Madison River Between the Lakes: Spruce moths, Tricos and terrestrials are on the menu in this section of the river. If your fishing dries have Thunder Thigh hoppers #14-10 in pink and tan, Arricks flying ant #16, Missing Link honey ant #17, Dave's hopper #14, Jake's Gulp Beetle #16. If your down in the lower end make sure to have Trico spinners #20 and Callibaetis spinners #16. Nymphing has been good with Mt Bullets #16, black rubber legs #8-12 and Guide dips #16-14.
Madison below Quake Lake: Fishing has been a little up and down on the Madison the past week. Some days they are up looking hard for ants and hoppers then the next day just a few. Spruce moths have been the most consistent bug, so have #16 Elk Hair Spruce moths and #16-14 Missing Links for these. The hopper and ant bite should become more consistent over thee next few days so be prepared with Thunder Thighs #10-14 in pink and tan, #15-17 Missing Link Honey Ants, Arrick's flying ant #16 and Dave's hoppers #14. If your going underneath black rubber legs #8-12, Guide Dips #16-14, $3 dips #18-14, FKA Prince nymph #16-14.
Gallatin River: Spruce moths have still been very productive here, especially in the canyon sections below Big Sky. #16 Elk Hair Spruce moths and #16-14 Missing Links have been good choices for this. Along with that have ants, beetles and hoppers.
Thunder Thighs #14-10, Dave's hopper #14, Arrick's flying Ant #16, Missing Link Honey Ant #17. The deeper runs have been good with FKA Princes #16-14, black rubber legs #10-12 and Blowtorch #16-14.
Hebgen Lake: Hebgen has been a bit spotty lately and the most consistent area has been in the Madison arm with Tricos and Callibaetis. Hopefully we will get a few calm days in the near future. Have Callibaetis deer hair spinners #18-16, Trico spinners #20 and make sure your don't go out there without a few ant patterns. I like the Aero red legs #16 or a CDC Flying ant #16.
Soda Butte and Lamar: It's been a little busy over in the northeast corner but the fishing has been good. Have a selection of hoppers, beetles and ants. Thunder Thighs #14 in yellow, Missing Link Honey ant #17-15, Arrick's flying ant #16, Longhorn Beetle #14, Jake’s gulp beetle in #16 and have either a Irresistable Bee #12 or a Meanie Bee #14. Also don't forget to have a couple cream Baetis that Bucky mentioned last week. If you want to get away from the crowds you may want to consider taking a walk up the Lamar river to Cache Creek. This three mile hike will give you some solitutde along with some great fishing.
Madison River Between the Lakes: Trico spinners are showing up in the lower end during the morning hours. We like the cdc para-spinner or guide winna spinner both in size 20. Callibaetis spinners are also present, and we use either the Callibaetis foam spinner or cdc para-spinner size 16 during this fall. Spruce moths can be found throughout the area. Other terrestrials include ants, beetles or hoppers. Arricks flying ant in size 16 is a favorite as well as the missing link honey ant. Jake’s gulp beetle in size 16 or a thunder thighs hopper in pink size 14 are also good bets.
Madison below Quake Lake: Our summer hatches are winding down, but there are still a few Epeorus and caddis around. A rusty spinner during the late evenings is always a good bet along with a tan iris caddis both in size 16. Ants, beetles and hoppers are becoming the staple patterns for this area. The same patterns listed above are great choices here as well.
Gallatin River: Spruce moths have been good along any of the treed areas. The size 16 elk caddis spruce moth is all you’ll need for this occurrence. Other patterns to carry are Arricks flying ants, Jake’s gulp beetle and a size 14 thunder thighs hopper. A rusty spinner in size 16 during the evening hours can also be productive.
Hebgen Lake: Gulpers are gulping fairly consistently. Callibaetis spinners have been strong most mornings throughout the lake and Trico spinners can be found in the upper Madison arm. The cdc para spinner in Callibaetis size 16 and trico size 20 are favorites. If the wind stays down, the Callibaetis emergence can be very good. For this we like the Callibaetis Sprout emerger in size 16. If dropping a nymph off a dry is your thing, a pmd split case nymph or pheasant tail nymph both in size 16 will do the trick.
Soda Butte and Lamar: We are starting to see a few of the cream Baetis appear. The pmd guide winna spinner or last chance pmd cripple both in size 20 are excellent patterns for this hatch and spinner fall. The longhorn beetle is a staple for us along with Jake’s gulp beetle in size 16 if the Cutts want a smaller pattern. Arricks parachute ant in either the cinnamon or cinnamon/black in size 16 are also a good choice. While you’re in the area, a hike up to Trout Lake can make for a fun morning or afternoon. I like to walk the lake shore looking for cruising Cutthroats and sight fish a pheasant tail nymph or scud pattern. They’re not easy, but they can be quite large.
