July 29th-August 4th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 4, 2024 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. 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.

Streamflows this week started at 1,260cfs @ Kirby and 1,420cfs @ Cameron and remained steady throughout the week and ended at 1,200cfs @ Kirby and 1,350cfs @ Cameron. Flows may continue to drop a bit this coming week as the weather is finally cooling and we have started to see some much-needed rain!

The River has been fishing quite well this past week, nymphing and dries have produced epic trips and awesome fishing stories. There have definitely been some days on the River this week which were big fish days followed by little fish days with lots of action. We are seeing the last of the PMD’s and are transitioning into the Terrestrial and Nocturnal season. Bites on the Hopper have been happening more frequently but the Ant, Nocturnal and Caddis dries are the winners this week. Nymphing has remained strong, and the Streamer bite has started to turn on!

As always, the pictures tell the best story! Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday 6:30AM to 5:30PM. Stop on by for the best free coffee in the valley, epic fish stories and a retail adventure you won’t soon forget!

Dries: Delektable Flying Ant Cinnamon, Red, or Black #12-#16; Para Ant Black/Red #14; Bloom’s Stealth Ant #14; Yeagers 409 Red #14-#16; White Cloud Hopper Peach or Tan #12-#14; Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink, Tan, or Yellow #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Tan or Green #12-#14; Bailey’s Golden Rod Bug Eye Hopper #12; Delektable Lil’ Secret Goldrush, UV Pink #14-#16; Fat Albert Tan/Red, Tan/Tan, Tan/Yellow #12-#14; Delektable Chubbyness Olive/Brown, 2 Tone UV Dark Olive, Rootbeer, Purple or Cinnamon #10-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby 2 Tone UV Black, Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, Royal, Cinnamon or UV Tan #14-#18; Dornan’s Water Walker Pink or Peanut #12; Delektable Secret Stone UV Goldenstone #10-#12; Delektable Halo Royal or Mo River #14-#18.

Nymphs: Lightning Bug Silver, Pearl, or Gold #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Black, or Pearl #14-#18; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, Blue, or PT #16-#18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior, TRBH Red Headed, or TCBH Light Olive #14-#16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #16; BH Tung Teaser Black #18; Wire Worm Red/Orange #4-#10; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18; JH BH Black Zebra Midge #18; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker PT, Holo Olive, Holo Red, or Holo Gold #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#10; BH Shop Vac Brown #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #16-#18; Delektable Mega Prince STD #10; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #10.

Streamers: Sculpzilla Olive/White, White or Black #4-#8; Shelia Sculpin #4; Zonker White, Natural or Black #6-#8; Dali Llama Olive/White #10; Mini Loop Sculpin Olive #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Fish Wacker Mini White #6; Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow Smoke or Sculpin #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black Gold Body, Black, Yellow or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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July 22nd-July 28th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

NOTICE!! This coming weekend, August 3rd & 4th Noon to 5PM, we are celebrating our 11th 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 $50 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. Contact us if you need guidance on providing a donation by mail or phone. Phone: 406-682-7525 or email: info@beartoothflyfishing.com.

The heat continues to be a factor this last week fishing, catching conditions have been quite favorable in the morning and up into the early afternoon. Luckily our water temperatures have stayed below the Hoot Owl restrictions but with higher water temperatures in the afternoon remember to bring in your Trout quickly, keep your Trout in the Water as much as possible, take a picture only if necessary and in a timely manner and revive your fish in the net as long as needed. Help keep our little fishery sustainable for generations to come!

Stream flows at the beginning of this week were 1,560cfs @ Kirby and 1,730cfs @ Cameron and a steady drop to the end of the week to 1,200cfs @ Kirby and 1,430cfs @ Cameron. Thankfully we got some much-needed cooler weather and rain which has helped our watershed immensely! With the Streamflow drops we have seen a rise in Terrestrial action, Summer Stones are in full swing (fishing well above and below) and Caddis are still plentiful throughout the river.

