Tag: Fishing Report

July 2nd – 8th | Madison River Fishing Report

Flows are still well above average and the bugs just keep coming. We’re sitting at about 1,230 c.f.s. below Hebgen and 1,460 c.f.s. at Kirby. The Upper Madison has certainly been living up to her reputation lately as our friends and clients have had great success with several different strategies. Air temps have been coming up over the last couple days and the forecast predicts that warm clear days are going to be the trend for a while, looks like summer is finally here to stay.

The big dries have continued to bring in some really nice fish. PMDs are starting to really fall into their rhythm with some bigger and more consistent hatches and of course the caddis are still all over. Our top patterns have been Delektable Secret Stones, Delektable Mega 2-Tone or standard Chubbyness’, True-Wing Salmonflies, Bloom’s Barely Kickin Stone, Missing Link Caddis, Delektable Halos, Delektable Sparkle Bugs, Rusty Spinners and Comparaduns.

The bead-heads are still carrying most of the weight out there, especially in the heat of the day. Bugs like Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Delektable Hammerheads in both jig and regular, Tung Darts, Lightning Bugs, Prince Nymphs, Jackson’s Sallies and Split-Case PMDs have been picking up fish pretty regularly.

We have had a couple good reports on streamers from those who were willing to forget about the little bugs and commit to the meaty stuff. Delektable Screamers have been good especially in the spawning color, as well as gray Trevor’s Sculpins and Sparkle Minnows. We have all been enjoying the bite, come share the bite!


June 17th – July 1st | Madison River Fishing Report

  

We saw a 1,000 c.f.s. increase in flow out of 

Hebgen on the 19th  which made things tough for a few days but the bite only improved from then till now. We’re down to about 1,200 c.f.s. below Hebgen and 1,500 c.f.s. down at Kirby. It looks like we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with all the wet weather and Summer should be setting in any day now.

SALMON FLIES are here and the fish have been eatin’ ‘em pretty well. Along with the big bugs came the Yellow Sallies, PMDs, Golden Stones, and the Caddis are still all over the place. Dry Fly fishing has been better and better as the days go by. Our favorite patterns have been Delektable Secret Stones in Royal, UV Salmon and UV Goldenstone, Delektable Mega 2-Tone Chubbyness and Delektable Twisted X’s in yellow have been great for the Sallies. Half-Down Stones have also been fishing well along with Stimulators, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis and Lil’ Hotties. It’s shaping up to be a dry fly season for the books so take advantage!

The nymph fishing has been outstanding. We’ve had lots of success on soft hackle stuff lately like Delektable Hammerheads, Soft Hackle Hare’s Ears and Soft Hackle Copper Johns. Along with those the standard Mayfly and Caddis patterns have been successful. Things like the Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Lightning Bugs, Prince Nymphs and Psycho Princes are good bets. Any of them can be fished under a big dry or in tandem under an indicator. Some folks have scored with two small nymphs while others have used a larger Stonefly Nymph up top and a small nymph behind. Depending on the flows, a B or BB shot might be needed above the first fly.

The streamer bite has been a bit more inconsistent as of late but with other techniques being so productive I guess we’ll have to be okay with that. With that being said we have picked up a fish here and there on smaller sculpin patterns.

What a great time to be out on the Upper Madison, we hope you’re all enjoying the excellent fishing and if there are any other tips we may have to offer don’t be afraid to call or stop by the shop to ask 406-682-7525.










May 31st – June 7th | Madison River Fishing Report

   

It’s finally June and the river is coming right into shape! Flows have dropped substantially over the past week and we expect that to be a continuing trend for at least another week or so ‘till things really stabilize. We’re currently sitting at about 1,700 c.f.s. below Hebgen Lake, 2,400 at the Kirby gauge and 3,750 down at Varney.

 

We’ve started to see some pretty awesome Caddis hatches in the evenings, especially up above the West Fork. Dry fly fishing has been killer as the sun sets. Our favorite dries have been Bloom’s Parachute Caddis in tan or light olive, Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis, Delektable Halos and the classic Elk Hair.

 

During the day you’ll be better off with a couple of bead heads under an indicator. Stonefly nymphs are still getting plenty of attention so make sure you’ve got a few Pat’s Rubberlegs and Delektable Mega Princes in the ol fly box but of course all those Caddis are getting eaten under the surface throughout the day. We’d recommend keeping a few Shop Vacs, Delektable Sure Strikes and Serendipities with you as well.

 

The streamer bite has also been producing some quality fish. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to throw a Trevor’s Sculpin, Delektable Screamer or a Sparkle Minnow behind the big rocks and along the banks.

May 16th – May 30th | Madison River Fishing Report

We’ve seen a lot of change on the Upper Madison over the last couple weeks as the river came up for the long awaited “flushing flow”.  Beginning on May 20th we saw the river rise a couple hundred cubic feet per second every other day for about a week until the goal of 3,500 c.f.s. at Kirby was met and we’ve been hanging on at that flow for the past few days. What does this mean for the fishing? Just that you’ll want to stay above the West Fork and concentrate on getting flies down deep in the slower water.