Crawfish Creek: This small tributary to the Lewis River is a fun small stream for Cutthroat trout in the 8–12-inch range. Grab a handful of attractor patterns, a 2 or 3 weight rod and have a blast.
The Madison below Quake Lake has had some great Spruce Moth activity. Just keep in mind that the Spruce Moths will mostly be in areas with Spruce, Fir or Pine trees. The hopper fishing seems to be getting better and better with each passing day and don't forget Ants, Beetles and Bees. There are still Caddis and Spinners in the mornings and evenings and the fishing has still been good during these hours but these hatches are starting to fade just a bit so don't delay if you want to take part of some good evening fishing. Have #16 Elk Caddis Spruce Moths, #14-10 Thunder Thighs in Pink & Tan, #16 Hi-Vis Rusty Spinners, #16 X2 tan Caddis #12 Irresistable Bee. Along with these patterns it's always a good time of year for #14-18 Parachute Adams, #14-18 Royal Wulff Cripples and #12-14 Royal PMX.
The Gallatin has been a great choice this past week. I like fishing the sections below Big Sky in the morning hours with Spruce Moths then working my way upstream to the park sections in the afternoon. Hatches have slowed down but there are still a few Caddis and Spinners. Have #16 Elk Caddis Spruce Moths, #16 Hi-Vis Rusty Spinners, #16-12 Royal Wulff Cripples, #16-14 Gulp Beetles and #14-10 Thunder Thigh Hoppers. If your Nymphing #16-14 FKA Prince, #10-12 blk Rubber Legs, #16 Nitro Nymphs and #16 Red Necks should do the trick.
The Northeast Corner hasn't changed much over the past week and has continued to fish well with PMD's and terrestrials. Have #10 Longhorn Beetles, #15 Missing Link Honey Ant's and #14 Morrish Hoppers, #12 Irresistable Bee and #16 Bionic Ants.
Hebgen Lake has seen some good Callibaetis hatches this past week and with each passing day they have intensified. The warm stable weather has helped bring this about and we are also seeing good hatches of Trico's in the Madison Arm. As far as flies are concerned have #16 deer hair or foam Callibaetis spinners, #14-16 Adams Parawulffs, #16-14 Callibaetis Sprout Emergers and #14 blue Damsel adults and #18-20 Trico spinners and Duns For nymph droppers have #18-16 Zebra Midges, #16 Red Copper Johns and #14-16 Two-Bit Hookers in red.
The Yellowstone River still has a few Green Drake Spinners in the morning and evening hours. Terrestrials are becoming an important part of menu here, so make sure you are armed with #10-12 Drake spinners, #10 Longhorn Beetle, #10 Pink Thunder Thighs and Amy's Ant olive #14. For droppers have #16 Spanish Bullets in Yellow Sally & Olive, #10 Rubber Legs blk and #8-10 Princes.
Sleeper bet of the week: Grab your 2 weight and a few smaller attractor flies and head to Winter Creek where you'll find willing Brookies 4-8 inches. These fish aren't big but they sure can be a ton of fun.
The Madison in the valley is seeing some good caddis and spinner fishing in the early morning hours and slowing down a bit in the afternoon. The evening caddis bite has still been quite good but not until about 8pm through dark. We're still fishing a #16 Missing Link Caddis, #16 Yellow Stimulators and #12 Chili Stone almost daily. For nymphs #18 Olive Spanish Bullets and #18 Black Perdigon's have been good producers. The hopper action has started to pick up a little bit and it's well worth throwing a #14-10 Thunder Thighs hopper in either Pink or Tan.
The Gallatin has been a really solid choice for a majority of the day here lately. Look for a #16 Rusty Spinner to fool those morning risers and turn to a #16 Missing Link once the caddis start to hatch around noon. There are still quite a few yellow sallies flying around as well so let's add a #16 Yellow Stimulator to the box as well. It can be beneficial to add a dropper mid-day and we're big fans of a #16 Pmd Quill or Sally Quill right now.
Northeast Corner has fished well with caddis, pmd's and smaller terrestrials. Look for fish to be in the riffles early and moving towards the pools and cut banks as the sun gets higher. We've been tossing #10 Longhorn Beetles, #15 Missing Link Honey Ant's and #14 Morrish Hoppers with good success. If you happen to hit a good hatch of pmd's a #16 Pmd Sparkle Dun is always a good choice.
Hebgen Lake has been a little hit and miss over the last week. The wind has come up early during the day and unfortunately has stuck around making conditions on the lake less then favorable. There are still some decent Callibaetis hatches as well as some Tricos in the Madison Arm of the lake. We expect to see both of these hatches get better and better as we head into August. The menu stays the same as last week with #16 deer hair or foam Callibaetis spinners, #14-16 Adams Parawulffs, #16-14 Callibaetis Sprout Emergers and #14 blue Damsel adults. If your in the Madison Arm add a couple #12-20 Trico spinners and Duns to your arsenal. For nymph droppers have #18-16 Zebra Midges, #16 Red Copper Johns and #14-16 Two-Bit Hookers in red.
