Thank you to all who joined us at our Montana Hope Project event. We had a great time eating good food, visiting with friends, relaxing, casting, and tying. We are excited to share that we exceeded last year’s totals and have more funds to help the Montana Hope Project Families.
This is our favorite weekend of the year at Beartooth Flyfishing and it will always be. Thank you everyone for being part of this special event.
The Delektable Crew
We’re so thankful for all who came this weekend in support of our annual Montana Hope Project Fundraiser, what an experience it is to spend a couple days with awesome people joining together for a great cause. The fishing is of course, still excellent with this big water year we’ve had. Flows are down to 1,300 c.f.s. below Hebgen Lake, 1,400 c.f.s. at the Kirby gauge and 1,600 c.f.s. down at Varney.
The fish are looking up throughout the day as PMDs emerge early, Hoppers and ants are keeping them going throughout the day and the spinners fall in the evening with the caddis. Some of our favorite flies have been Purple Hazes, PMD Comparaduns, Fat Alberts, White Cloud Hoppers, Delektable Chubbyness’, Delektable Flying Ants, Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis and Bloom’s Parachute Caddis.
With the dry fly fishing being so good, less folks have been running the bead-heads but they’re certainly still working. Flies like Delektable Stonefly Candy and Pat’s Rubberlegs are doing a good job at imitating those nocturnal stoneflies that have been hatching while we sleep and Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Lightning Bugs, Tung Darts, Prince Nymphs and Caddis Pupas have all been doing well for the smaller bugs.
The streamer bite has still been pretty inconsistent but if you’re willing to get up real early and get after it your odds of getting a couple real nice fish are as good as any. Fly recommendations would be Delektable Double-Screamers, Sundell’s Bad Boy, Galloup’s Butt Monkey or Sparkle Minnows.
It continues to be an impressive year here on the Upper Madison with very healthy flows and bug hatches. We’re sitting at about 1,320 cubic feet per second of water flow below Hebgen Lake, at the Kirby gauge she’s running at 1,460 and down at Varney Bridge flows are at 1,690(about 400 c.f.s. above historic average).
The PMDs are coming off around 8 o’clock am, Caddis are hatching throughout the middle of the day and we’re still picking up plenty of fish on the attractors. Our favorite dry patterns have been Delektable Chubbyness’ in smaller sizes, Delektable Secret Stones in Dark Olive, Delektable Halos, Purple Crazes and lastly the Rusty Spinners have been killer as the sun goes down.
Lots of fish are being caught sub-surface as well. Weather under a dry fly or an indicator if you’re looking to get higher numbers of fish you’ll be best off fishing stuff like Green Machines, Delektable Lil’ Spankers in Olive or Pheasant Tail, smaller Pat’s Rubberlegs, Prince Nymphs, Lightning Bugs and Batwing Emergers.
Streamer fishing has brought us a mixed bag of reports but the best luck seems to be coming early in the morning or late in the evening. Recommended flies would be Delektable Single Screamers, Mini-Loop Sculpins, Trevor’s, Sparkle Minnows and Zonkers. You’re probably best off fishing low and slow in the deeper plunge-pools and around the rocks rather than pounding the banks.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone this upcoming weekend for our Montana Hope Project Fundraiser. There will be lots of good food and treats as well as fly casting and tying demonstrations for a great cause. As always, feel free to call or stop by the shop for any other tips or info and keep an eye out for more reports!
Man, it’s tough to believe it’s already the middle of July. It’s almost as tough to believe that almost 3 weeks after the word got out about salmon flies and goldens hatching we are still getting them on the big dries on the upper end of the river. Flows are still way above historic average; in fact we saw an increase in flow out of Hebgen Dam just yesterday. She’s moving at about 1,400 cubic feet per second below Hebgen, just under 1,600 at Kirby and by the time you get to the Varney gauge we’re reading just under 2,000 c.f.s.
The dry fly fishing continues to impress as PMD’s, Caddis, Yellow Sallies and Flavilineas have been hatching consistently. It’s been best earlier and later in the days but if you work hard enough you can get some fish on top throughout the day. We’ve had good luck on a variety of the small Delektable Chubbyness’ as well as Delektable Twisted Babies, Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis, Purple Hazes, Lil’Hotties, Trudes and Wulffs.
Most days the nymph bite is of course, fantastic. Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Delektable Sure Strikes, Serendipities, Prince Nymphs, Two-Bit Hookers, Lemon Drops, Pat’s Rubberlegs and Psycho Princes have all caught their fair share of fish as of late. Fish any of those in tandem under a bobber, on a tight line or under a dry fly and you’re bound to get into a few fish.
We’ve had some success on streamers, especially first thing in the morning when the water is nice and cold. Our favorite flies have been Zonkers, McCune’s Sculpins, Sheila’s, and Delektable Screamers. The fish are hanging out around the boulders waiting for a good meal, just make sure you’re ready to set the hook!
Our annual Montana Hope Project fundraiser is less than two weeks away and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone come out. As always, Captain Marty will be making his famous Gumbo and Dan will have his Elk Chili along with all the snacks and deserts you could ask for. Mark your calendars now for July 28th and 29th to have a good time for a great cause.
