Lorenzo to Menan

The lowest reach on the South Fork is often referred to simply as “Section 5,” but local anglers usually call it by the names of the two public put-ins/takeouts: Lorenzo to Menan.

It flows from the Lorenzo boat ramp just west of the U.S. Highway 20 bridge over the river just north of Rigby, Idaho, to the takeout just above the river’s confluence with the fabled Henry’s Fork near the town of Menan.

Most anglers ignore this section of the river, but, like the Brown Town reach above it, the Lorenzo-to-Menan float can turn up some really big brown trout, particularly in mid-June and into July when the salmon flies start to emerge, and from July well into October, when the area is bustling with grasshoppers.

Anglers interested in searching out big browns should consider this float.

While rainbows, cutthroats and whitefish can still be found, warmer water temperatures are more conducive to browns. Like Brown Town, there are fewer fish in this reach, but the fish that are here are generally bigger.

At about 8 miles it’s a shorter float than other reaches, but the drive to and from the lodge is longer (about 45 minutes or so), making it a full-day trip.

Something else to consider:

Even though water temperatures are warmer in this section, the South Fork is still cooler than the Henry’s Fork near the confluence. That means some of the bigger browns and rainbows from the Henry’s Fork and even from the mainstem of the Snake River below the confluence will move into the South Fork later in the summer in search of cooler water.

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The Upper

Just below Palisades Dam, the upper section of the South Fork of the Snake River slices northeast through between the Big Hole and Caribou mountain ranges. Anglers can catch any of the river’s wild trout species here, but it’s a particularly good stretch to cast to and catch trophy cutthroats in the braided channels of the river. It’s one of the most scenic stretches of the South Fork—it’s here where you’ll be able to fish at the base of Fall Creek Waterfall, an iconic feature of the South Fork.

The Canyon

For many fly fishers, the canyon stretch of the South Fork of the Snake River is their absolutely favorite, and for good reason. All season long, it boasts dependable hatches, particularly when the salmonflies are on the water in late June and early July. Here, the river slices through miles of high basalt cliffs and dense cottonwood forest. Through much of the canyon, riverside access is limited, the river isn’t much different than it was thousands of years ago. With great dry-fly fishing for trophy trout, it might become your favorite stretch of river, too.