On the Yellowstone River this past week we haven't seen as many fish rising to the surface but there's still plenty of reason to head over to this neck of the woods. There is still some Drakes, PMDs, Caddis and a few Stone flies around and hoppers, beetles and ants are quickly becoming "must haves" for the Yellowstone. #10-12 Drake spinners, #16 Missing Link, #12 Water Walker golden, #10 Longhorn Beetle, #10 Pink Thunder Thighs and Amy's Ant olive #14. For droppers have #16 Spanish Bullets in Yellow Sally & Olive, #10 Rubber Legs blk and #8-10 Princes.
Madison below Quake Lake: We've had consistent increases out of Hegben the last. The increases have leveled off at 1190 cfs.
This has helped to bring the river temps down and the fishing has remained solid. Evening Caddis has been a highlight for several visiting angler this past week and if your in the area it's well worth giving this some time. During the day we're still getting fish to come up on a regular basis with #16 Missing Link Caddis, #12 Chili Stones, #16-14 Royal Wullf Cripples and #16 Hi-Vis Rusty Spinners. The nymphing has also been productive with #16 Red Necks, #14-16 AKA Princes, #16-14 $3 dips and #16 Spanish Bullets in both yellow sally & olive.
Hebgen Lake has had some good Callibaetis activity this past week which has made for some good dry fly opportunities. Some days we've only had short windows where the fish are up looking hard but it has been well worth going. Damsels have also been present and some of our guides have taken advantage of this and have had some great days to show for it. Have #16 deer hair or foam Callibaetis spinners, #14-16 Adams Parawulffs, #16-14 Callibaetis Sprout Emergers and #14 blue Damsel adults. If your dropping a nymph off #18-16 Zebra Midges, #16 Red Copper Johns and #14-16 Two-Bit Hookers in red.
The Northeast corner has fished well and the Lamar and Soda Butte have been the favorites, although we have had some ok reports from Slough Creek as well. #16-12 Royal Wulff Cripples, #12 Chili Stones, #16 Jake's Yellow Sally, #10 Longhorn Beetle and #16 Hi-Vis Rusty Spinner. We have had a bit of rain the past few days, so check the water levels before you head over.
The Gallatin River has continued to have fine fishing and whether your down below Big Sky or up in the park sections you can find fish willing to rise and the nymphing has been good as well. Be prepared with #16 Missing Links, #16-14 Jake's Yellow Sally, #16-14 Royal Wulff Cripple and there are still a few PMD's around. Don't be afraid to throw a hopper around the Gallatin as well. Terrestrials are just around the corner.
The Yellowstone River in the park is another good choice if your looking for a few nice Cutthroat. The insects continue to thrive and you can still expect to see Caddis, PMD's, Drakes, Golden Stones and even a few Salmon flies buzzing around. #12 Grey Drake Para-spinner, #16 Missing Link, #12 Water Walker golden, #8 Water Walker Salmonfly and don't be afraid to try a #10 Pink Thunder Thighs. For droppers have #16 Spanish Bullets in Yellow Sally & Olive, #10 Rubber Legs blk and #8-10 Princes.
Madison below Quake Lake: The Madison has been fishing well for us this past week. The water flow has come up to 913 cfs out of the Hebgen which put the flow at the west fork gauge at 1010 cfs. This has been a welcome change as it has brought temps down just a bit. Caddis, PMD's along with a few Green Drake's and Golden's have been on the menu. #12 Chili Stone's, #16-14 Royal Wulff Cripples # 12 Missing Link Green Drake's, #16-18 Delekta's tan Lil' Chubby and #16 Missing Link's have been great dry fly choices. In the subsurface world #16-18 Little Green Machine's, #16-18 Red Neck's, # 16-14 Spanish bullet in Yellow Sally & Olive, #16 Shop Vac's and Hare's Ear Blow Torches have been excellent choices.
The Gallatin River has seen some good fishing with attractor dries, Caddis, PMD's and a few Green Drake's. Fishing has been best mid morning to mid afternoon. The water is still running a bit cold early in the day but look for this to change as we expect to see some warm temps in the forecast. #16-14 Royal Wulff Cripples # 12 Missing Link Green Drake's, #16-18 Delekta's tan Lil' Chubby, #16 Royal Trude, #16-14 Parachute Adams and #12 Chili Stone's are what you'll want to have in your fly box for dries. For droppers use #16-14 AKA Prince's, #16-14 Spanish bullet Yellow Sally's and #14 Spanish Perdigone's.
