Fish on!

Fall float-fishing season on the Boise River offers some of the best fishing of the year.

The river is low. Holes, riffles and runs are well defined, making laying a fly in front of a trout much easier. The flow was 653 cubic feet per second (cfs) last week.

Fish are eager to hit the typical double-fly rig with a dry hopper or caddis on top and a nymph like a prince nymph on the bottom.

But, things are changing on the river. Irrigation flows are expected to end around Sept. 28 and the river level is expected to drop in early October.

That doesn’t mean floating ends. Some serious boaters navigate the river through the winter. I saw someone floating it on Christmas Eve last winter.

It means dodging rocks and either lining or portaging the three diversion dams from Barber Park to Ann Morrison Park, and dodging some sharp curves with overhanging branches.

With low flows, I usually go light in my small Aire Puma and wear light fly fishing waders with a belt around the waist. If you slip in the water, you don’t want your waders to fill. Actually, with the waist belt and the legs of the waders trap air and work like leg flotation devices. And, wear a regular lifejacket.

Low-water float fishing has caught on since development of smaller rafts and fishing catarafts that make dodging rocks and slipping over riffles a lot easier.

For example, the NRS Approach 100 is a compact, micro-raft built for anglers who like shallow streams.

The Aire Puma is another compact raft. Maravia has small fishing rafts — one called the Lil’ Wave. These rafts can be fitted with fishing frames convenient for the oars person and angler.

Low-water rafts are 10 to 11 feet in length for great maneuverability. The small boats can also take on whitewater for play boating.

So, don’t put away the oars and the fly rods. The best fishing season is here.

But, expect to be bumping and dragging down the river for the reward of “Fish on!”