The flow of the Madison is 2,740 CFS and rising: Upper Madison Flow at Cameron. Hebgen Conservation Pool is 99% full. PPL plans to increase the flows out of Hebgen to match the inflows over the next several days. With the very hot weather predicted for this weekend and with all the input from the West Fork and the creeks, the flow below Indian Creek may well approach or exceed 5,000 CFS before the major part of the melt is over.

These high flows and the mud from the West Fork and Indian Creek have made fishing very difficult below the West Fork. These conditions have markedly increased the fishing pressure above the West Fork, where the fishing remains good to excellent.

Once this runoff subsides– probably in early July– the fly fishing on the Upper Madison is going to be spectacular–especially the dry fly fishing.

There is some dry fly action above the West Fork with little yellow sallies and big caddis. Once the bug hatch starts on the float section, which is just days away, the dinner bell will ring and we’ll be able to catch fish again, even in the dirt. Once we get the mixture of PMDs, caddis, and stoneflies, the float section of the Upper Madison is going to bust loose. But we’re all waiting for that to happen now. Once it happens, it’s going to be good all summer.

The streamer fishing is spotty.

Recommended Flies

To see the Delektables™ go to: Delektable Flies Gallery

Nymphs:
Delektable™ Hurless Olive, Gray #6, #8; Delektable™ Mega Prince #6, #8; Pat’s Rubberleg Brown #6,#8; Delektable Big Red #6, Delektable Worm, Red or Brown #8; Red Wire Worm #6, #8; Hogan’s Red Headed Step Child; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red and Silver #16, #18; Tungsten Beadhead Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle #16,#18

Delektable Lil’ Spanker

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dries :

Nothing now in the float section, but when it starts, or now above the West Fork: PMDs, Little Yellow Sallies, Caddis–with the caddis varying all the way from size 8 to 16, in dark brown, olive, and tan.

Streamers (might be worth a try) :

Delektable Screamer Olive Black, Olive and Yellow, Single and Double, #6, or your favorite pattern.

Delektable Screamer Olive Black

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dan Marty Nancy Brad

June 18, 2008

The flow of the Madison is 2,390 CFS and rising: Upper Madison Flow at Cameron. The warm weather of the last few days has started the melt again, with the West Fork and Indian Creek spitting in mud. The muddy strip from the West Fork is still well defined at the Sun West bridge and then colors the entire river by the Wolf Creek bridge. Temperatures are predicted to reach the high 80s by Saturday.

All this has resulted in real crowding at Lyons. Dan planned to launch at Lyons today and found himself 14th in line, so he went from Raynolds to Pine Butte instead. The water was crystal clear and the action was great on big nymphs. Marty floated today from Lyons to Ruby, with Grandpa and Gene. They had excellent results with the Delektable Lil’ Spanker, in red and in silver, even over near the left bank below Lyons, in the discolored water.

Once this runoff subsides– in late June or early July– the fly fishing on the Upper Madison is going to be spectacular–especially the dry fly fishing.

There is no dry fly action, but this heat may change that quickly.

The streamer fishing has become spotty, with the recent drop in flow, the sunny days, and the cold water coming into the river mid-day from the melt.

Recommended Flies

To see the Delektables™ go to: Delektable Flies Gallery

Nymphs:

Delektable™ Hurless Olive, Gray #6, #8; Delektable™ Mega Prince #6, #8; Pat’s Rubberleg Brown #6,#8; Delektable Big Red #6, Delektable Worm, Red or Brown #8; Red Wire Worm #6, #8; Hogan’s Red Headed Step Child; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red and Silver #16, #18; Tungsten Beadhead Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle #16,#18

Delektable Lil’ Spanker

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dries :

When it starts, think March Brown patterns, PMDs, and Caddis–with the caddis varying all the way from size 8 to 16, in dark brown, olive, and tan.

Streamers (worth a try) :

Delektable Screamer Olive Black, Olive and Yellow, Single and Double, #6, or your favorite pattern.

Delektable Screamer Olive Black

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dan Marty Nancy Brad

The flow of the Madison is 2,350 CFS and has been dropping for the last 6 days: Upper Madison Flow at Cameron. The water clarity is around 18 inches above the West Fork and around 12 inches below. It is snowing outside the Beartooth Lodge as this report is being written. Warm weather in the seventies is predicted for this weekend, which should start the dry fly fishing–big time.

If you don’t already have plans to fish the Upper Madison this summer or fall, make them now. Once this runoff subsides–probably sometime in June– the fly fishing on the Upper Madison is going to be spectacular–especially the dry fly fishing.