The North East corner of the park, Lamar, Soda Butte and Slough, have fished well lately. Grey Drake's, Caddis and PMD's have been present here and the fish have been looking up. Have #16 PMD & Caddis Missing Link's, #12 Grey Drake Sparkle Dun's, #12 Grey Drake Foam Spinner and don't forget to have a Longhorn Beetle as well.
There's still a smorgasbord of bugs on the Yellowstone River in the park, both above and below the falls. Golden Stone's, Yellow Sally's, Grey Drakes, PMD's, Caddis along with tons of Salmonflies buzzing around! #16 Missing Link Caddis & Sally's, #12 CDC Para spinners, #12 Grey Drake Foam Spinners, #10 Chubby Purp/Blk, #10-12 Golden Water Walker #4-8 Water Walker or Sunken Stone Salmonfly patterns. For dropper's you can't go wrong with #10-12 blk Rubber Legs, #8-10 Prince and a #18-16 Micro Mayfly. If swinging is your game, #6 Lucky Bucky #10 Shakey Variant, #8 blk Sulpzilla are effective patterns.
Hebgen Lake remains to be one our guides favorites, especially from 8:30am-1:00pm. The Callibaetis have been coming off very well in certain spots and the fish are loving them. #18-16 Callibaetis Deer Hair Spinners, #16 Candy shop Callibaetis, #16-12 Parawullf's and #16 Callibaetis Sparkle Dun's have been the choice for the top water activity. The Chironomid game is still a foot and #12 Traffic Light's, Ice Cream Cone's, #16 Split Case PMD and #10 Double Dipper Chironomid's have been the go to patterns.
July 3rd, 2025
Madison below Quake Lake: Silly Season is not quite over here folks! Flows are just under 800 CFS, so the skinnier stretches of the river have gotten a substantial bump in height and water volume. In the mornings you'll see PMD's, and in the afternoon you'll have Caddis and Epeorus hatching. The salmonflies have slowed down a bit here, but still expect to see a few shucks along the river up through the wade stretch. Prospecting the banks with a large attractor pattern or Salmonfly wouldn't be a bad way to spend a morning or evening. Between the lakes has had Green Drakes as well as the aformentioned medley of morning PMD's and afternoon caddis and Epeorus.
Hebgen Lake: Hebgen Lake has been fishing well over the week, and has been more consistent than it has been the past few years. It has been windy in the afternoons, but we are still seeing fish rising to the surface in some of the bays here. Look for Callibaetis and some afternoon Caddis on the surface, and stripping or running a dry dropper with a large Chironomid or midge underneath the water has been very productive lately.
The Gallatin: Has steadily improved since our snow day. This river runs colder than the other options, so no need to get out here super early in the morning. Nymphing here has been very good with the colder water temps, but dont neglect the dry fly bite either. The fish here are especially keen on stonefly nymphs, but you'll also see Caddis, late PMD's, and Green Drakes hatching throughout the park stretch. Salmonflies here have made their way through the beginning of the park stretch, so expect to see them work their way up with the warmer weather this week.
Madison below Quake Lake: The Madison is currently on fire! Caddis, PMD's, some Green Drakes as well as the start of Salmon flies and Golden Stone's. You'll want to have several dry versions of all of these above mentioned flies in your arsenal. Make sure you have #16 Missing Links, #16 Sparkle Dun PMD's, #10-12 Green Drake Sparkle Duns, #16 Jake's Yellow Sally's, #8-6 Sunken Stone's and #12 Water Walker golden stone's in your fly box. With this many bugs all hatching down on the river sometimes it can be a bit tough to figure out what exactly they are keying in on.
Hebgen Lake has been fishing well both on and below the surface this week. There have been some good Callibaetis hatches in certain areas of the Lake. # 16 Callibaetis Sparkle Dun's, #14-16 Royal Wulff Cripples and #16 Callibaetis Deer hair spinners have all been effective. If your fishing below the surface #12 Diawl Bach Traffic Light's, #14 Chan's Chironomid, #16 Driscoll's Callibaetis and #12 Ice Cream Cones have been great choices.
The Gallatin Is shaping up quickly and is a great option both in and out of the park. Look for PMD's and Caddis but also be prepared with Golden Stone's, Salmon Fly and Green Drake imitations as these bugs are not too far off and could pop at any time. I would carry the same selection as we mentioned above for the Madison.
The Firehole is still an option but you'll want to get in early and try to fish above Midway geyser basin as the water temps will be a little cooler in the upper sections. As we said above the Firehole closes daily at 2:00pm until sunrise the following day. There are still some PMD's and White Miller's around so have with you #16 White Miller Caddis, #16 Firehole PMD Sparkle Dun's for dries. As always with the Firehole you can't go wrong with #16 Micro Beeley's and#16 White Miller soft hackles.
