September 8th-21st, 2025 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on September 21, 2025 by Beartooth Flyfishing

September is one of the most fun times of all year to fish in Montana. The vibrant leaves begin to fall while the nights and mornings become crisp. October Caddis and Blue Wings replace Hoppers and Ants while we trade the heat for cooler weather.

The fishing over the last few weeks has improved since August with the water temperatures finally dropping accompanied by a few heavy rainstorms! Nymphing or Streamer fishing has been the ticket, with the Dry Fly fishing having its moments with some sporadic hatches of Caddis and BWOs in cloudy weather.

Sculpin patterns and attractor Nymphs have been fishing solid and have been getting the majority of the fish on the river. Targeting the fast to slow transition water and drop offs with these flies have been the most productive with a lot of fish holding before they make their way upriver to spawn towards the end of the month.

In the coming weeks we expect the fishing to improve as the temperature continues to drop, and weather moves in. As usual, the morning and late afternoon remain the best time to get out there on a bite window.

Dries: Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Tan, Royal, UV Cinnamon or UV Pink #14-#18; Delektable Halo Royal, Peacock or Mo River #16-#18; Delektable Chubbyness Rootbeer, Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Purple or Olive Brown #12-#16; Micro Water Walker Peanut or Pink #14-#16; Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #14-#16; Yaeger’s 409 Red #14-#16; More or Less Hopper Yellow or Peach #10-#12; White Cloud Hopper Tan or Peach #12-#14; Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink or Tan #12-#14; Delektable Flying Ant Red, Purple or Black #14-#18; Delektable Lil’ Secret UV Pink, Royal or Goldrush #14-#18; and Parachute Adams Sparkle Purple #16-#18, Purple Haze Parachute #16

Nymphs: RS2 Olive or Grey #18-#20; BH Montana Bullet Black/Red #18; Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown, Black or Black/Brown #10; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, PT, Silver, Gold or Blue #16-#18; Delektable Hammerhead GTBH PT, Prince, Hare’s Ear or UV Purple #16-#18; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Delektable Formerly Prince #14-#18; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker Holo Red, PT or Holo Black #16-#18; Wire Worm Red or Orange/Red #4-#8; Delektable Prince Brandon #16-#18; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Black or Olive/Brown #8-#10; BH Lightning Bug Gold, Pearl or Silver #14-#16; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black #14-#16; BH Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-#18; and Psycho Prince Purple #16-#18. Delektable Tungsten JH Micro Spanker Holo Olive, Holo Black, Hare’s Ear #16=#18. Delektable Delektable JH Tungsten Bling Black, Purple, Olive #16-#18.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single or Double Olive, White, Olive/Black, Badger, Yellow/Brown, Olive/White #6; Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Olive/White, Olive/Black with Gold Size #8; Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow JJ, Smoke or Sculpin #6, Coffey’s Articulated Sparkle Yummy JJ, Smoke or Sculpin #6; Sculpzilla’s White, Olive/White, Black or Natural #4-#8; Mini Loop Sculpin Natural and Olive #6; Zonker Natural Copper, Natural Pearl or Olive #6-#8.

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August 25th-September 7th, 2025 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on September 7, 2025 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Goodbye Angry August and welcome Sultry September! Time for beautiful Fall colors, Elk Bugling battling for their lineage, Ducks starting their annual migration, school back in session and a much needed slow down for the Valley!

Now that September is finally here, the temps are starting to become cooler day by day. The Streamer and Nymph bites have picked up we see the water temps begin to cool off.

Hoppers and Terrestrials have had their moments still for Dry Fly Fishing, but for the most part we are on the latter stretch of the action for them. Usually, the first freeze takes out a majority if our Terrestrials but just in time to welcome in the BWO’s and October Caddis. That should occur in a few weeks or so, so keep on the lookout for them too to get some Dry Fly Fishing in before the cold hits.

As for streamer fishing, this is about the time we start to grab the Sink Tips and 7 Weight Rods for the larger migratory fish coming out of the lakes. Early morning and later before sunset usually are the best times to get into these fish, specifically as they move from the lake when colder temps start to hit the water.

In the coming weeks we expect fishing to improve as temps drop, and the fish continue to push up from the lakes. Stormy weather and changing weather patterns are often good times to fish in the fall as the fish become more aggressive!

Dries: Delektable Chubbyness Rootbeer, Royal, and UV Cinnamon #12-#16. Delektable Lil’ Chubby in UV Cinnamon, UV Tan, Royal #14-#18. Delektable Flying Ant in Cinnamon, Red, Purple, Black #14-#18. Yeager’s 409 in Red #16. Bloom’s Stealth Ant in Purple #16. Delektable Lil’ Secret in UV Pink and Royal #16-#18. Dornan’s Water Walker September Stone #14. Delektable Secret Stone in Dark Olive #10-#12. Morrish’s Hopper, Thunder Thighs Hopper, More or Less Hopper, Panty Dropper Hopper in Tan, Peach, Pink #10-#14.

 Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Delektable Guide Stones and Pat’s Rubberlegs in Olive/Black, Coffee/Black #8-#10. Delektable Lil’ Spanker in Silver, Gold, Purple, Pheasant Tail #16-#18. Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker in Silver, Pheasant Tail, and Orange #14-#16. Lightning Bugs in Silver, Gold, Purple #14-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon and Prince Nymphs #14-#18. Shop Vac’s #16-#18. 3 Dollar Dips Brown #16-#18. Geppert’s Crystal Dips #16-#18. Zebra Midge in Black/Silver, Black/Copper, and Red/Silver #18-#20. Wire Worms #4-#8.

