Looking out across the lava rock and sagebrush flats south of Carey, Idaho, it's hard to imagine any water flowing through the desert. But on closer inspection, you will find a beautiful little freestone stream that is home to eager rainbows and hefty browns--the Little Wood.

The Little Wood begins its course on the southern flank of the Pioneer Mountains, about 50 miles southeast of Ketchum, where snowmelt is contained in Little Wood Reservoir. Downstream from the reservoir, Silver Creek joins the Little Wood, and it is there that the quality water and prime fly fishing begins.

"The river has a lava-rock bottom that makes wading easy, and it offers wonderful pocketwater and some deep pools," says Scott Schnebly, who runs Lost River Outfitters. "I've caught rainbows in the Little Wood up to 19 inches, and the biggest brown I've taken was 26 inches."

The Little Wood offers two prime fly-fishing options, beginning with the emergence of Pteronarcys stoneflies in March. Effective patterns include Bitch Creek nymphs, Prince nymphs, rubber-leg Hare's Ears, and big attractor drys--Stimulators and Yellow Humpies.

As the stoneflies taper off in June, grasshoppers take up the slack--the brown trout pummel them. You can start fishing small hoppers during the second week in July and continue through September. Coachman Trudes, Stimulators, and other common hopper patterns work well.

In August, when the air and water temperatures warm, the trout fishing tapers off during midday.

The Little Wood has a catch-and-release section, called the Taylor/Williams Recreation area, located north of Richfield. Many of the browns in this section measure 20 inches or more and are susceptible to streamers. Fall fishing for brown trout is limited by a river-wide fishing closure that extends from October 15 through December 31 to protect spawners. The stream has limited access, but landowners often grant permission to polite anglers who ask.