It’s the middle of June and the river
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.
Attention! Attention! To all who love the
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.
As for the down and dark under water 
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.
If you think it is going to get cold and you’re holding off on that plane ticket for that last frost to pass. I’m Here to say it is time you must come as all the frost has past this week and the fish are getting very hungry and aggressive. Call us at the shop if you need fly advice and current conditions. Get out there and fish.
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.
gear out on any given day because you never know what momma nature will throw at ya this time of year. Despite the weather, our guides have been getting some great fish. Streamer fishing has been picking up big time which has been long awaited.. The olive/black Delektable single screamer has been the fly to beat and Sheila’s sculpins are working well too.
worm game and they’re WORKING. Delektable Megaprince’s have been on fire on a size #8 hook in either standard or olive with or without the flashback. Delektable Hurless Stone’s have had a tough time staying out of mouths as well especially in olive sizes #8 or #10. Pats Rubberlegs have been producing some fish as well, specifically in the olive/brown color combo on a #8 hook. Last but not least the pink flossy worm has been bring’n em in.
game but if you’re out in the evening you can certainly come across a bucket full of blue wing slerpers. So come prepared with some Griffiths Gnats in #18 and #20 along with Brook’s Midge Sprouts in olive on a #18 hook. The BWO Split Wing Parachute has been one of our favorites as well.
take advantage of some truly great fishing conditions. We’re seeing fish responding to smaller streamers and they’re spreading out throughout the river, no more winter style slow and low fishing but we still aren’t seeing much success stripping the big stuff. Delektable Single Screamers and Sculpzillas in olive and natural colors have been working best for me but th ere are plenty of patterns out there that’ll work, just keep it in that size and color zone.
with really good results. Brandon and Gunnar got folks into some nice trout. With these trips and other reports, Nymphing has still been the way to get ‘em with stoneflies still seeing the most action. I wouldn’t recommend going to the river without a few Delektable Hurless or Mega Prince Stones in Olive, sizes #8 and #10 for those skwalas that are starting to move around. Keep in mind our Skwalas remain underneath while on some other rivers like the 
Bitterroot they emerge to the surface. Under the larger bug, you’ll want a small and flashy mayfly nymph or even a caddis nymph. Something like a Lightning Bug or a Delektable Lil’ Spanker, silver, olive or purple in a #14, #16 or #18. And as always, if all that stuff somehow fails ya tie on a goo d ol’ worm. Worms are working well. We have heard some killer reports on them below Varney Bridge. We have also had reports of results on Trico’s and Midges which are 
popping in the middle of the afternoon. Most have had better action on the wet versions compared to dry.
drifting it’s never a bad idea to try to tease a couple up with a dry skwala imitation.
Springtime in the Rockies with weather conditions either hot and sunny or cloudy and cold. The bite was on with my favorite stonefly nymphs: all size #6 and #8 Delektable Flashback Mega Prince; Delektable Flashback Hurless Stones in Gray and Olive.
It’s incredible that the Upper Madison is open from Quake Lake to McAtee again year round. There were spots in the calm where the trout were sipping like crazy in pods. Those fish were fussy about the dry but not about the Delektable nymphs. Dan’s favorite spring flies were great that day. Later on we did try the small Delektable Chubbyness and it worked too. What a fun day.
They just killed it on the Delektable Flashback Mega Prince in Standard and Olive and the Delektable Flashback Hurless Stone in Gray and Olive. Catalina caught a massive Rainbow and rocked all day. Way to go Cat! Mike helped with the rowing and Dan was able to enjoy some rod bending.
despite the “W” factor which prevailed. They had the two really nice weather days in between some winter conditions on the front and back end of their trip. Kim has a reputation for catching the big fish, not to be confused with another Kim we know who also catches big fish, and this time Zac was right in the competition with his sweetheart. Brandon took great care of them floating two different sections of the upper in his new boat which he loves.
The wind being low and temperatures in the 50’s; time to grab my wading staff and sample some deeper buckets. The flies that caught fish included: Delektable Flashback Mega Prince #8; Delektable Flashback Gray and Purple Hurless both #8; Delektable Flashback Mega Prince Olive #8; and of course Delektable Soft Hackle Red Worm #8.
open year round again… Yahoo! We are glad to see less crowding in one section of the river this year compared to past years and to see local residents having an opportunity to fish their back yard. The bite was great today. I stopped counting at 10.
They loved the Delektable Size #8 Flashback Mega Prince, Flashback Gray Hurless, and Flashback Olive Mega Prince, my go to patterns this time of year. I fished mainly deeper buckets with two #8 Delektables with or without weight. Friends fished the next day and had similar results except more of the “W” factor occurred which does come around these days. Call to find out if it’s gusty out here. They used similar bugs including good results with the Black Pat’s Rubberlegs #10 along with the Delektable Flashback Olive Mega Prince #8. In addition, a variety of worms and eggs can be effective this time of year trailed behind a stonefly.
Ruby Creek, McAtee, Varney, Eight Mile Ford, Burnt Tree Hole, Ennis, Valley Garden, and Clutes Landing are all usable and launch able. There is still ice on Ennis Lake but you can go down around it.