Fishing Report
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2010
Fall In SW Montana
It is hard to believe but fall has come early to the mountains of SW Montana. There is snow in the high country and temperatures are cooling off quickly. This is good news for anglers. All area rivers are going to be in superb shape this fall. We are not facing any low stream flows or warm water temperatures.
The Big Hole is holding up extremely well. Tricos are hatching and you can still take fish on hoppers when the days warm up. If the dry fly is slow go to stone fly nymphs and copper johns in tandem.
The Beaverhead continues to be exceptionally good from top to bottom. On the upper end you will find crane fly activity and very good nymph fishing. On the lower river down to Dillon, larger bead head nymphs work very well and if you are a streamer fisherman you will want to drag out your wooley buggers when the days are overcast.
The Jefferson is coming on again. You may find some blue winged olive action and perhaps you can still find a fish willing to eat a hopper when the days warm again. If there is no dry fly action put on the usual suspects for nymphs and streamers.
The Madison has been a typical August type Madison. Mostly smaller fish taking attractor dries and nymphs. Things should change now that the weather is more fall like. We expect to see the larger fish begin to get active again. Fish nymphs deep and streamers with overcast skies.
The Ruby is on and off depending upon the rainfall we receive. It will get off color with the hard rain and hail showers we have been experiencing. Check with someone before traveling to the Ruby just to make sure it is clear.
As always, the Clark Canyon Reservoir can produce large fish for those who enjoy still water fishing.
Come to Montana prepared for any kind of weather from here on out and you should have a great time.
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010
Late Summer 2010 Fishing
August and September until about the middle of September are considered late summer in the Rockies of SW Montana. It has been a very different season in SW Montana in 2010. We have had lots of water and cooler temperatures. This has resulted in a couple of things happening. First, the hopper fishing that most people anticipate in the late season has just not amounted to much. The early wet/cool weather knocked down the hopper hatch and most of the larger rivers just have not seen fish getting up on hoppers or attractor dry flies. The other good outcome from higher stream flows and cooler air tempertures is that none of our rivers will experience any type of late season closures in the 2010 season. All will fish very well through the end of summer and into the fall fishing season.
The Beaverhead-Bank full but fishing extremely well with small nymphs. You do need to use a lot of weight to get the flies down but when you do the river is on fire. We are fishing micro may flies, split back nymphs and trigger nymphs in sizes 18 and 20 on the upper river. Below the High Bridge change to larger princes, copper johns, pheasant tails and lightening bugs in sizes 14 and 16.
The Big Hole is best fished above Melrose where water temperatures are a bit cooler. You will get some fish on tricos and attractor patterns on top but the more consistent fishing is with nymphs either off an indicator or with a dry dropper set up.
The Madison is a typical late summer Madison. It is hit and miss. Some days you will do well with streamers and nymph droppers and some days you need to fish straight nymph rigs. Dry Fly fishing is possible with shear persistance. Attractors are the ticket.
The Jefferson has fished better through the summer than any time in years. Some hopper dropp action, good streamer fishing with overcast and always steady nymph fishing.
The Ruby will produce some hopper fishing but we find late evening with streamers like the yuk bug to be more effective.
Clark Canyon is back on with streamers on the south end. Big Rainbows with some nice browns.
Enjoy a good water year and some really terrific summer weather!!
Monday, Jul 26, 2010
Mid to Late Summer Fishing
Hot weather has finally come to SW Montana. Streams are generally dropping and water temperatures warming. This means you may have to look at earlier morning starts before water temperatures warm towards mid day. Fortunately with all the rain SW Montana experienced this spring, stream flows are well above what they would typically be at this time of year in seasons past.
The Madison River from Ennis to Quake Lake is fishing like a typical Madison in the middle of hot weather. You will take smaller fish on the surface using attractor dry flies. Dead drift nymphing can be effective at times and be sure to fish streamers either dead drifted or on a slow retrieve.
