow imitations. In fact, the area we fish we seem to do better on large streamers, or at least as well, as when we use small nymphs.
I figured that once a fish hit 5 or 6 pounds they keyed in on larger meals?
I didn’t say they wouldn’t hit an imitation, but the fish they have opened for research did not show fish in them but snails, sowbugs, etc.
I imagine you bounce anything off their nose they will eat it
The 34", the 30"'s, 28"'s and so I that I have landed however were on a fly the size of a Haresear, not to mention several fish on a Haresear.
I have also caught the Hybrids off of Gartside Soft Hackles and Rickards Black and Orange Leech. Both are about 2" long, but there again, they are leech patterns.
I have heard the BIG FLIES BIG FISH, but the past two years up there I use flies about #12 and larger Imitaion/Leech (tandom) and I have not caught a fish under 26" and all on the smaller fly.
To each there own and I am by no means an expert at Henry’s.
Just my experienses.
Thanks for the reply. Like I said, I don’t fish Henry’s, so I was just wondering if the study you referred to was from that particular area or cutts in general. I suspect what fish feed on depends greatly on what food is available?
“I have not caught a fish under 26” "…thats a good problem to have!
Well, we’re talking Henry’s!
The study is at Henry’s, they do the Gill Netting at Henry’s every year, this has been a typical finding. The Lake is very shallow and full of Vegitation. The Brookies will go for the bait fish in a heartbeat.
There are no fish in Idaho they all swam to utah
We spent all last week at Henry’s at the State Park Campground and it was pretty full all week. Fishing was fair, we only saw one 7 pounder taken all week that I know of out of there. The weather was horrible on Wednesday and Thursday, 5-6 ft white caps pretty much the entire time. We ended up going to Yellowstone Wednesday and saw a grizzly chasing elk which was quite a site.
I have to say I agree to some of the guests concerns on people regarding limits there. On more than one occasion when we were at the boat launch others came in and and were trying to figure out who’s limit they should put it on so they could continue fishing tomorrow.
Saw that Staley’s is going up for auction the end of June and will be torn down and rebuilt completely which is kind of sad. Good luck as it was tough fishing there for us last week.
Thanks everyone for the reports. I finally have the pictures from my brother’s camera taken opening day at Henry’s Lake. I’ve been busy so it has taken a while for me to get around to posting them. I thought, “better late than never”. From my experience on the opener I think it will be a good year for numbers at Henry’s and there is always a chance of catching a big one while there. [:)]
I will probably fish Henry’s sometime in the next week or two and will post a report.
The first picture is my brother, the second picture is me.
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I too have been on the One Fish board. But man, that one fish makes up for a lot of littler ones on other waters.
It wasn’t till about 2 or 3 years ago that I got into fish on Henry’s and it WAS because I read Bills book and use Bill’s flies (althought I tie them gotta save money for the trip up there 
)
Last June, we took a chance and fished for a couple of hours in June. I say a couple of hours cause it took that long to get back in. I did score a nice 27" however, but due to the waves and lightning, no picture. … FG- That picture of HL gives me the heby jeebies! That lake can get nasty [/reply]
The good news Big Cat is Henry’s is in a bowl, so you can see the storms coming. You just have to be faster then they are LOL
Great Report Brian!
Heading up your way for Father’s day. Going to Heise this weekend.