We’re looking forward to seeing everyone this Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. for the Montana Hope Project fundraiser here at the shop. In other news it’s been another good week of fishing here on the Upper Madison. Flows are still well above average for this time of year and the fish seem to be enjoying all the extra space. They’re spread throughout the entire river, even out in the heaviest current.
The brown trout have really started to show an interest in sculpin patterns this past week. We’ve been getting them to come out for Delektable Screamers in olive/black and badger as well as Trevor’s Sculpin in olive. They seem to be into a pretty fast strip for the most part but I’ve managed to pick a couple up on the swing in the middle of the river too.
The bead-head stuff has been very successful most days. They were all over the pearl Lightning Bug (size #16) today. We’re also seeing some good action on Prince Nymphs, Electric Caddis pupa and rainbow warriors for the small stuff. Nocturnal stonefly shucks have been appearing on the banks in the morning so it most likely won’t be a bad bet to run a tan/brown Pat’s Rubberleg or a Delektable Braided Stone in the same colors along with one of the small bugs.
The surface action has been good, but much tougher in the middle of the day. Some ants should be able to get something’s attention during and I’ve seen few fish come after hoppers recently as well. PMDs are still around and fish have been taking them in the mornings in the form of the Purple Craze, Adams flies, and Sparkle Duns all on a size #16 hook and again in the evening as rusty spinners. There’s still some good caddis fishing to be had in the evenings as well. I’ve still been having luck on the Delektable Halo with the peacock body in a size #16.
We’ll be in the shop 7a.m.-7p.m. 7 days next week so be sure to stop by and tell some fish stories or get some up to the minute advice on how to have a great experience on the water.
Things have been heating up on the Upper Madison over the past week, (mid-day temps well into the 90’s) which sped the big bug hatch right up and pretty much out the door. You may still be able to find a couple salmon flies way up top but hopefully you got to enjoy the hatch in its entirety. In other news, gin-clear water has been steadily flowing out of Hebgen at 1,220 c.f.s. and 1,610 c.f.s. at Kirby Ranch. The heat has kind of put a damper on the mid-day dry fly bite but the mornings and evenings have still been great and nymphing is producing throughout the day. 
would I approach the river you may ask? Great question, and I bet you can guess on your first try. Yup! Dry fly season is here; come one and all! Everyone is invited to the spectacle that is dry fly fishing, with the best of all the dry fly circus spectacles here, the Salmon flies. If you want to see monster eats and toilet-bowl flushes , start with the Delektable Chubbyness 
Little Yellow Stone #14-16, Dan’s Secret Salmon #6, Delektable Secret Goldenstone #6, and Delektable Mega 2-Tone Chubbyness Orange #6. These have been our best produces for those fat U Boats (Brown Trout). At the same time, Caddis flies have been equally crushing some serious U Boats, as the BOMBER Caddis are hatching along the whole river. Trust me the caddis are bombing the water 
kamakaze style and giving fish their life. Our personal best and favorite dries for these are the Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis olive, holographic olive, and tan #14, Delektable Twisted X Tan/Brown, Purple #14, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis Dark Olive #14, and the Delektable Twisted Sister Tan/Brown #14.
under the surface. Since the arrival of the Salmon flies, the stonefly nymphs have been providing large numbers of quality fish. Caddis and Mayfly nymphs have been doing just as great. The small dropper is like a great cheese with your cheese 
Delektable Stoner #6, Pat’s Rubber Legs #8, Delektable Mega Prince with and without flash #6, Delektable CDC Baby #12-16, Psycho Prince Yellow #14-16, Shop Vac #16-18, Delektable Sure Strike Peacock and Yellow/Peacock #14-16, Lightning Bug in pearl, purple, and silver #16, Delektable Lil’ Spanker in PT, silver, and gold #14-16, and Delektable Hammer Head Prince #14-16.
the streamer bite, that has slowed down quite a bit. The great news, however, is that our great leader NANCY has figured out a pattern that works and that is our other great leader’s pattern the Delektable Badger Screamer.