Streamers: Delektable SS Jointed Screamer in White/Olive. Delektable Screamers Single or Double in Black/Olive, White, and Badger. Galloup’s Sex Dungeons full size and Mini in Olive, Black, and Cream. Trevor’s Sculpin in Black and Olive #4. Silk Kitties in Olive and White. Mini Loop Sculpin in Olive or Tan #6. Zonkers in Copper, Silver, and Olive #6-#8. Sculpzilla’s in Olive, Black, and White #4-#8.

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August 12th- 24th, 2025 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 24, 2025 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Well, folks we are in the Dog Days of Summer! But fret not, early morning fishing with lazy afternoons, who could ask for more!

The weeks before September hits can often be known as some of the most challenging fishing all year. It’s a time when hatches are small and the water temps are at their warmest on average all year.

Lately Dry Dropper fishing with Hoppers or Ants have accounted for most of the action early morning and late at night with the hatches often better at those times. The odd Streamer bite at the same time can be effective too.

With flows down a bit the fish have been holding in the deeper faster runs where the water is cooler and more oxygenated. Searching for areas that have good drop-offs or places for larger fish to hide such as any wood structure or cut banks can be effecticve and the difference between catching and not catching when conditions are tough.

That being said… there are still some nice fish being caught out there! But if you were lucky enough to maybe not be on the water this last weekend, and you happened to go to the Madison River Fly Fishing Festival in Ennis Montana you would have had a absolute ball! Dan was tying to his hearts content for a nice crowd of entertained tyers!

In the coming weeks expect the Blue Wings, Black Caddis & October Caddis as we come into the start of September. Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday 7:00 Am- 5:30 Pm! Stop on by for the best free coffee in the valley and the best Selection of Flies in this beautiful corner of Montana we all call home!

Dries: Delektable Flying Ant Purple, Red/Purple, Cinnamon #14-18, Dry Humper Royal Purple #16, Club Medium Hopper #14, Delektable Slammer Black/Red #14, Delektable Halo Tan, Royal #16, Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Cinnamon, Royal, UV Black #14-18, Delektable Lil’ Secret UV Pink #16, Delektable 2 Tone Chubbyness Royal, UV Dark Olive #14-16, Carlson’s Purple Craze #16, Delektable Twisted X Tan/Brown #14-16

Nymphs: Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Micro Spanker PT #16-18, Geppert’s Crystal Dip Olive, Pearl, Red #16, Delektable Tungsten Gold B.H. Formerly Prince #16-18, Jig Duracell Original, Red Bead, UV Tan #16,  Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Holo Red #16-18, Three Dollar Dip Crystal #16, Geppert’s Black Machine #18, Geppert’s Green Machine #18, B.H. Lightning Bug  Pearl, Silver #16-18, Bedhead Shop Vac Olive, Brown #16, Pats Rubber Legs Black #8-10, Delektable Mega Prince Olive Flashback #8-10, Delektable Mega Prince Flashback Standard #8-10, Delektable Gold BH Formerly Mega Prince #8 – #10. Delektable FB Sparkle Kaboom Stone #8-#10.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single Olive/Black Silver, Olive/Black Gold, Black, Olive/White, Olive #6, Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6, Dalai Llama Olive/White #6, Trevor’s Sculpin Olive #4, Zonker White #8, Mini Sculpin Black #10.

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July 28th-August 11th, 2025 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 11, 2025 by Beartooth Flyfishing

What a wonderful week we had at Beartooth Flyfishing!! We had a very successful event, the Beartooth Family and the Montana Hope Project Family are so thankful for the awesome community that comes and supports this amazing cause in memory of Grandpa John Delekta. We have been blessed with incredible donations from our event. If you missed it and still want to donate, please call us at 406-682-7525 or send an email to info@beartoothflyfishing.com. Nancy would be happy to help you with guidance on providing donations via check, credit card, and/or cash.

A smorgasbord of entomology has been playing this week from Ants, Hoppers, Nocturnals and PMD’s producing some great top water eats! Dry Fly fishing has been going strong with the various hatches in the morning and evening hours being the strongest action in general with the high water temps in the middle of the day. Nymphing has been solid as usual in the deeper buckets during the cooler hours covering the same hatches we do when dry fly fishing. During the hotter parts of the day the fishing has been a bit tough, but still consistent with the good amount of bug life we are seeing right now.

The Streamer fishing has stayed the same for most of the Summer and has been the most consistent action early and late on the water. Mostly Sculpin patterns this time of the year, but an occasionally flashy or bright colored Streamer with the right conditions can do very well. The biggest fish often eat Streamers, so it is always good to try and throw them now and then.

In closing, we look forward to the better half of terrestrial fishing this August! Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday 7AM-5:30PM! To get current fishing conditions, the best free coffee in the valley and a most awesome retail adventure; come on by, you won’t be disappointed! Tight Lines!

Nymphs: Delektable BH Prince Brandon #14-#18; Shop Vac Olive #16-#18; Delektable JH Tungsten Hare’s Ear Torch Light #14-#18;  Delektable JH Tungsten Micro Spanker PT, Hare’s Ear, Holo Olive or Holo Silver #16-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black, Brown or Pearl #14-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown, Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; Delektable Tungsten Gold B.H. Formerly Prince #16-#18; Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown, Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; BH Lightning Bug Silver, Gold or Pearl #14-#18; 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; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Red, Brown, Olive, Crystal, Black #16-#18;

Dries: Carlson’s Purple Craze #10-#16; Cornfed Caddis 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; Harrop’s 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 #12-#16; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut or Pink #10-#12; Delektable Secret Stone UV Dark Olive or Royal #10-#12; Morrish’s 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 Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black in Gold or Badger #6; Scuzzy Sculpin Olive or Natural #4, Coffey’s Conehead Sparkle Minnow Sculpin, JJ, or Smoke #4-#6.

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July 14th-27th, 2025 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Beartooth Flyfishing

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.

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