Hebgen Lake: Finicky as always but will definitely reward those who take the time to work through it. There are fish rising to midges, chasing down leeches and munching nymphs. You may have to switch to all three over the course of a day. #12 Pine Squirrel Leeches in black or olive, #12 Diawl Bach's and #16 Split Case Pmd's are all good choice's right now. For dry fly work try a #18 Scotty's Midge or #14 Royal Wulff Cripple.
This time of year a bit of patience and good observational skills go a long way as fish aren't hiding behind every rock. Focus on bigger slicks and do your best to stay out of the water when making your presentation. Think small on your dries with #20-#24's being the sweet spot. Scotty's Midges, Pat's Midges and Madison Buzzers in the appropriate size should do the trick.A #12 San Juan Worm, #10 Pat's Rubberlegs or #20 Zebra Midge would be our top 3 choices for subsurface work.
The Madison is continuing to fish well with nymphs in the low and clear water. The streamer bite has also been good during periods of low light. We've been trailing a small nymph behind a #10 Rubberlegs for a standard rig lately. Something like a #16 $3 Serendipity in brown or a #16 Montana Bullet has been about perfect. With the overcast weather in the forecast it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few #22 Baetis Sparkle Duns or Upright Baetis.
The Firehole should see an uptick in Baetis activity with the weather rolling in. This is great news for all of you who like to fish dry flies! We would go prepared with some #20 or #22 Upright Baetis, #20 Baetis Black Wing Cripples and your favorite pair of magnifiers! Swinging soft hackles should continue to be productive as well with #20 Baetis Soft Hackles and #16 Spider Hare and Partridge being some of our top choices.
The Northeast Corner is still garnering some attention of fisherman but we expect that window of good fishing to continue to shrink. If you want to fish that glorious afternoon window of opportunity, we would head out armed with your favorite midge dries. We've seen success with #18 Skittering Zelon Midges and #18 South Fork Humpy's for dries. Nymphing will also be an option with #20 Red Zebra Midges and #20 Galloup Jigged Bwo's being some of our favorites.
The Madison in the Park should see an increase in activity much like the Firehole. These seasonal fish seem to love snotty weather and this current forecast looks prime for chasing lake runs. With the cold front hitting we expect to find some new fish moving into the system and hopefully some of those "stale" fish a little more active. Swinging the big soft hackles like #6 Lucky Bucky's and Shakey Variants should be productive for longer periods of the day without all the blue skies. Nymphing will still be productive with San Juan Worms and Guide Serendipities being great choices.
The Madison has been a bit inconsistent still but we wouldn't talk you out of giving it a try. Nymphing has been the most productive method most days. A bigger jig like a #14 Hot Butt Hare or Duracell followed by a #20 Galloups Jigged Bwo or Juju Baetis have done well. Stripping a streamer during the morning hours has been good at times also with a #4 Sheila Sculpin or #8 Sparkle Yummy being some of our favorites. We are also still finding the occasional day where they are looking for ants, so having a few #16 Arrick's Flying Ants in the box isn't a bad idea.
The Firehole is still swinging great with your favorite small soft hackles. Some of our favorites lately have been #16 Nick's Soft Hackle Caddis and a #20 Baetis Soft Hackle. There are still some White Miller's fluttering around so taking a few #16 White Miller X-Caddis isn't a bad idea. A #20 Scotty's Midge can also do wonders when you find picky risers this time of year.
The Northeast Corner is a good afternoon option for those looking for some dry fly activity. There hasn't been much surface activity before about 2pm most days. Reports of a few drake mackerels, blue wings and even a few beetles are still around. We would have #14 Drake Mackerel Sparkle Duns, #20 Upright Baetis, #14 Gulp Beetles and a #20 Scotty's Midge.
The Madison in the Park has produced a good bite this week. Nymphing with a #10 Rubberlegs trailed by a #16 Prince Nymph has been the go-to rig. #20 Juju Baetis and Galloups Jigged Bwo have also been good choices. Smaller soft hackles like a #14 Hydro Soft Hackle and a #14 Caddis Soft Hackle have been fishing well in the low water.
The Madison has seen a decline in fish looking up for terrestrials with a few super cold mornings this week. The good news is the nymph bite has been pretty darn good the past few days. Small #10 Black Rubberlegs and a variety of Baetis nymphs like #16 Montana Bullets and #18 JuJu Baetis have been catching fish. We also like to pull out the Serendipity box again this time of year with #18 Crystal Dips and #16 $3 Dips being some of our favorites.
The Firehole has continued to see good caddis hatches this week. The fish and the bugs have been seeming to enjoy our cool nights and lower day time highs. We've been finding fish looking up for #16 White Miller X-Caddis and #18 Missing Link Caddis. Swinging small soft hackles has been very effective as well with #16 Partridge and Peacocks and Micro Beeley's being some of our favorites.