Marty and Brad fished above the West Fork on Saturday afternoon, in the muddy, high flow water. Marty caught a lot of fish, fishing big nymphs tight to the bank. The hottest nymph was the #6 Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red. They were also hitting the Delektable Hurless Stone and Delektable Mega Prince. Marty caught his fish on a rebuilt 60 year old Granger bamboo rod that Dan and Marty had just finished rebuilding. Both of these were caught on the Big Red:

Fishing has been very good with nymphs between the lakes. Please be careful of the pea gravel spawning beds. The water is somewhat discolored, but the fish are feeding actively. Notice the color of the water behind fly fisherwoman Catalina and her Bow. This was caught on a #14 Hogan’s Red Headed Step Child:

The streamer fishing has also been excellent. Two boats within the last two days have scored heavily on the Delektable Screamer Olive Black, and a full range of other colors and styles, between Lyons and Mac. Streamer fishing is also hot between Varney and Town.

Recommended Flies

To see the Delektables™ go to: Delektable Flies Gallery

Nymphs:
Delektable™ Hurless Olive, Gray #6, #8; Delektable™ Mega Prince #6, #8; Pat’s Rubberleg Brown #6,#8; Delektable EggHead Midnight Fire #6, Delektable Big Red #6, Delektable Worm, Red or Brown #8; Red Wire Worm #6, #8, Hogan’s Red Headed Step Child

Delektable Hurless Stone Flashback Gray

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Worth a Try: Delektable™ Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail or Lil’ Spanker in Red, Silver, Olive #18;#16,#14; Tungsten Beadhead Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle #20; Delektable™ Twinkle Midge and Zebra Midge #20,#18; WD40 Olive #20

Dries (not likely) :

Snowshoe Cripple BWO #18; Q’s Loopy Cripple Stacker BWO #18; Snowshoe Baetis #20; Adam’s Midge Cluster #20; Stalcup’s Hatching Midge #20 (Split Wing Adams #12 ) March Brown Parachute #14; Klinkhammer #14

Streamers:

Delektable Screamer Olive Black, Olive and Yellow, Single and Double, #6, or your favorite pattern.

Delektable Screamer Olive Black

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dan, Marty, Nancy, Brad

The flow of the Madison is 3,450 cfs. The inflow to Hebgen is 2884 cfs. The Conservation Pool is 87% full. The flow out of Hebgen is 1,984 cfs and has increased steadily over the last four days. This is a different river than it’s been for the last decade.

If you don’t already have plans to fish the Upper Madison this summer or fall, make them now. Once this runoff subsides–probably sometime in June– the fly fishing on the Upper Madison is going to be spectacular–especially the dry fly fishing.

Dan and Marty fished above the West Fork on Saturday afternoon, in the muddy, high flow water. They caught a lot of fish, fishing big nymphs tight to the bank–Delektable Hurless Stone, Delektable Mega Prince, Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red. Marty caught a 20" brown on the Delektable EggHead Midnight Fire:

Wade fishing and fishing from the bank is the way to go now. How many can throw a fly from a boat 4 to 6 inches from the bank–and keep it in there–consistently and accurately? If you’re in a boat, get out to fish this dirt. Fish eat a whole bunch in the dirt. There’s a lot of food coming at them. They’ve been in the winter mode for a long time. They’re hungry. A lot of nutrients are coming at them that they don’t usually see–a lot of worms, with the earthworms being washed from the banks, joining their aquatic cousins–orange, red-banded, brown-banded. It’s a smorgasbord. The stoneflies are active, because they will be hatching pretty soon, so they’re getting dislodged into the current.

So fish the upper Madison from Hebgen to Quake Lake and from Quake Lake to the West Fork, and below. Fish have been eating in dirty water for millions of years. They know how to do it.

Recommended Flies

To see the Delektables™ go to: Delektable Flies Gallery

Nymphs:

Delektable™ Hurless Olive, Gray #6, #8; Delektable™ Mega Prince #6, #8; Pat’s Rubberleg Brown #6,#8; Delektable EggHead Midnight Fire #6, Delektable Big Red, Delektable Worm, Red or Brown #8; Red Wire Worm #6, #8

Delektable Hurless Stone Gray

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Delektable Braided Flashback Big Red

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Worth a Try: Delektable™ Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail or Lil’ Spanker in Red, Silver, Olive #18;#16,#14; Tungsten Beadhead Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle #20; Delektable™ Twinkle Midge and Zebra Midge #20,#18; WD40 Olive #20

Dries (not likely) :

Snowshoe Cripple BWO #18; Q’s Loopy Cripple Stacker BWO #18; Snowshoe Baetis #20; Adam’s Midge Cluster #20; Stalcup’s Hatching Midge #20 (Split Wing Adams #12 ) March Brown Parachute #14; Klinkhammer #14

Streamers:

Delektable Screamer Olive and Yellow, Single and Double, #6:

Riverborn Fly Company www.riverbornflies.com

Dan, Marty, Nancy, Brad

Upper Madison River Fishing Report (29-May-08)