 

There hasn’t been a whole lot of dry fly fishing to be had as of late but from time to time you may find a nose poke up for a BWO or Midge. If you so happen to find some fish that are willing to eat on top your best bet would probably be a smaller Adams, Purple Craze or a Midge Cluster.

With all that being said, the sub-surface fishing has been stellar. You’re best off anywhere upstream of the West Fork as it’s pumping in muddy water. Three Dollar Bridge, Raynold’s Pass, Pine Butte and the upper stretch of Between the Lakes have all been fishing well. Pat’s Rubberlegs, Worms, Delektable Mega Princes, Delektable Hurless Stones, Shop Vacs and Serendipities have all been doing a good job picking up fish. Focus on slower water along the edges and don’t forget your split shot!

Streamer fishing has also been really good. Again, you won’t have to do much wading as they’re all along the banks. Delektable Screamers and Double Screamers have been picking them up in Olive/Yellow and Olive/Black along with Trevor’s Sculpins, Sparkle Minnows and Double-Bunnys.

We’re very excited for another awesome season of fishing on the Madison and as always keep an eye out for up to date reports! And of special note, it’s never too early to start fly fishing.

May 2nd – 15th | Madison River Fishing Report

 

Flows have come down a bit with these last few days of cooler weather and a decrease in discharge out of Hebgen Lake which leads me to believe the next few days will be real good for fishing. Current flow below Hebgen is about 1,500 c.f.s. and it’s up to 1,870 at Kirby. Current forecast is showing highs in the low 60s and upper 50s for the next few days.

We expect some real good streamer fishing as long as flows stay somewhat consistent. A number of different flies worked these two weeks including Stonefly Nymphs, some streamers, and Eggs. Experimenting with amounts of weight helped. Some specific patterns were Delektable Mega Princes, Delektable Hurless, Pat’s Rubberlegs, and the Roe Egg and the Glow Bug Egg in Orange and Tangerine. We have enjoyed the company of Project Healing Waters Vets at our lodge this week. Thank you to Bob Frey and Michael Gerhart for all the extra help with the planning and cooking. 



April 16th- May 1st | Madison River Fishing Report


 

 

 

What a time of year to fish the Upper Madison, the valley is coming to life with bugs, birds, green grass and hungry trout. The river is flowing at 2,100 c.f.s. below Hebgen lake, 2,180 c.f.s. at Kirby Ranch and 2,460 c.f.s. at Varney Bridge and we expect those numbers to keep climbing as Northwestern Energy plans on running a flushing flow at their maximum allowed 3,500 c.f.s. at Kirby for 3 days sometime within the next couple of weeks.

The forecast is showing daytime highs in the upper 60’s and low 70’s for the next ten days with some scattered thunderstorms and night time low temps in the lower 40’s which should make for some awesome days on the water. As always for this time of year look for fish to be spreading out throughout the river as water temps come up.

Dry fly fishing is picking up as we’re starting to see March Browns hatching closer to town along with the Blue Wing Olives that have been around in good numbers for a couple weeks now. After looking at water temps I don’t think it’ll take more than a week or so before we see big Caddis hatches. Our favorite patterns have been the BWO Para-Sipper, Batwing Emergers, and the Split-Wing Adams.

Streamer fishing has also been on the upswing with some days displaying some serious action. Our best bugs have been Black/Olive Delektable Double Screamers, Trevor’s Sculpin, Mini Loops and Sparkle Minnows. I’ve had better luck with a slower retrieve with lots of little jerks and pops on the way in.

You’ll all be surprised to hear that nymphs still catch ‘em too. With the flows being up a bit you won’t want to forget the split shot at home and if you’re wondering how you didn’t get a take in that perfect bucket you may want to try some more weight before changing up flies. The best flies have been the Olive Delektable Mega Prince, Delektable Hurless Stone, Delektable Hammerhead Jig-Hook Prince, Lightning Bugs, Worms and smaller Pat’s Rubberlegs.

 

 

 

April 1st-15th | Madison River Fishing Report

One of these days winter will end but until then remember to pack the warm gloves on those trips down to the river. The upper river is flowing at 1250 c.f.s. below Hebgen and she’s up to 1310 c.f.s. by the time you get down to Kirby. Remember to keep an eye out for spawning reds when you’re wading out there this time of year. Be mindful of the future generations by making sure you don’t walk on or behind the spawning areas as they hold many, many rainbow trout eggs. All the boat ramps on the upper Madison are good to go, it’s finally time to pull the covers off the boats and get to fishing after a big snow season.

Nymph fishing has been killer the last couple of weeks and we’re all hopeful it keeps up. Stonefly nymphs are the ticket in sizes #8 and #10. Delektable Mega Princes, Delektable Hurless in Gray or Olive, Delektable Mr. Rubberlegs in Goldenstone or Hare’s ear as well as Pat’s Rubberlegs in black or olive/brown have been doing the trick daily. Worms have been picking up fish from time to time and with the rainbows spawning egg patterns are also fishing well.

