Tag: Brown Trout

June 13th – 19th | Madison River Fishing Report

The official start of Summer is still a week out, but it sure has felt like Summer here in the Madison Valley over the last several days. The Summer hatches have begun. Salmon Flies are currently scattered from Ennis up to Storey Ditch. The Caddis activity is building daily. Little Yellow Stones and PMD’s are showing up as well. It’s a great time to be spending time on the Madison to be sure.

If you are a Dry or Die Angler there are fish to be had throughout the day if your patient, rotating your bugs and getting that dry in front of the right trout. But the consistency isn’t quite there yet. Most of us at the shop are having our best success with the Dries in the evenings. That magic couple of hours before dark as the sun begins to leave the water. Anglers are also having success using a Dry Dropper Rig out there with the lower flows.

The Nymphing over the last several days has been good to excellent. Large Stonefly Nymphs, Rubberlegs, Prince Nymphs, and Emergent Caddis Pupae, PMD Nymphs, and Perdigons are all fishing well subsurface.

The Streamer game has been best for the early risers and those out on the river late. Some days its been good and others a bit slow. When you catch a day with some clouds though the trout will chase.

Dries: Delektable Secret Stone in Royal, Goldenstone, and UV Salmonfly and UV Orange, Water Walkers, Delektable Mega Chubbyness in Royal, UV Salmonfly and UV Orange. Delektable 2 Tone Chubbyness UV Goldrush. Delektable Lil’ Chubbies in Purple/Black, Royal. Carlson’s Purple Craze, Delektable Elk Hair CDC Caddis, Delektable Twisted Baby Brown #10 for the Big Bomber Sedge Caddis.

Nymphs: Prince Nymph, Formerly Known as Prince, #12-#16. Delektable Lil’ Spankers in Silver, Pheasant Tail #14 – #18. Delektable Hammerheads in Hare’s Ear and Pheasant Tail. #14-#16. Delektable Jig Head Spankers in Miller Time, Pheasant Tail, Orange, Silver #12-#16. Lemon Drops #14-#16. Pat’s Rubberlegs in Black , Brown/Black, Brown #4-#10. Delektable Guide Stones #6. Delektable Mega Prince #6-#10. Delektable Stonefly Candy #6-#8. Perdigons #16-#18.

Streamers: Delektable Single and Double Screamers in Black/Olive, Brown/Yellow, Natural. Dungeons and Mini Dungeons. Zirdles, Zonkers, Sparkle Minnows.

As always we invite you to come visit us at Beartooth Flyfishing. We are well stocked on flies and tackle. We are always happy to share our knowledge of the area fisheries and help you all in any way we can. Stay safe out there and Tight Lines everyone!

June 6th – 12th | Madison River Fishing Report

Runoff continues to taper down here in the valley. Water clarity is still best above the confluence with the West Fork. But clarity is plenty good throughout the length of the river for some solid fishing throughout. Caddis have begun to emerge although the trout aren’t keyed in on them just yet. The big Stonefly Nymphs are becoming active and moving and we hope to see the big bugs on the water possibly as early as mid to later half of the coming week. Flows now are right around 1,000 cfs river wide.

We’ve seen some days this week where it’s been better to be out early and others where it’s been better in the afternoon. Nymphing is still you’re best bet if you’re out searching for numbers. But if you’re patient, and get a dry in just the right spot you can be rewarded. Streamers have been solid too especially with some cloud cover.

Nymphs: Delektable Guide Stones #6-#8, Delektable Mega Princes #6-#10, Delektable Hurless Stones #6-#10, Pat’s Rubber Legs #6-#8, Prince Nymphs #14-#16, Delektable Lil’ Spankers #14-#18 in Silver, Red, Orange, Blue, and Pheasant Tail.  Shop Vacs, $3 dips, Lemon Drops #14-#18. Delektable Hammerheads #14-#16.

Dries: Delektable CDC Holographic Olive Caddis #14-#16, Delektable Halo #14-#16, Delektable Lil’ Chubbies #14-#16. The Lil’ Chubbies are great for a dry dropper rig with a small nymph suspended. We’ve seen some good success the last hour of daylight with the dry dropper rig.

Streamers: Delektable Screamers Single or Articulated-Olive/Black, Natural, Brown/Yellow. Zirdles, Zonkers. Swinging some of the smaller streamers has been effective as well. Patterns such as Slumbusters and Sculpzillas have brought some nice trout to hand for myself in the evenings on the two hander.

With high temps and clearing water the Upper Madison should be a wonderful place to be over the next month. Be sure to get out there and enjoy some great weather in a beautiful place.

March 29th – April 4th | Madison River Fishing Report

We at Beartooth Flyfishing hope everyone had a happy and safe Easter weekend. We have had a few boats out over the last few days. The Madison trout are happy and hungry and looking forward to some warmer weather in the short future as much as we are. The river is fishing as well as can be expected with the water temperatures still cold.