The Northeast Corner has continued to drop in flows this week and while the fishing has been good we wouldn't say the fish are pushovers. We wouldn't worry about getting an early start with our cool nights either. There are still drake mackerels and the fish are looking up for them along with some terrestrials still. A #14 Drake Mackerel Sparkle Dun or Gulp Beetle are must haves. Dropping a small Zebra Midge can be sneaky good should you find yourself with a fish that's hesitant to commit to the dry.
The Madison in the Park is still offering up a tougher bite, which can seem to make finding a lake run fish all the more rewarding. Swinging #6 Lucky Bucky's or a Spruce Streamer early in the morning has brought a handful of fish to the net. With the high sun in the afternoons we've been finding success with brighter flies like the Blew on Blue. Nymphing a #14 Guide Serendipity or #16 Radiation Baetis has also been productive during the afternoon hours. We would expect this pattern to continue until we see some changes with precipitation in the weather forecast.
We've had some good days of hopper fishing on the Madison this past week but unfortunately it hasn't been super consistent. One day we'll have several nice fish coming to hopper patterns and the very next day only a few. Nymphing remains to be the most productive at this pont and Pat's rubber leg #8-10 with #18 Galloup's Jigged Bwo or a #20 Tungsten Wonder Nymph have been good. $3 dips #18-16, Radiation Baetis #18-16 and #14-16 FKA Prince's have also been great flies to have.
The Firehole has seen some good hatches of White Miller Caddis and has fished pretty well the last few days. Soft hackles such as Micro Beeley's, Nick's soft hackle's in Green and White Miller soft hackles have been the most productive way to fish. Don't be afraid to throw a hopper or beetle pattern here as well.
The Northeast Corner has cleared since our rainfall last week and has had some decent fishing. Fish in the North East Corner have moved to bankers hour so don't be in a rush to get there too early. Things will be a bit sluggish in the am hours. Your best bet will be between noon and 4:00pm. We have had Drake Mac's and Baetis on these rivers so you'll want to have Drake Mac Sparkle Duns #14-12, Baetis Sparkle Duns #20-22. Hoppers, Beetle and Ants are still in play so have these patterns handy as well. Longhorn Beetle's, Donkey Kong Hoppers #12 and CDC black ants.
The Madison in the Park hasn't been on fire this past week. While we are catching some run up fish daily, don't expect large numbers. The beautiful September weather that we've been experiencing, while comfortable, isn't super conducive to get more fish moving up out of the lake. Your best bet is early and late in the day. Soft hackles like the Lucky Bucky's, Shakey Variants and Blew on Blue's and Soft Hackle Streamers in Yellow/Brown have been working for those who love to swing. Streamers are always a good bet and we've had some success on Montana Intruders and Super Buggers. Most of the run up fish have been taken with nymphs this past week. Have Pat's rubber legs Black #10-12, Juju Baetis #18-20, Guide Dips #16-14 and #14-12 Prince Nymphs in your arsenal.
The Madison has definitely turned it's fall corner and while we wouldn't say it's fishing poorly, it is tougher dry fly bite currently. Good drifts with a pair of smaller nymphs will be the way to go for the near future. On nicer afternoons you may be able to still convince fish to come up and eat a small ant like a #18 Arrick's Flying Ant. For nymphs we would have on a #18 Galloup's Jigged Bwo or a #20 Tungsten Wonder Nymph. Fishing a streamer around sun up this time of year can also be effective. A #6 Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or a #8 Lil' Kim can be fun to toss around if you feel like doing something a little different.
The Firehole has opened back up and is fishing well. There are some caddis around along with blue wing olives. While there are a handful of fish to be found rising, swinging soft hackles has been the way to go the past few days. A #16 White Miller Soft Hackle, #19 Peacock and Starling or #20 Baetis Soft Hackle have been great choices. For dries we would have a #20 Upright Baetis and #16 White Miller X-Caddis and maybe a #18 Missing Link Caddis.
The Northeast Corner is going to be out of commission due to dirty water for the next few days. Slough may be an option by the time you read this but we imagine it will be Saturday or Sunday before Soda Butte or Lamar are clear and fishing well. There are drakes around so when it clears be sure to have some #14 Drake Mackerel Sparkle Duns ready to go. Small streamers like a #16 Pocket Dweller can be good as the water is dropping.
The Madison in the Park looks to be fishing about the same as it has been. There are definitely some lake fish around for those willing to search. The bump in flows from this weeks rain should help get some more fish moving around. We've heard of plenty of fish still taking soft hackles, with Shakey Variants and Baker's Hole Soft Hackles gaining some popularity this week. Soft Hackle Streamers in Yellow/Brown or Baker's Hole Buggers would be good choices if you feel like fishing something a little brighter.
