Best flow is relative. Different spots fish better at different flows. A run that is perfect for nymphing at higher flows can become hyper snaggy and nigh on unfishable at lower winter flows. Spots that may contain the perfect amount of water at low flows may end up out of reach at higher flows due to challenging, dangerous, or outright unwadeable conditions. During the summertime, you may find the edges of certain spots or even slower water with fish in it. During winter, you'll find a lot of fish in what deep water remains. This is my favorite time of year to fish the pocket water in the boulder gardens between accesses 2 and 3.

As for storms, I find they generally don't have a huge effect on the flow levels. They will spike shortly and return to normal, and water clarity is reduced from silt due to the tribs, but I find both these things can be advantageous as they move fish around and the clarity makes them less wary of or less able to discern your presence.

And as for crowds, this time of year tends to be the worst. Most guys don't fish the creek during the spring and summer when flows come up. But if you experiment, fish different places, different kinds of water, different flies, and with different tactics, you will find success. I personally like the higher flows, as I lose less flies nymphing, and I'm ALWAYS on a budget.

October and April are a great time for the creek. I enjoy the flows between 200cfs and 400cfs. Using tightline nymphing techniques or indicator techniques I have great success. Fishing when the flows are very low, as they are now, is not much fun for me. It's like fishing in the gutter. To each their own, but as stated above please leave the spawning fish and beds alone.

 

WF