Nymphing is the most consistent method for a solid day of fishing throughout most of the river. Good success has been had with Delektable Mega Princes, Hurless Stones, and our new Delektable Balanced Stones, in sizes #8 – #10. Lil’ Spankers in Pheasant Tail, Silver, Blue, and Red have also been fishing well. Smaller Shop Vac’s in brown or olive #16 – #18. Baetis nymphs in #18 – #20 will also be effective.

Most of the surface activity will be best on the upper reaches of the river. With calmer wind look for risers to be sipping midges and blue winged olives in the slicks behind rocks and riffles throughout the wade section. There are still solid amounts of snow between the lakes and around Raynold’s and 3$. Some cardio post holing will be involved if you don’t have x country skis or snowshoes.

Streamers are fishing well once you’re able to crack the code and find how they want it presented. Again with the water temps on the chilly side, you’ll want to vary your strategies. Dead Drifting, or  slower strips seem to be the most consistent right now. As weather and water warms over the next few weeks they should begin to chase better. Olive, Black, and Brown/Yellow combinations have been the most reliable colors. With White and Natural combos coming into play on the brighter days.

No need to get out super early or stay super late just yet, as the fish are most active between about 10am and 5pm. Unless of course you’re looking for that 24” + toad lurking in the early morning or late evening light.

As always please call us here at Beartooth Flyfishing with any questions, or better yet stop in for some coffee and let us get you hooked up with all the flies and supplies you will need for your next day on the water.

March 18th & 19th | Madison River Fishing Report

The weather conditions looked favorably and my daughter Allie was available to help Dan row. So, 2 days in a row we floated Lyons to Palisades. We haven’t been able to fish together since before the pandemic. Since she had Covid and survived and I received my first Moderna shot, we said let’s go. The pictures tell the story.

The afternoon bite was the best both days for Rainbows and Browns. Stonefly Nymphs were the ticket; Delektable Balanced Flashback Hurless Stones #10 and Delektable Balanced Flashback Mega Princes #10; Delektable Olive Mega Prince Flashback #8; and one of my new Black Stonefly Nymphs under development size#8.

Yes, the second day we fished streamers. For about 20 minutes, one flash, two hook ups. The second being a Monster Brown that ate one of my new articulated 6” long streamers called a Delektable Snakehead.

Have Fun Fishing! Dan

September 23rd-29th | Madison River Fishing Report

 

To be clear… this year has been nuts!! In a great way, its been the craziest season we’ve seen in a while! The dry fly bite has been out of this world, the big bugs bites were on another level of eats this year. The stoneflies are huge and healthy in this river, and that makes for great sport with the trout. It always fun to see the big dry eat on the big bug.

The hopper season has been spectacular! This was the best hopper season any of us have ever seen. They were just everywhere. There was a mind bending hopper presence here in the valley. If you didn’t get in on all the hopper action, then you still may have a chance. They are still out there trying to hang on. Legend has it, they will be here until the second hard freeze. If you throw it, they will still hit it here and there and you might even be able to tease a piggie up to the top yet.

The snow has been falling in the mountains here in the Madison Valley area. It is archery season here and there are arrows flying, so be careful as you are wading around in the woodsier parts that you are aware that hunters may be present around you (it has happened to me already). Share the outdoors. The leaves will be turning bright yellow and orange soon and the colors on the trout will be changing with the season. In just a minute or two glorious colors will be seen. We have the privilege of living in one of the most beautiful places on earth and there are trout here. The fact that trout don’t really live in ugly places helps too.

The snow falling would indicate that fall is here, but we may have more good weather for us in store in the next few weeks, so hang on! The immediate weather report looks a little dreary, but that could also mean a good bite, so hang on! The bite has been a tiny bit squirrely, so like I said earlier last week, you have to have the bad days to balance out the other days or else would the good days really be THAT good? There were some days this week that were terrific on Hoppers, October Caddis, and Yes, Ants in the Purple variety. And then the other days were an interesting mix/experiment in what the bite would be.

 

          

As far as the bug report goes, Here’s a little list of the bugs we are using:

Dries:

                Hoppers No. 10-12 in the colors Peach , Tan and Pink

                PMX Orange No. 14

                Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple No. 16

                Delektable Chubbiness Olive/Brown No. 14

                Half Down No. 14

                Purple Haze No. 16 and 18

                Carlson’s Purple Haze No. 10

                Royal Cripple No. 16

                Delektable Twisted Sister Purple No. 14

Nymphs:

                Delektable Prince Brandon No. 14-18

                Batman No. 16

                Delektable Sure Strike Purple No. 16 and 18

                Psycho Prince Purple No. 16 and 18

                Delektable Mega Prince No. 6-8

                Delektable Lil’ Spankers (Purple, PT and Silver) No. 16

                Nymphicator No. 16 and 18

Streamers: 

                Sculpzilla Olive/Tan No. 8

                Trevor Olive No. 6

                Copper and Pearl Zonkers No. 6

                Bow River Bugger No. 6

                Delektable Double Screamer Olive/Black/Silver

                “              “              “                    White

                “              “              “                    Olive/Black/Gold