Summer is here on the Upper Madison River, and the insects got the memo. Large volumes of early spring rain have extended runoff, and river flows to healthy levels not foreseen from the weaker winter. Insect activity is bustling and fish feeding is peaked for the season.
Salmon flies and golden stones have popped off on different sections on the river, with large fish gorging when enticed. Swarms of Caddis flies are flowing directly over sagebrush like a current. Pale Morning Duns are pushing their way up river, getting eaten along the way. Yellow Sallies and other small Stoneflies help fill in the cracks. The buffet is open, and the fish are gluttonous. Streamer fishing remains prevalent when flows increase from early summer rain we’ve received. Putting a small Nymph or Emerger behind the Streamer can be a ticket. Try that.
River flows in the middle of June have reached just below 1,200 cubic feet per second at the Kirby monitoring station, and 1,400 cubic feet per second at the Cameron monitoring station. Tapering off until larger rainfall events at the end of June helped bump river flows again to seasonal highs. Madison river flow rates can be viewed using The U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge at Cameron (Madison River near Cameron MT – USGS-06040000) and Kirby (Madison River at Kirby Ranch nr Cameron MT – USGS-06038800).
Clients are experiencing extremely effective Nymphing & Dry Fly fishing on the Upper Madison, exaggerating feeding in the waning hours of the day, closer to dusk. Salmon fly fishing initially was extremely effective after the first three weeks of June. However, variable rainfall and colder weather have resulted in a more sporadic annual hatch throughout the whole Upper Madison. Fish are still willing to rise on Salmon flies and Golden stones, even if aggressive rises have become fewer and far between due to higher flows and colder weather days.
Beartooth Flyfishing is located at 2925 US-287 North in Cameron, MT 59720. We are open Monday through Sunday from 8 AM to 6 PM. Stop by and visit us in the valley for free coffee, a current selection of proven flies, and plenty of fishing stories and advice from the Beartooth Flyfishing crew and family.
Nymphs: Delektable Sparkle Kaboom Stone #6 – #10; Delektable Guide Stone Black/Olive #6 – #10; Pat’s Rubber Legs Black/Olive #6 – #10 Delektable BH Prince Brandon #8-#16; Delektable GTBH Hares Ear Torch Light #16 – #18; BH Lightning Bug Gold / Silver #16 – #20; Jig CDC Thrasher Copper Brown #16 – #18; Wire Worm Red or Orange #8. Pheasant Tail #12-#18; Jig Duracell Original Copper Top #16; Stoker’s Two Hot Baetis #18; Silver BH Black Spanish Bullet #16 – #18.
Streamers: Dali Lama #6-#10; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black and Yellow, or Black #6; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive #4; Coffey’s Conehead Sparkle Minnow Smoke or Sculpin #6; Zonker Natural/Pearl, Natural/Copper #6 – #8; Sculpzilla Black, Olive/White #4 – #8; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #4 – #8.
Dry flies: Delektable Secret Stone UV Orange #6 -#8, Delektable Secret Stone Royal #6 – 8; Delektable Secret Stone UV Goldenstone #10 – #12; Delektable Chubbyness Royal, Cinnamon, or Rootbeer #14 – #18; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan #12 – #14, Geppert’s Skinny Dip Crystal #14 – #16; Delektable Halo Peacock, Dark Olive, or Royal #14 – #16; Carlson’s Purple Craze #16; Sparkle Dun BWO #18 – #20; Bat Wing Emerger BWO #18; Delektable Teaser BWO #18 – #20.
