Yes, it’s snowing at Beartooth.

June 5, 2009

Upper Madison River

The Madison River is dropping, down to around 1,400 cfs. The water is clearing, and the river remains nearly void of fishermen, with a few waders in the upper section and the rare boat drifting down.

Delektable Lil’ Blue Spanker

The fishing Friday, as it has been throughout the runoff, was OUTSTANDING. We wade fished for only a short time, being chased off the river by thunder boomers and the building lightning strikes on the foothills.

Our first stop was almost directly behind the lodge, and a short amount of wading produced about a dozen fish, eating the stone fly nymphs — HARD. From there, we drove upriver, fishing a favorite spot between Lyons Bridge and Sun West, which produced several more fish in short order. The fish were still biting the stones, but a few flying bugs also prompted bites on small trailer nymphs. Our third stop was above the West Fork, where the water is really starting to clear up. Several more fish were caught there, but the stop was cut very short by the threatening weather. The precipitation is easy to cheat; that’s why God created rain jackets. But when the lightning bolts start striking the hills, it’s time to get the heck out of Dodge.

The fish were hungry and eager, and literally every bug we tied on caught fish. Our bug list for the day included a Delektable™ selection of the #6 Gray Hurless, #6 Olive Hurless, #6 Mega Prince Standard Flashback, #16 Lil’ Red Spanker, #16 Lil’ Blue Spanker and the #16 Rootbeer Seringold: Delektable Flies Gallery

While we were driving around and wading, our newest shop geek, Charles P, fished for only a few minutes behind the lodge on his lunch break, and caught a huge rainbow on his third cast, which took a Delektable Badger Screamer behind a large rock, cast from the bank. We’re told there was a photo but it was not saved?? Charles P also floated the river on Thursday with his father. The day started slow but picked up, big time, in the latter part of the float when they started throwing streamers.

We also got a report from a good friend who floated Lyons Bridge to McAtee Bridge on Friday, and absolutely pounded fish on streamers. He didn’t keep a fish count, but he was almost giggly, calling the day one of his best ever; and this guy can really fish, so to be one of his best, it had to be an absolutely incredible day.

GO FISHING!!!

Dan, Marty, and Charles P

Late May Early June Continued…

I fished Tuesday and Wednesday on the upper river and it was phenomenal. I also did very well yesterday, Monday, while fishing a short time during lunch. I don’t have much to add to Dan’s latest report except on Wednesday, with the water seeming to clean up just a little bit, the fish seemed to start spreading out a bit; off the bank and into deeper, more descript runs. They were still on the bank, just not as many. In addition, the fish seemed to eat more small bugs. The # 6 Delektable Mega Prince in Olive, the Delektable worm in Red and Orange, and most importantly, the # 14 Lil’ Red Spanker were all unstoppable: Delektable Flies Gallery Fishing started out very strong, with the fish biting the big bugs and worms. There was a noticeable slow-down around noon, then the # 14 Lil’ Red Spanker came out and the bite was back on. At the end of the day, fish were eating caddis emergers, and the # 18 Serengold and Green Sparkle Pupa both popped a few fish.

I hadn’t heard many reports lately on the lower river, so on Sunday night, after work, I drove down to check it out. The CFS below Ennis Lake was 4,110; IT’S ABSOLUTELY HUGE DOWN THERE, SO BE CAREFUL!! There were only a few bank runs, rock slicks and inside corners that weren’t so fast as to be unfishable. Luckily, because of the perception that the river is blown out and unfishable, even on a Sunday, there were hardly any people there. I fished one inside corner, probably three runs total, and hooked 17 fish in two hours. Red and orange worms were king. While it was light out, the # 18 Soft Hackle Pheasanttail hooked a few fish, but seemed to lose most of ‘em cause the fish were bending the little hook in the big water. I caught all rainbows while there was light on the water, but as soon as the shade hit the water, I got only browns. The only fish that ate a stonefly nymph all afternoon was a 19-inch brown, the biggest fish of the afternoon, that ate the # 6 Brown Pat’s Rubberleg.

Embrace the dirt and GO FISHING!

Charles P.

With the high, dirty water, the Madison River is blown-out and unfishable … NOT!!!

We have learned to “embrace the dirt,” and fishing this fast, colored water is one of our favorite times of the season to be out on the river. The fishing is great, and there is almost no one on the river.

We went out yesterday on the upper river, floating from wade spot to wade spot, and we literally caught fish at EVERY stop we made. We lost an accurate count, but we hooked roughly 60 fish, all while being the only boat on the river … What a day!

The day was also punctuated with a strong midge hatch, followed by a respectable March Brown hatch and a smattering of Caddis. Multiple fish were spotted rising, and twice fish were literally leaping out of the water as they were chasing bugs.

The key to “fishing the dirt” is simple. The high, fast water has the fish concentrated in any and every spot of calmer water, along the banks and behind rocks and other obstructions. Next, you have to get the flies down to them, and you have to get them down quickly, which means split-shot; and if one split-shot isn’t getting them down, then two or three might be needed. But once the depth of the drift is right …Fish on! And because the fish are concentrated, it’s common to catch multiple fish in every hole.

The flies that worked best for us were the Delektable™ Hurless Nymph in Olive and Gray Flashback, and the Delektable™ Lil’ Spanker in Red.

Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red

Just be careful when fishing during these higher flows. The water is higher and moving fast and extreme caution when wading is recommended for all fishermen, no matter what their experience level. Dan is crazier than most when he’s wading, I wouldn’t follow without assistance.

Dan and Marty

Upper Madison River Flows are at 2,240 cfs.

