A day fishing on the famous Madison River in Montana. Jim Morrison was our guide and myself going on 88 years and my fishing partner, Dry Fly fisherman, Steve. It was a nice sunny warm day on the Madison as we started our float trip from Windy to Storey Ditch. The first two hours I caught two big Whitefish and Steve and I caught about 6 smaller Rainbow Trout. The next few hours Steve caught an 18 inch Brown Trout on a dry fly.

Unfortunately, we had technical challenges in getting a photo of Steve’s fish. It was a great catch. I hooked a monster trout that took off in back of the boat and broke my leader off. Later that day I caught a 19 ½” Brown Trout and an 18” Rainbow Trout. It was a grand fishing trip and was enjoyed by all. Thanks Jim for doing a great job of getting us into fish.

Grandpa

July 20, 2010

Nymphs: great; Dries: good; Streamers: so-so

Flow: 1,040 and stable

The nymphing has been out of sight. A #12 or #14 Prince nymph has been a great lead fly, followed by any number of PMD, Caddis, or Yellow Sally nymphs. Our favorites have been: Yellow Superflash, Silver Lightning Bug, Delektable Silver Lil’ Spanker, Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear, Bead Head Caddis Emergers-olive and tan–all in #16.

Dries have been getting fish regularly, but it’s not off to the races, yet. Try your favorite PMD, Caddis, and Yellow Sally patterns, and Delektable PMD Teaser and PMD Squeezer-#16, Parachute Rusty Spinner #16, and Delektable Tan Sparkle Bug and Halo-#$16: Delektable Flies Gallery

The steamer fishing has been slow. Patterns with olive and black are working some. Maybe the bright weather we’ve been having, or all the insect food in the water, has not made the big fish eager to chase streamers for the time being.

Brad

Fly Fishing the Madison River for the First Time

We have had some real fun the last few days with some fly fishers who were fly fishing the Madison River for the first time. The first was Hermon Bain, the superb Bahamian guide and owner of Hermon’s Andros Island Bonefishing. Anyone who wants a great experience bonefishing will not go wrong by lining up Hermon.

Hermon had a great time dry fly fishing with the Big Bugs and caught a nice brown on a little fly–a #14 Rusty Spinner. He missed a great salmonfly take, but sure got a great charge out of it. He won’t soon forget it.

Next were my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Gloria and Mike Ogden, from Houston, Texas. On Gloria’s first day out, she caught an 18" Brown Trout on a Red Wire Worm–the first fish she ever caught on a fly rod. Her husband’s fish, caught on a #16 Delektable Pheasant Tail Spanker: Delektable Flies Gallery wasn’t quite that large. It was his second day fly fishing.

Brad

Fly Fishing the Madison River for the First Time

We have had some real fun the last few days with some fly fishers who were fly fishing the Madison River for the first time. The first was Hermon Bain, the superb Bahamian guide and owner of Hermon’s Andros Island Bonefishing. Anyone who wants a great experience bonefishing will not go wrong by lining up Hermon.

Hermon had a great time dry fly fishing with the Big Bugs and caught a nice brown on a little fly–a #14 Rusty Spinner. He missed a great salmonfly take, but sure got a great charge out of it. He won’t soon forget it.

Next were my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Gloria and Mike Ogden, from Houston, Texas. On Gloria’s first day out, she caught an 18" Brown Trout on a Red Wire Worm–the first fish she ever caught on a fly rod. Her husband’s fish, caught on a #16 Delektable Pheasant Tail Spanker: Delektable Flies Gallery wasn’t quite that large. It was his second day fly fishing.

Brad

Great Times with Dad!

What fun it was to get out dodge for a few hours on Sunday and go fishing with my father on beautiful Madison! We didn’t get into the water until about 3:00pm and I was rowing for the first time (in a pontoon boat) and managed to survive with the only incident being that I lost an oar and had to chase it with my boat using one oar for about a mile until it finally snagged and I could retrieve it. What fun! I was really amazed with how far I could go down the river with one oar, still knowing that at some point I wouldn’t be so lucky anymore if I didn’t retrieve the other oar soon.

For old time’s sake I fished all dries with my dad and we did ok for a couple of rusty fisherman who hadn’t fished the river in around five years. Just goes to show what a busy schedule will do even if you live in fishing paradise. The fly’s that worked for us were a #16 Delektable Twisted Baby in Olive/Gold, # 16 sized yellow stone fly pattern (with yellow legs), # 16 olive caddis and a # 16 peacock hurl bodied stimulator. The fish would only take the smallest patterns we had and were very eager as long as they were small bugs.

I know it will be a day to remember for my dad and I both.

Jenn