The Madison is still producing a decent terrestrial bite despite the cooler mornings. However, mornings have been much better nymphing a #18 Juju Baetis or #18 Olive Spanish Bullet behind either a San Juan Worm or #10 Black Rubberlegs. Once the sun starts warming things up we have been switching over to a #14 Tan Thunder Thighs or #18 Arrick's Flying Ant. If you're out early it can be fun to throw around a streamer like a #8 Tungsten Sparkle Yummy or #4 Sheila Sculpin.
Hebgen Lake has moved into more of a fall pattern, with most people finding success closer to the arms. Stripping streamers has found some footing as of late, especially for people fishing in the mornings. Don't discount the upcoming weather days as a good time to strip leeches either. There are still Callibaetis and tricos for the die hard dry fly crowd. A well made box would have some #6 Foxee Clousers, #18 Last Chance Cripple Callibaetis and #12 Chironomid Bombers.
The Northeast Corner may be out of commission with the rain for the next while. But once it clears be prepared with your favorite small streamers and Baetis patterns. A #20 Missing Link Baetis or Stealth Link would be top choices once the water clears. If you feel like bouncing a streamer through a run then a #12 Mini Gulp Sculp Jig would be a great choice. You can check stream flows on the Lamar here.
The Madison in the Park has some lake fish spread throughout the system. Numbers aren't at their peak yet if we had to guess, but most people are finding some fish. #6 Lucky Bucky's are seeming to continue their reign of terror against lake runs this year, so we wouldn't hit the river without them. Montana Intruders and Mini Intruders are also an early season favorite for the streamer crowd. If it's a bright sunny day, dead drifting a pair of nymphs can be productive. A #14 Guide Dip or #16 Hot Vac should do a fine job.
The Madison is still seeing a fair number of fish looking up for hoppers and ants. Most mornings are a bit slow but we're finding a few fish on nymphs like a #16 Montana Bullet or #18 Olive Spanish Bullet. Once things start warming up we've been tying on #16 Para-Ant or #18 Arrick's Flying Ant. If you're set on throwing a hopper stick to smaller more natural patterns like a #12 Dave's Hopper or #14 Gold Morrish Hopper.
Hebgen Lake has continued to be a good option for folks looking for some technical fishing. Look for trico's early on the Madison Arm, with long fine leaders and a bit of patience. There are still Callibaetis around but they are on the smaller side. We've still been relying on #18 Deer Hair Spinner Callibaetis and #18 Cdc Thorax Duns for the late morning. For the morning trico's we've been using the #20 Hi-Vis Cdc Trico Spinner.
The Northeast Corner bring your drakes, baetis and ants! It's not easy fishing but it has been fun. With the exception of #12 Drake Mackerel Sparkle Duns, plan on downsizing your offerings. A #14 Gulp Beetle or #18 Arrick's Flying Ant have been great choices along with #14 Pink Morrish Hoppers. Slough has been seeing hatches of the little fall cream Baetis as well, so bring some #20 or #22's for the real picky fish.
The Gallatin has still been a tough one for most folks, but it's still well worth a stop. We've seen the most success fishing two small nymphs in tandem, with #16 Hot Vacs and #18 Olive Spanish Bullets being a few of our favorites. A #17 Missing Link Honey Ant or #18 Arrick's Flying Ant have done well on the surface. For grasshoppers we've been leaning towards more natural patterns like a #12 Parachute Hopper or a #14 Dave's Hopper.
The Madison is fishing well right now and the fish are appreciating the cooler afternoon water temperatures. Mornings have been a bit on the slower side and getting down to the fish has been the most productive method. #16 Brown Montana Bullets and #20 Lightsaber Jigs have been good choices. Late morning through the afternoon has been the time to tie on your favorite terrestrial dry to prospect with. #17 Missing Link Honey Ants, #12 Donkey Kong Hoppers and #14 Gulp Beetles have fooled plenty of fish this week.
Hebgen Lake has been getting off to some slow starts with our chilly mornings but there are still bugs bringing fish to the surface. Trico's are the earliest bite you'll find most days with Callibaetis showing up mid to late morning. Fishing an ant or a hopper during the afternoon hours can also be productive. Think small with the Callibaetis, a #18 Last Chance Cripple Callibaetis or Deer Hair Spinner would be great choices. During the afternoon hours tie on a #20 Cdc Flying Ant in red and do some searching for those hefty fall fish.
The Northeast Corner is fishing a little tougher with the low fall flows and some angling pressure. It's still a great time to spend a day on the Lamar, Slough or Soda Butte as fish are looking for ants and even a few Drake Mackerels. A #12 Drake Mackerel or #14 Para-Ant would be our top choices right now along with a selection of beetles and hoppers. With the cooler mornings it can pay to us a dropper like a #18 Zebra Midge or Olive Spanish Bullet.