The Big Hole is good early in the morning until about mid afternoon and then it warms to a point where fishing slows down. Fish stone fly nymphs and bead heads deep or try attractor patterns on the surface. Hatch activity is about over till the tricos come on in mid August. Hopper fishing is just starting to happen.
The Jefferson is clear and the flows are much better than normal. Fishing is good with a mixed bag of dries, nymphs and streamers. The Jeff is primarily a floating river but you can find walk/wade places with public access.
The Ruby has cleared and should fish well with small bead heads early and then dries in the afternoons. Hoppers will begin to come on. You can think about streamer fishing when you have overcast days.
THe Beaverhead still is fishing very well although it is quite high. The ranchers are using a lot of water on their hay crops and this keeps water releases on the Beaverhead in the 800 cubic feet per second range. You will do well with yellow sally nymphs and a mixed bag of pmd type nymphs. Some top water fishing with pmd's and yellow sallys.
Clark Canyon reservoir is coming on fast. If you like to catch big fish, be sure to spend a day on the reservoir. You can strip streamers or fish indicators and midge nymphs.
We are enjoying really beautiful summer weather. Get out and catch some fish!
Sunday, Jul 11, 2010
Mid Summer Fishing
SW Montana has finally begun to experience summer like weather! You will not find the Montana country side in a more glorious condition than it is this summer. Everything is lush and green. Wildflowers are blooming, the grass is belly high on grazing deer in the meadows and our rivers are full! Life is good on the trout streams of SW Montana and you should be fishing!
The Beaverhead continues to produce heavy hatches of pmd's, caddis and yellow sallys. We expect the dry fly fishing to remain good through the summer. When the acquatic insect hatches peter out the hopper fishing will come on. If you do hit a lull in the dry fly action, revert back to nymphs and you will have good success.
The Big Hole is still running very full and fishing as well as we have seen in many years. Again, you will find fish on the surface eating stone flies (yellow sallys), caddis and even some green drakes. If you fish nymphs, you want to drift things like the copper john, pat's stone and any other favorite bead head pattern. When the afternoon cloud build up occurs think about trying some streamer patterns.
The Madison is high but clear. Fishing is more with nymphs than dries but the fishing is good. Stone Fly Patterns, copper johns, and smaller bead head nymphs are all good choices.
The Ruby is clearing and fishable both above and below the reservoir. As with other area streams, you will find some dry fly hatches and when the bugs are not on the surface fish bead heads and small streamers.
The Jefferson is still pretty off color but is clearing some and when you get a bit more visibility you will want to consider the Jefferson as a float option.
As the days begin to get even warmer we should see grasshoppers moving in the fields. Keep some hopper patterns with you at all times and after lunch give them a try.
Enjoy yourselves and fish safely. The rivers are still pretty high.
Friday, Jul 02, 2010
July Fourth Prognostication
2010 Independence day Fishing should be excellent! The Madison River south of Ennis is experiencing the famous "Salmon Fly" hatch. Bugs are to be found from Ennis to MacAtee Bridge and will probably move up the river very quickly if the weather stays warm. Fish stone fly nymphs deep early in the day until the big flies get in the air and on the water. You may find both Salmon Flies and Golden Stone Flies so have patterns to match both insects.
The Big Hole has finally dropped to managable levels and fishing is good. You will begin to see some top water action with caddis, may flies and golden stones. If the dry fly fishing is slow then go deep with nypmhs.
The Beaverhead is higher due to rancher irrigation needs but it is fishing well. Primarily nymphs right now but pmd hatches are coming on. Fish lightening bugs, psycho princes, small stone fly patterns and the old san juan worm.
Anglers are inquiring about the Ruby and other meadow streams in the Twin Bridges/Sheridan area. These fisheries are still high and off color but if the rains cease you will see the rivers clearing rapidly in the next week.
Have a good holiday weekend on the water and be safe!!