Yellowstone River
Well last nights rains apparently dirtied up the river a little bit up high. Probably will be fishable, but there will be a plug of mud running down as of Saturday. We have had several trips out on the river this week, a couple times we had some great days from like Pine to Carters, the town down to 89 stuff I have heard has been really hit or miss, mostly miss. Things up higher have been pretty darn good up top, floated Point of Rocks down to Emigrant and had consistent action on dries, not too shabby. Time wise right now, things have been consistent pretty much all day long, from the early mornings, through the afternoons and right on into the evenings. Streamers and nymphs are working well in the mornings, hatch activity is pretty much non existent except for a few of the midnight goldenstones here and there, and a few tricos way down low. As the afternoon progresses, hopper activity has steadily progressed through the day, fish are looking up at Chubby's and Grand Hoppers as well as the old standbys like a Dave's or Whit's. Evenings are decent if there is any hatch activity left over, maybe a few caddis here and there but not much, it's time for streamers and nymphs again for the evening stretches typically. Had a 26+ inch brown landed by a client on the Yellowstone over the weekend, will post the pics, check it out when we do.Fly pattern suggestions:
Ugly Bug Brown, Golden, & Black: 6-8-10 Mega Prince: 6-8-10 CH Bow River Bugger Olive & Black: 2-4-6 Silvey's Sculpin Olive, Tan & Black: 2 Chubby Golden: 6-8-10-12 PMX Lime, Black, Red & Peacock: 10-12-14 Chubby Orange: 10-12 Twisted Baby Yellow and Red: 14-16 Twisted Baby Purple: 14-16 Twisted Baby Tan & Chartreuse: 14-16 Mustang Sally: 16-18 Lightning Bug Gold: 12-14-16 Chubby Hopper: 6-8-10 AttractAnt: 16 Fat Head Beetle: 16 Hopper Popper: 6-10 Grand Hopper: 8-10-12-14-16
Upper Madison
Fishing is a little all over the place depending on the weather - nice days grab your hoppers and ants, crummy days grab your streamers and nymphs and there are even a few baetis. They are finally running a little more water down the Upper, right now today it's around 950, so it's not as if that's going to mean a whole lot for floating, but fish will have a little more water to hold in in some places, which is always a good thing. Different stretches have been fishing (and floating) quite differently. Had good reports on some hopper fishing up higher around Lyons to Mac, the stuff down near town has been really hit or miss, some good days, some terrible days, guess that's pretty typical for August in Montana after the summer we have had. River remains in good shape, up high around 3 Dollar and Slide wade fishing has been productive with caddis larvae and mayfly nymphs of sorts, not much hatch activity though. Between the lakes has been good and consistent, as always, red is the ticket (I think I've said this before...) So for the weekend, hopefully the river levels will stay steady.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 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 Hi Vis Beetle: 14-16 Hairy Sculpin Brown & Light Olive: 2-4
Lower Madison
Closures Have Been Lifted in Beartrap Canyon, River Still Closed at 2pm to Midnight from Warm Springs Downstream.
Still not interested much in fishing this yet, especially with the onstream report from my buddies the other day. It was really slow, a few fish up on hoppers, but mostly it was a weed fest, tumble weeds in the middle of the river on the exposed weed beds, low flows, face it - water isn't exactly cold either down from Warm Springs. Not my first recommendation for floating, in fact just about the last thing I would recommend floating. But fishing in the mornings has been decent, according to reports Beartrap has been fishing pretty well now, I would imagine you can get a few fish to look up for grasshoppers. My first inclination on this right now would be to head up into beartrap fish the deeper heavier runs with more oxygen in them, fish streamers in the mornings, fish nymphs throughout the day, and try some hoppers in the afternoons, and don't forget your crayfish... Still not ready to send trips out on this, it just looks like crap right now, hopefully the fishing will pick up, have an onstream report for you for the weekend tomorrow at some point.Fly pattern suggestions:
Stinger Sculpin Olive & Tan: 2 Cone-nan The Barbarian: 2 Silvey's Sculpin Olive & Tan: 2 BH FB PT: 16-18-20 Copper Bead Mayfly: 16-18-20 Grand Hopper: 6-8-10 Hi-Vis Gorilla: 6-8-10 Stalcups Hopper: 6-8 Clousers Crayfish Tan & Brown: 8-10 Deaddrift Crayfish: 4