The Gallatin is still a bit on the tougher side but did produce a few really nice days for some folks last week. Stealthy approaches and making the first presentation count will go a long ways in creating memorable late summer days here. Fishing a single ant or small hopper will be the way to go in the afternoons. Some of our favorites are a #17 Missing Link Honey Ant, #16 Para-Ant or a #12 Mimic Hopper. If you arrive early nymphing has been productive with #18 Hot Vacs and #16 Peaches & Cream Jigs.
The Madison has continued to be a great option through all our crazy August weather. Bright, sunny days mean terrestrial and overcast, cool and rainy days mean blue wings. We've been heading to the river well prepared with #17 Missing Link Honey Ants, #20 Upright Baetis, #14 Thunder Thighs and #20 Lightsaber Jigs. There are still nocturnal stones about so nymphing with a #10 Coffee Rubberlegs or skating a #12 Chubby Chernobyl early can be productive as well.
Hebgen Lake is continuing to fish well this year and we look forward to every minute we get to spend on it. That doesn't mean it's always easy or the fish are on the surface every day. But any given day can offer up some of the best fishing of the summer if you're in the right place at the right time. Where and when is that? We haven't a clue, but we're still going to keep trying to figure it out! Jokes aside there are plenty of trico's and Callibaetis still, and lot's of ants some days. #20 Trico Para-Spinners, #18 Callibaetis Deer Hair Spinners and #16 CDC Flying Ants are must haves. If you have the patience of a saint tie on a #12 Donkey Kong Hopper, cast it out and just wait.
The Northeast Corner is fishing well all day long again. Be sure to have that terrestrial box loaded and ready to go if you make the drive. Small tan hoppers like a #14 Thunder Thighs have been very good as have small parachute ants like a #16 Arrick's Para-Ant. It won't be too long and we'll be talking about Drake Mackerels, but as of this report we haven't heard of any hatching.
The Gallatin has been a little tougher here lately. If you're cruising through it's still worth a stop to wet a line though. Go prepared to fish some smaller flies including #14 Morrish Hoppers, #16 Arrick's Flying Ants or even a #20 Adam's Parachute. Fishing two flies deep may be the better route to go and if you're going to try some nymphs we would definitely have some #16 Brown Montana Bullets, #18 Shop Vacs and #18 Olive Spanish Bullets.
The Madison is running much cooler than it was at the beginning of the month and is continuing to fish well. For all you dry fly folks it has been tough to beat a well presented ant pattern the past few days and I imagine that will continue for a while. We've been using a variety of different patterns with #16 Bionic Ant Brown, #16 Arrick's Flying Ant and #18 Royal Wulff Cripples being some of our favorite imitations. When it comes to hoppers you'll get a lot of varying opinions on what's working best, so my advice would be to have a good selection of various sizes and colors. A #12 Henneberry Hopper in Tan, #10 Yellow Thunder Thighs and #12 Pink Donkey Kong would round out a nice basic selection. If you're doing any nymphing a #10 Coffee Pat's Rubberlegs and #16 Montana Bullet in brown would be two flies I wouldn't leave home without.
Hebgen Lake has seen some great trico spinner falls in the morning and there's still plenty of Callibaetis around too. A selection of smaller flies will treat most people pretty well right now, some current favorites are #20 Cdc Trico Para-Spinners and #18 Cdc Thorax Dun Callibaetis. It's not uncommon to find some fish looking for ants on the lake so something like a #16 Black Para-Ant is good to have in the box. The storms we've had lately can seem to change the fishing up a bit, so if you're on the water a day after a storm don't give up too early as it's not uncommon for the bite to start later in the day.
The Northeast Corner has received a bunch of rain here lately and it's been tough to find a window of clear water, especially on the Lamar. When the water is clean, look out, because all the streams in that area are fishing well. We have been seeing willing fish come to the surface for a variety of terrestrials with our long time favorite, a #12 Long Horn Beetle being tough to beat.
The Gallatin has been a bit all over the place with the rain. Overall it's still a great option and has fished well with hopper/dropper type rigs. A #10 Yellow Thunder Thighs with a #16 Montana Bullet underneath is a great way to prospect your favorite runs and pools. If you're fishing it closer to big sky we would still have some #14 Summer Spruce Moth's ready to go. Some of the tributaries can add a good bit of color after a rain so don't hesitate to move upriver of these should you arrive and find some off color water.
The Madison has continued to fish well with variety of terrestrials. There have been some spruce moth's between the lakes, hoppers and ants everywhere else. We wouldn't hesitate to prospect with a #16 Cdc Para-Spinner Pink Albert during the morning hours before switching over to a terrestrial in the afternoon. We've been having a fair number of fish looking up for general attractors as well with #14 Royal Wulff Cripples and #16 Lime Trudes being favorites. A #12 Irresistible Bee, #14 Pink Thunder Thighs and #14 Arrick's Para-Ant all being great choices during the afternoon hours.
Hebgen Lake has been a bit up and down with our afternoon storm