is getting ready to jump into high gear. She is steadily and slowly regaining her glorious shine and clarity. As of today the visibility is in about a 3 foot range and getting better with each passing day. The flows are still a little high with below Hebgen Dam at 1610 CFS and at Kirby 2180. The river is slowly tapering down towards those July flows. With the water at the level it is right now it has been making for exceptionally great bank fishing with no need to jump into our crazy swift slippery river just yet. Also, be cautious still at the bridges with your boat and getting under safely.
flies above the water and not below the water, the dry fly action is in second gear and really trying to pick up speed. As we are getting warmer weather the water flows are beginning to taper down and we will be getting into those hatching connditions. As a result the first to arrive is the Bomber Caddis between Palisades and 
Storey Ditch. These Caddis are special with their bigger Caddis bug size #12-14 and you can cast them and see them more easily while nice varieties of trout will prey on them. The best ways to imitate these wonderful bugs is with Delektable Twisted X or Twisted Sister size #12 in Purple or Tan/Brown, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis sizes #14-16 olive, Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis sizes #14-16 Holographic Olive, or try different colors, and the Delektable Twisted Baby sizes #14-16 in purple, tan/brown, or Brown. With these flies you can surely open the season of dry fly fishing right and enjoy a jumping trout from your fly and have a grin across your face and eventually a fish in the net.
approach also known as the nymphing world it is holding a steady pace of ripping lips and catching fish. The flies I would use include the Delektable Sure Strike in sizes #14 and #12, Yellow Psycho Prince in a size #14 or #16, red threaded Prince Size #12, Delektable Hammerhead prince #12 or #14, and Delektable CDC baby size #14. The fish have been really hot for these flies. 
of catching right now is hitting the slow water! I repeat, FISH THE SLOW WATER. This means tight, tight, tight to the banks, along gravel bars and behind boulders or log jams. These are pretty much the only places to target right now and there have been some seriously healthy fish stacked up in those places.
yesterday in the wind and rain and everyone returned with smiles on their faces thanks to our awesome guides! They caught fish on flies like Delektable Stoner’s, Megaprince’s and Pat’s Rubberlegs in bigger sizes (#6 and #4). Trailing things like Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Psycho Princes and a variety of worms.
thing you’ll definitely want to have a couple Delektable Double Screamers in olive/black and also white. Galloup’s Boogie Man in gray has been tough to beat as well. Strip those things down the banks and you should be happy with the results.
hovering between 2200 and 2400 c.f.s. at Kirby and below Hebgen we’ve come down from over 1700 c.f.s. to just above 1400 c.f.s. over the last couple days. Most people are enjoying the water above the West Fork due to the dirty water it’s dumping in. You’re still going to want to be cautious going under the wolf creek and sun west bridges!
enough to get out on the river this weekend and earlier this week while the entire upper river was clean and clear. After the past couple days of warmer temps the West Fork is back to dumping in the dirty water, but the good news is the wade section above should continue to fish well. We’ve still got about a foot or so of visibility at Varney, and better clarity higher up but the water is haulin’ and high. Take serious CAUTION when floating becau
se Sun West and Wolf Creek bridges will be tough to get under so choose your floats wisely.
Halloween color, and the Pat’s Rubberlegs in black or black/brown. The good side of the high water is that the fish will be concentrated on the banks and in the slow water behind boulders and logs. SEEK THE SLOW WATER! You shouldn’t have to venture far off the banks to find it.
river as well, we got into a few fish yesterday on the Eric’s Jealousy in the “Big Horn” color but anything nice and meaty in that variegated yellow should do the trick. The Delektable Black and Olive Double screamer has been getting it done out there as well.
hit or miss with the ever changing spring time weather but if you’re out there on a nice cloudy day make sure you’ve got a few Delektable Peacock Halo’s in a #16 and some Split Winged March Browns in a #14 or a Parachute Adams either #14 or #16.
We hosted a group of Project Heali
ng Waters Vets this week, what a treat to meet these good men who need to get out and fish and spend time in Montana. Our neighbor Mike was gracious enough to be our cook for the week. Thanks Mike. We have been serving up some pretty awesome meals for breakfast and at night with fishing during the days. Dan provided tying clinics in the evenings.