Dry fly fishing has been pretty good on the days with less wind. The fish are still eating midges pretty regularly and on the warmer days you’ll even find some mayflies but not in big numbers yet. For the Baetis and BWO’s it can be tough to beat the old Parachute Adams or Purple Craze in sizes #16 and #18. As far as the midges, not much has changed since the last report so make sure you’ve got a couple midge cluster imitations like a Griffith’s Gnat and some single midge patterns for the earlier part of the cycle. I’d recommend the Sipper Midge.

Streamer fishing is on the upswing and we only expect it to improve as water temps rise. You’ll still want to use winter tactics for the most part, fishing small flies slowly. Mini loops, Delektable Single Screamers and Zonkers have been some of our favorites. Keep an eye out for more reports as we’re very excited to be starting the season at well over historical average snowpack throughout the western half of the state for the first time in a few years!! 

 

November 6th-12th|Madison River Fishing Report

The river is flowing at a rate of 940 c.f.s. below the newly completed dam at Hebgen Lake and 1,030 c.f.s. down at the Kirby Ranch. It’s been a bit cold and windy lately around here but that didn’t stop our father and son clients from getting after it with Gunnar Monday in the snow and the wind with temps in the teens. They had a tough time keeping the anchor rope and fly lines clear of ice but didn’t have many issues catching fish!!

 

Nymphs are of course catching fish throughout the river with some of the best ones being princes, rubberlegs, Delektable Megaprinces, zebra midges, eggs and worms. Fish are starting to move into the deeper buckets that they’ll hold in for the winter so fish those babies low and slow. As we get further into winter they will also be in the shallow riffles so test different areas as you fish.

 

If you see fish eating from the surface odds are they’re taking midges. Griffith’s gnats, CDC midges and crystal midges shouldn’t have a problem taking those fish. The best action has been in the upper wade section as usual for midge fishing.

 

 

Fish are still biting the small streamers too. Zonkers, sculpzillas, mini loops, Morrish’s sculpins and Delektable christmas trees are all good bets as long as they’re swung, dead drifted or stripped in sloooow. 

Thanks again to North Western Energy for getting the dam project finished. They shared a few photos from the process.

 

Call or stop by the shop for any more tips or info you may need to make the most of your next day spent fishing on the Madison or surrounding lakes and streams.

 

October 30th-November 5th|Madison River Fishing Report

Flows are steady with the last couple of weeks’ reports as the temperature will begin to drop here in the Madison Valley. Daytime highs are predicted to be all over the board this week between about 30 and 50 degrees.

 

Let’s hope that the changing weather will turn the streamer bite on! We’ve seen some good fish caught lately on McCune’s Sculpins, Sundell’s Bad Boys, Mini Loops and Delektable Screamers but we’re still hoping to see some more consistency with the streamer bite.

Nymphs have been picking up most of the fish, of course. Hare’s Ears, Prince Nymphs, Rubberlegs, eggs and Delektable Big Spankers have all been good choices as of recent and they’re working best in the deeper holes so you may want to have some split shot with you as well.

Dry fly fishing is the same story as the past couple weeks with baetis being the main target. I still recommend just a classic parachute adams to imitate them but don’t be surprised to see more midge action in the coming days as it cools off.

Keep checking in for more tips and reports to come!

October 16th-22nd|Madison River Fishing Report

 

It was an interesting week weather wise here in the Madison Valley with lots of wind and some rain and snow but the forecast for this upcoming week looks a lot more fish friendly. Flows have been consistent at 940 c.f.s. below the dam at Hebgen, 1020 c.f.s. at Kirby and 1170 down at Varney.   

 

The nymph fishing has been producing some quality fish especially later in the day when the waters warmest. Prince nymphs, Rubberlegs, Delektable Pheasant Tail Lil’ Spankers, Red Copper Johns and Worms have all gotten it done out there over the past few days.

 

Still the same song and dance on top, BWO’s and October Caddis. I’m expecting some good hatches this week with the weather predicted to be a little warmer (high 50s and lower 60s) so you dry or die guys should get a good late season fix. I’d be sure to have a couple Delektable Ranch BWOs in the box as well as some Adams and Purple Crazes and as the light dims in the evening skate a big October Caddis pattern around.

                                          

The streamer bite has been pretty good but not what we’d expect for this time of year, I’d count on that improving from good to great in the coming days. The olive and black Delektable Double Screamer has been my go to streamer as of late but we’ve also seen action on Galloup’s Sex Dungeon, pearl Zonkers, Trevor’s Sculpin and the white single Screamer. I’ve had the best luck on slow short strips and swings.

 

Be sure to call or stop in for any other tips you may need before heading out to enjoy the river and as always, check back next week for another up to date report