River Flows: Kirby- 976 CFS Cameron- 1,110 CFS
Temperatures are beginning to cool, and the smoke in the Madison Valley is clearing out. In the afternoon, fish are still looking up for terrestrials like Flying Ants, Hoppers, and Beetles. Trailing a small dropper in the #16- #18 range will increase the chance of hooking up. The fish will be holding in the classic spots. Drift your flies close to the bank, behind big rocks, and in the slower seams. The slower seams provide good feeding lanes. The fish aren’t going to burn 10 calories to eat 5. Nymphing the deeper water with a small Streamer with a Nymph trailing will also get you into fish. It’s never a bad idea to allow the rig to swing at the end of the drift so don’t give up on it. By now, the fish have seen every Hopper pattern from every shop in the Valley. The dead drift on a Hopper isn’t going to cut it anymore. The fish are educated and giving the Hopper a twitch during the drift will draw more attention. Conditions in late Summer can produce more of a challenge. It’s a transition period, and you’ll need to keep after it to get your chances. As Summer draws to an end, the temperatures will begin to drop, we can begin looking forward to fall fishing and the big fish it produces. Be sure to stop by the shop and let the Beartooth Flyfishing crew assist you with the current conditions, hot flies, and anything else you need to have an enjoyable day out on the Madison River. As always, be sure to start the day on the water with the best free cup of coffee in the Madison Valley.
Dry Flies: White Cloud Hopper Peach, Tan, or Olive #10-#14; Morrish Hopper Olive, Tan #12; Mongo Hopper Tan, or Peach #12; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Cinnamon, Royal, or UV Black #14-#18; Delektable Slammer Cream, Yellow, or Tan / Red Thread # 8 -14; Delektable Twisted X Tan / Brown #14-#16. Yeager’s 409 Red #16-#18. Humpy Royal, Yellow, Chartreuse #14-#18. Carlson’s Purple Craze #16-#18. G.B.F Parawulff Royal #14-#16. Parachute Adams #14-#20.
Nymphs: Pat’s Rubberlegs in Black, Black/Brown, Olive/Brown #8-#12. Delektable Guide Stone in Black, Black/Brown #8-#10. Delektable Gold BH Formerly Mega Prince #8-#10. Delektable Mega Prince Std. FB #8-#10. Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker in PT, Holo Olive, Holo Black #18. Delektable Lil’ Spanker PT, Silver, Gold, Blue, Red #16-#20. Delektable JH Tungsten Olive Hare’s Ear Torchlight #16-#18. Duracell Original or Copper Top #16. Spanish Bullets Black #18. Zebra Midge Red or Black #18-#20. Delektable Twinkle Black, Red, Olive #18-#20. Psycho Prince Purple or Yellow #16-#18. MT Bullet Red/Black #18. Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior #18.
Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single Olive/Black Silver, Olive/Black Gold, Black, Olive/White, or Olive #6, Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6, Dalai Llama Olive/White #6-#10; Coffey’s Conehead Sparkle Minnow JJ, Smoke, or Sculpin #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #4-#8. Mini Loop Sculpin Olive or Natural #6.Trevor’s Sculpin Olive, Black, Natural #4. Jig Zonker Copper or Natural #6.
