NOTICE!! This coming weekend, August 2nd-3rd Noon to 5PM, we are celebrating our 12th Annual Montana Hope Project Fundraiser in memory of John “Grandpa” Delekta! The importance of this event is to make a wish come true for the terminally ill, disease stricken, and special needs kids of Montana and their families. We will be serving Marty’s famous Gumbo, Dan & Nancy’s Chili along with cookies and pies from Elle at Elle’s Belles and Vickie Noack at Country Bumpkin Bakery. We will also provide fly tying demonstrations and casting clinics throughout the weekend. For a $65 donation you can get all the food you can eat that day and support a great cause to help Montana’s Families. Additional donations are greatly appreciated. We will also be providing a percentage of sales from the weekend to the Montana Hope Project. Contact us if you need guidance on providing a donation by mail or phone. Phone: 406-682-7525 or email: info@beartoothflyfishing.com.
Oh! the Wild Madison River Summers! Untamed winds, terrestrials abound, PMDs and Caddis still swirling about, hot days and cool nights; what more could you ask for in this Wild West Valley we call home!
Whilst other rivers are experiencing declining flows and hoot owl restrictions, here on the Upper Madison from Quake Lake to Ennis Lake, we are abundant with steady flows, cool water and most importantly a plentiful and healthy Trout population that is eating well this Summer! These past two weeks we have seen epic dry fly fishing; bobber down abound and a sprinkling of hot to trot streamer fishing. Weather conditions, especially the cooler nights, have led to later starts in the day and later evening hatches. The fishing has been consistently good for those that consistently adapt to the changing conditions throughout the day.
Stream flows rose to 1,340cfs at Kirby and 1,470cfs at Cameron for the first two 90-degree days this month, dropping incrementally over the next 4 days to stabilize to 1,080cfs at Kirby and 1,200cfs at Cameron. These bumps in flows are critical to keeping our trout and fishery healthy. As fisherman with all the technological tools at our fingertips and the information it provides us, you think that we would always be able to outsmart those Trout, but thankfully that’s just not the case. If it was too easy, we wouldn’t keep coming back!
Hatches we are still seeing are PMDs, Caddis, Nocturnal Stones, Ants and some nice Hopper days! From above and below the Madison River Trout have been responsive to Dries, Nymphing and Streamers. Streamer fishing has been hit or miss the last week, but they have been a great attractor dead drifted with a juicy trailer! With the cool nights we have been experiencing better Dry Fly action early to mid morning and again later in the evening during the last few hours of daylight. Nymphing has been consistent throughout the day with Nocturnal Stones, Caddis and PMDs being the bread, butter and sugar.
Here at Beartooth Flyfishing hope you are getting out and having way too much fun in the bountiful nature of Southwest Montana! We are open Every day 7:00 am to 5:30 pm; stop on by for the best free coffee, the best fly selection, the best view and the best retail experience in the Valley!
Nymphs: Delektable Jig Head Tungsten Micro Spanker PT, Hare’s Ear or Sally #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black, Brown or Pearl #14-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs or Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown, Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; Delektable Tungsten Gold B.H. Formerly Prince #16-#18; BH Lightning Bug Silver, Gold or Pearl #18-#14; Delektable Tungsten BH Big Spanker Warrior #16-#18; Jig CDC Brown Trasher #16; JH Quill PMD Spanish Bullet #16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, Silver, Blue, PT or Gold #12-#18; Bloom’s Silver Tung Dart #14-#16; Jig CDC Copper Thrasher #16; Delektable Tungsten Spanker Crackback Yellow #14-#18; Jig Duracell Original #16; Delektable JH Hammerhead Prince or Hare’s Ear #14-#16; Psycho Prince Purple or Yellow #14-#16.
Dries: Carlson’s Purple Craze #10-#16; Cornfed Caddis CDC Olive or Tan #16; Delektable Halo Tan, Mo’River, Royal or Peacock #14-#16; PMD Parachute Rusty Spinner #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Caddis Green #14-#18; Bloom’s Parachute Caddis Amber or Olive #16; CDC Parachute Rusty Spinner #14-#16; Hi-Viz Rusty Spinner #16; Delektable Lil’ Secret Goldrush, UV Caddis Green or UV Pink #14-#16; Delektable Chubbyness UV Cinnamon, Olive Brown, Rootbeer or UV Purple #10-#16; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut or Pink #12-#10; Delektable Secret Stone UV Dark Olive or Royal #10-#12; Morrish Hopper Tan, Green or Pink #12-#14; Para Ant Black & Red #14-#16; Delektable Flying Ant Cinnamon, Black or Purple #14-#16.
Streamers: JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive or Natural #6; Dalai Lama Olive/White #6-#10; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #4; Delektable Single Screamer Olive/White, Olive/Black in Gold or Badger #6; Scuzy Sculp Olive or Natural #4, Sparkle Minnow Olive, Natural or Natural/Copper #4-#6.
