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 storms but is still an option worth exploring. There are plenty of trico's and Callibaetis to get the fish looking up. We've been heading out with a selection of different patterns for surface work with a #20 Hi-Vis Para Spinner Trico, #16 Deer Hair Spinner, #16 Adam's Parawulff and #14 Deer Hair Damsel being some of our go-to's. For nymphs it's still tough to beat a #16 Driscoll's BH Callibaetis nymph or #16 Split Case Pmd.
The Gallatin is still fishing very well and its resident fish population is loving all the cold water it provides. There can be some excellent spruce moth fishing through certain sections of river this time of year, so head out prepared with a #14 Corn Fed Spruce Moth! Nymphing has been very good with a variety of small flies like #16 FKA Princes and #16 Montana Bullets. Prospecting undercuts along the meadow stretches with a #14 Donkey Kong Hopper can be a great way to spend an afternoon as well.
The Northeast Corner has gotten some much needed rain since we last spoke and is still fishing well up until closing time at 2pm. We've seen some good pmd hatches still with fish looking up for a #16 Cdc Para-Spinner Rusty and #16 Sparkle Dun Pmd's. Late morning switching over to a #12 Longhorn Beetle or #14 Pink Donkey Kong Hopper trailed by a #16 Black Para-Ant has been quite effective.
The Madison is continuing to fish pretty darn consistently as we move into August. We are still seeing some good dry fly fishing during the morning hours and the terrestrial bite in the afternoon seems to pick up a little more every day. Nymph fishing has been good all day long especially in the faster riffles. We would definitely have #16 Cdc Para-Spinners, #14 Adams Cripples and #14 Yellow Thunder Thighs. For nymphs a #16 $3 Serendipity or Montana Bullet have been very good choices.
Hebgen Lake slowed down a touch with Callibaetis this week due to all the rain but we expect it to pick back up with the warmer weather in the forecast. #16 Deer Hair Callibaetis Spinners, #20 Trico Guide Winna Spinners and #14 Deer Hair Damsels should be in every box headed out to the lake right now. Swimming a #14 Marabou Damsel Nymph along the weed beds can be fun when there's no bugs on the surface.
The Yellowstone has been up and down this week with bugs and fish. One interesting thing of note is that quite a few folks have ran into pods of smaller fish, which is a great look for the future of this fishery. There are still some pmd's popping off some days and a few caddis around that will bring some fish to the surface. #16 Guide Winna Spinna Brindle is a good morning searching pattern or a #12 Chili Stone in the afternoon. Swinging small soft hackles like a #14 Micro Beeley or #16 Nick's Soft Hackle Caddis can be quite productive on the days where the fish aren't up on the surface.
The Northeast Corner is still fishing well during the hours of hoot owl. Some much needed rain showed up in the Lamar Valley this week and did a good job of bumping flows and keeping water temps cool. Much like the Yellowstone there are still some days with good pmd hatches but for the most part we are seeing more fish caught on terrestrials like ants and beetles. Some good choices would be a #14 Gulp Beetles, #16 Arrick's Flying Ant and #14 Morrish Hoppers. If the fish are being fussy for you try dropping a #18 Purple Zebra Midge in front of them.
The Madison has offered up some really good morning dry fly opportunities. A #16 Rusty Spinner has been a great choice for the last week or so. We are also seeing more and more fish look up for smaller hopper patterns like a #14 Thunder Thighs in pink or yellow. Don't discount attractor patterns this time of year as many of our guides have been finding success with #14/#16 Royal Wulff Cripples and Adam's Cripples.
Hebgen Lake is doing it's best to remind us of it's dry fly glory days of late. While most will say it's not easy or long lasting, there have been some periods of great Callibaetis activity this week. #16 Callibaetis Sparkle Duns, Cdc Para-Spinners and Last Chance Cripples have been our go-to's. Once the hatch tapers off late morning stripping #10 Seal Buggers or Balanced Leeches has been quite effective.
The Yellowstone has offered up a little tougher bite this week but is still a wonderful option for those looking to do a little head hunting. The big trick can be deciphering what that huge cutthroat is actually coming up to eat. I don't know the answer to that question but I do know I would definitely try a #14 Gulp Beetle before heading off to find a friendlier fish. Be sure to keep an eye out for pmd's and caddis and have a good selection of all stages.
