Montana Troutfitters
www.troutfitters.com:
Upper Madison
Flows have dropped once again, now its running around 1290CFS, when it's dropping fishing is generally good, accordingly yesterday and today reports of fishing have been good from more experienced anglers. Fishing on the Upper has been just like the flows, a little all over the place with no real consistency to speak of. One day it's 2000CFS, the next it's dropped down to 1300, and when that happens fish are in limbo and moving to readjust for cover and feeding lanes - so when that happens it's time to start searching the river and fishing some places you might not normally think of - ie the middle of the river. When things do get like this, typically the dry fly fishing is kind of hit or miss and it becomes more of a streamer and nymph game. Trips have been running all over the river, and things have been mixed. I personally like to fish a sculpin pattern with a beadhead off the back below an indicator when flows are all over the place that way you're covering all your bases below the surface. The upper stretches around 3 Dollar are fishing decent, again, fish are all over the place, I personally unless I saw fish rising to a hatch would be fishing nymphs below an indicator. I won't predict where flows will be, but if they do settle in, hopper fishing should really pick up.Fly pattern suggestions:
Ugly Bug Brown, Yellow & Black: 6-8-10 BH FB PT: 14-16-18 Brokeback Goldenstone: 6-8-10 Firey Juan: 10 Copper Bead BWO: 16-18-20 Electric Caddis Olive: 14-16 Gummy Stone Golden: 6 Copper John Black & Red: 16-18-20 Silvey's Sculpin Tan & Olive: 2 Eyez Wide Open Tan & Olive: 2 Bow River Bugger Olive & Black: 2 PMX Red, Yellow, Black & Lime: 10-12-14 Twisted Sister & Babies (Purple & Chart): 10-12-14-16 Mustang Sally: 16-18 Brokeback Sally: 14-16 Grand Hopper: 6-8-10 Chubby Hopper: 6-8-10 Foam Flying Ant Cinnamon & Black: 16-18
Last Updated: 8/7/07
Missouri
Things are a little tough from reports we have been hearing up on the Missouri. Along with the tougher fishing you have some tough fishing conditions, smoke, wind and warm afternoons. Fishing is definitely better in the mornings when the tricos are going, that's going to be the best bet on top, apparently there are still some caddis hanging around in the afternoons and evenings, but really they haven't been spectacular according to what we've been hearing. If the wind dies down a bit and some cloud cover hangs around, the fishing can be decent. The other thing you have to contend with is some moss, it's getting bad. For the trico's, have some cdc spinners as well as some sunken patterns, I have found that fishing one that rides below the surface film sometimes is deadly. For your caddis most of the Missouri guides I know prefer a CDC caddis this late in the season, the Sedge Hammer is a pretty good pattern up on the Mo in late season.Fly pattern suggestions:
San Juan Worm Brown & Red: 10 WD 40 Red and Grey: 18-20 Disco Midge: 18-20 Zebra Midge: 18-20 Scud Pink and Grey: 18 Pheasant Tail: 18-20 Ray Charles Grey and Pink: 18 Wilcox's Little Green Machine PT: 16-18-20 Bloom's Para Caddis Tan: 14-16 PMD's (Cripples, Emergers, Duns): 18-20 Tailwater Tiny Brown: 18-20-22 Hogans Military Nymph Brown: 18-20 The Brokeback Flymph PMD: 18-20 Bloom's Sedge Hammer Ginger and Brown/Olive: 16-18 Lawson's Spent Partridge Tan & Peacock: 16-18 CDC Trico Spinner: 18-20-22 Trico Emerger: 20-22-24
Last Updated: 8/7/07
Big Hole
Well the Big Hole saw some rain and the river has come roaring up a whole 12CFS, woohoo!!! Fishing wise over there right now, mornings are still better than afternoons, getting a good trico hatch in the am that fish are keying in on, so surface action is decent. Haven't heard anymore about spruce moths, probably waning with the cooler weather and rain. Have heard that fishing has been decent however. Hoppers and attractors once light starts to hit the water are pretty decent. With cooler water temps, the afternoons can be a bit more productive - flow wise, it's around 200CFS at Melrose, hopefully they keep getting a bit of rain and cooler weather to help things along. This might be worth making a trip over to and get in some trico fishing in the late morning and then switch up to hoppers and attractors in the afternoon.Fly pattern suggestions:
CH JJ's: 2-4-6 Silvey's Sculpin Tan, Black & Olive: 2 Delektable CDC Baby: 14-16-18 Lightning Bug: 14-16 Pheasant Tail: 14-16 Chubby Golden: 6-8-10 Mustang Sally: 16-18 Rusty Spinner: 14-16 PMX Peacock, Yellow, Red: 14-16-18 Headlight Sally: 14-16 Yellow Stimulator: 12-14-16 CDC Elk Hair Caddis: 12-14-16 PMD's (assorted duns, and spinners): 16-18-20 Trico Spinner CDC: 18-20 Para Trico: 16-18-20 CDC Trico Emerger: 18-20 Sunken Trico: 20-22 Spruce Moth: 10
Last Updated: 8/7/07