The higher flows are a result of run-off and managing flows. We recommend caution floating during these higher flows. Extreme caution is recommended around bridges, especially at Wolf Creek Bridge, where the clearance is a tight pucker.

Marty and I ventured out to fish after work for a couple of hours. We fished the Upper Madison River below Three Dollar Bridge. The river had a foot to a foot and a half of clarity. We hooked around a dozen fish, landing eight.

The flies that worked for us were Delektable™ Hurless Stones:

Delektable™ Big Red:

Dan’s new stonefly patterns for 2010 and a #12 Lime Juice:

We’ve had a number of good fishing reports in the dirt using Double Screamers in Black, Stonefly Nymphs, Lil’ Spankers in Red, Red Worms and Egg patterns. All the Delektables can be seen in the Delektable Flies Gallery

The higher flows mean the fish are being pushed hard against the bank and behind rocks, islands and other obstructions; the few places in the river where the fish can take a break from the swift current. Fish tight to the shorelines, and through the entire runs of slower pools; often the tails of the pools are the best. Extra weight may be needed to compensate for the higher, faster water, to get the nymphs down to the strike zone. If the bugs are floated through prime water without a strike, add a split shot about a foot above the first fly. If the strikes still don’t come, add another. The key is to get the bugs down to where the fish want them.

I love fishing the off-colored flows and we will be headed back to the Madison in the next 2 or 3 days. Keep checking our reports for updates.

Dan

The fishing has been excellent for those that have spent time fishing Southwest Montana this Winter and Early Spring. The Squalla Stonefies, BWO’s, and Midges will dominate our bug hatch imitations the month of April. The fly patterns we like to fish for April are as follows.

Stonefly nymphs: In sizes #6, #8; Delektable Hurless Std and Flashback Gray and Olive; Delektable Mega Prince Std and Flashback; Delektable Braided Brownstone Std and Flashback; Delektable Hurless Stone Purple Flashback; Pats Rubberlegs in Brown and Olive/Brown; Morrish’s W.M.D. Claret; Double BH Stone in Black and Hare’s Ear.

The BWO Nymph’s and other Smaller Nymphs we like to fish in April are as follows: Delektable Rootbeer Floats in Dark Gray, Red, Chocolate, and Gray in sizes #16 and #18; Delektable Lil’ Spankers in Red, Olive, Silver, Purple, and Pheasantail in #14, #16, and #18 sizes; Delektable Mr Rubberlegs Pheasantail in sizes #12, #14, and #16; Tungsten BH Soft Hackle Pheasantail in size #16, #18, and #20; BH WD-40’s in Black, Olive, Gray, and Chocolate in #18 and #20; Tungsten BH Studlys in Amber and Olive sizes #16, and #18; Tungsten BH Flashbugs in sizes #16, #18, and #20; Tungsten BH Olive Epoxy-Back in #18 and #20; Black BH WD-40 Olive #18 and #20; BH Lightning Bug Silver in size #16, #18, and #20; BH Soft Hackled Bob in Copper and Red #14, #16, and #18; Tungsten BH Copper Bob in Red, Copper, and Olive in size #14, #16, and #18; Delektable CDC Prince and Regular Prince in sizes #8 through #18; and Delektable CDC Halloween in sizes #8 through #16.

BWO Dry Flies: Split-Winged Parachutes in Adams, BWO, and Purple Haze sizes #18 and #20; Standard Parachutes in Adams, BWO, Purple Haze and Irresistable Adams in #18 and #20; Snowshoe Baetis #20; CDC Budding Emerger #18 and #20; Snowshoe Emerger #20; Quigley’s Loopy Cripple BWO #18; RS-2 Emerger in Olive and Chocolate in #18 and #20; Baetis Paracripple #18; BWO Klink Parachute #18; Brooks Sprout BWO Emerger #18 and #20; and BWO Captive Dun #20.

Midges Underwater Wet Flies: Delektable Twinkles in Red, Black, Gray and Miracle in #18 and #20; BH Zebra Midges in Red and Black #18 and #20; and BH Midge Mogie in Black and Red #18 and #20.

Midges Dry Flies: Adams Midge Cluster #20; R.B. Midge#20; Black Sipper #20; Hi-Viz Griffiths Gnat #18 and #20; Gulper Special #18 and #20; and Brooks Sprout Midge Black #20 and #22.

San Juan Worms, Eggs, and Attractor Wet Flies: Delektable BH Worm in Red, Wine, and Pink sizes #8, #12, and #16; Steel Worm Red in sizes #6 and #12; Glo Bug Eggs in Cheese, Apricot, Champagne, and Orange Roe in sizes #10 and #12; and Delektable Sex Fly in size #10 through #16.

Streamers: Delektable Screamers in single and jointed double size #6 Black/Olive, Brown/Yellow, Badger, Olive, Yellow, Black and White; Silvey’s Sculpin Leech #4 in Olive, Tan, Gray, and Black; Zonkers in Natural, Olive, and Yellow in sizes #6 and #8; Lead-Eyed Big Horn Bugger #6 in Brown/Yellow; Bow River Buggers in Black, Olive, and White size #6 and #8; J.J.’s Specials in size #4 and #6; Scupzilla in White, Olive, and Black; Zuddler in Black, Olive, and White in size #4 and #6; Yellow Yummy in #4 and #6; and Big Gulp Sculpin in Olive, Tan, and Black size #4.

The above April Fly selections are available through Beartooth Flyfishing at our Fly Shop and are in stock. If you would like Dan to put together a special selection of flies for April or any other time of the year, just call the shop at 406-682-7525.

Dan