The Northeast Corner is under hoot owl restrictions starting tomorrow. Hit the water at sun up and enjoy some great fishing until 2pm. There are still pmd's and caddis around but most folks are finding more success with small hoppers like a #14 Morrish Hopper and #10 Longhorn Beetles. Since you'll be there early it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few Rusty Spinners for those fish sipping in the eddies.
The Madison is starting to see afternoon temps creep up a bit high in the afternoons, especially on the lower reaches. It is in "Hoot Owl" from Ennis FAS down to Ennis Reservoir and then from warm Springs to the confluence with the Jefferson. Meaning you have to be done fishing at 2pm until midnight through those sections of river. Even outside of the lower river it isn't a bad idea to use a thermometer to check the water temperature during the hotter parts of the day. We're still seeing pmd's, caddis and yellow sallies in good numbers, but the bite has gotten tougher. Look for spinners in the morning, a #16 Guide Winna Spinner Brindle has been a good choice. It can be a good idea to fish some of the deeper more oxygenated water in the afternoons with a #10 Coffee Rubberlegs trailed by a #18 $3 Dip.
Hebgen Lake is looking better by the day right now. We've had some ideal weather for hatches and the bugs and fish have begun to respond. There are Callibaetis, Tricos and even a few caddis. You should be able to find some fish feeding in any of the arms and parts of the main lake. Chasing fish normally doesn't pan out so get in position with a #16 Last Chance Cripple Callibaetis or Foam Spinner and get ready to have some fun. For droppers we have really been liking a #16 Spanish Bullets and Driscoll's BH Callibaetis Nymph.
The Gallatin has basically gone through all of it's big bug hatches and is on to a main course of pmd's, caddis and yellow sallies. We aren't too far away from seeing spruce moth's if they decide to make an appearance this year. A selection of #16 Pmd Sparkle Duns, #18 Missing Link Caddis and Jake's Yellow Sally should have most of your bases covered. Nymphing has also been good with #16 Montana Bullets and Sally Quills.
The Yellowstone is fishing quite well and there are still plenty of bugs! Green drakes have been pulling fish to the surface and at times it can be really tough to beat a #12 Foam Spinner Green Drake. There are even a few stoneflies around but if you're looking to prospect with foam we would aim small with a Chili Stone. Most days will have some pmd's and caddis around as well so be prepared with a selection of each.
The Northeast Corner has pmd's hatching almost daily, rain or shine. We've been using a lot of #16 Pmd Sparkle Duns and #20 Cream Almost There Baetis. Longhorn Beetles are moving some fish as are #14 Gulp Beetles. Most days the hatches are starting around 10am and we've been moving to attractors and terrestrials once the hatch peters out. There have been a lot of bison in the valley and they can sometimes dictate where we are able to fish but it's a cool part of the overall experience fishing in the park.
Hebgen Lake has given us quite a wild variety of reports, both from our guides and from some of you. I would say it's well worth fishing especially during the calm of the morning and staying until the wind says it's time to go. For flies a #12 Chironomid Bomber or Ice Cream Cone along with a #16 BH Callibaetis Nymph or even a #14 Split Case PMD will be good choices. There's been a handful of the big early season Callibaetis starting to hatch so fishing one of the previously mentioned nymphs underneath a #14 Adam's Parawulff might be a fun way to go.
Hebgen Lake has produced some great midge hatches lately, unfortunately the wind has said "absolutely not" to being calm enough to find fish rising. Chironomid and leech fishing has been productive in the chop thankfully. Our best advice is to get an early start in order to beat the wind for awhile. Set up an indicator rig with a #12 Ice Cream Cone or Chironomid Bomber with a #10 Balanced Leech underneath. If it's calm retrieve as painstakingly slow as you can manage and if it's choppy just let the waves do the work.
Hebgen Lake is currently sitting at just over 93% of capacity and is starting to see a pickup in fish activity. Fishing subsurface with #14 Ice Cream Cones and #10 Balanced Leeches has been the best bet, but reports of fish on the surface feeding have ramped up. While we don't sell a specific dry pattern for the big spring midges we are big fans of a #14 Royal Wulff Cripple and #14 Adam's Cripples. Dropping your favorite chironomid pattern underneath a dry can also be very productive this time of year as fish are starting to cruise higher in the water column.
The Madison should continue to ramp up with this classic spring weather. #10 Black or Coffee Rubberlegs followed by a #18 Zebra Midge or #18 Spanish Bullet should get you through the morning and early afternoon hours. After that keep an eye out for fish working the softer water eating midges or Baetis