Although these Summer conditions are tough with the heat and the smoke, it is years like this that we have an incredible Terrestrial August! Time to start going through the color rotations with Hoppers and of course the Ants and Beetles. The universe is always balanced and hopefully fishing days in the future will be plentiful and bountiful!

Dries: Delektable Halo Royal, Mo River or Tan #14-#18; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, UV Black, UV Pink, UV Cinnamon or Royal #14-#18; Delektable Chubbyness Rootbeer, Royal, Olive Brown or UV Cinnamon #12-#18; Delektable Flying Ant Black, Purple or Cinnamon #16; Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #14-#16; Para Ant Black & Red #14-#16; Craven’s Fat Angie Ant Gold/Cinnamon #16; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Red or Royal #14-#16; Fat Albert Tan/Red Thread #10-#14; Morrish Hopper Pink, Green or Tan #12-#14; More-Or-Less Hopper Peach, Yellow, or Tan #12-#14; White Cloud Hopper Olive, Peach, Tan #12-#14; Panty Dropper Hopper Yellow or Tan #12-#14; Delektable Lil’ Secret UV Caddis Green, Goldrush, UV Pink or Royal #16-#18; Rusty Spinner PMD #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Holo Olive, Tan or Cinnamon #16-#18; Elk Hair Caddis Royal or Tan #16-#18; Royal Wulff Cripple #14-#16; Flat Wing Stone September Stone #12-#14.

Nymphs: Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Delektable Prince Brandon#8-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #12-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown, Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; Jig Duracell Copper Top #16; Wire Worm Red/Orange #4-#10; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16-#18; Delektable Hammerhead Jig Hook GTBH Prince, PT, Hare’s Ear or Red #16-#18; Psycho Prince Purple #16; Lightning Bug Silver or Gold #14-#18; BH Montana Bullet Black or Black/Red #18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior #14-#16; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black or Brown #14-#18; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Brown, Crystal, Black or Red #16-#18; Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Holo Gold, Pale Olive PMD, PT, Holo Red or Holo Silver #16-#18; Delektable Tungsten TCBH Surestrike Black/Purple #14-#16.

Streamers: Dali Llama Olive/White #6-#10; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4;  Mini-Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Flash Fry Olive/Natural #6; Zonker Natural Pearl, Natural Copper Body, Natural Tan #6-#8; JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black Gold Body or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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July 15th-July 21st, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

I don’t think that the weather gods got the memo that the thermostat was left on too high! The heat wave continues this week and looks like it will next week as well. Regardless, the fishing has continued to be productive; our fishery is safe, the water is cool, and the fish are healthy!

Hoot Owl is still in effect on the Madison River from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake, Northwestern Energy Footbridge to the confluence with the Jefferson and from the Yellowstone National Park Boundary to Hebgen Reservoir. Full closure from Madison Dam below Ennis Lake to the Northwestern Energy Footbridge. There are numerous other rivers in the state that are being affected from the heat and have Hoot Owl restrictions or Closures in effect. For more information on closures, please visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.

Stream flows this week started at 1,370cfs @ Kirby and 1,600cfs @ Cameron, an uptick on the 19th to 1,460cfs @ Kirby and 1,660cfs @ Cameron and another rise on the 21st to 1,560cfs @ Kirby and 1,730cfs @ Cameron. Our friends at Northwestern Energy are doing an excellent job monitoring and adjusting flows to keep our waters under that 70-degree mark and keeping our trout healthy and happy.

Fishing this week has been sporadic during the middle of the day, with better action during the lowlight hours. The mornings and evenings have been littered with consistent hatches of various Caddis, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies and Nocturnal Stoneflies. Dries and Nymphs are fishing equally well. With the consistent warmer weather, we are beginning to see Terrestrial activity as well with Hoppers and Ants starting to come off. Bacon and eggs are back on the menu (Streamers and Trailing Worms) and have been fishing well on a tightlined or dead drifted setup, sometimes alternating the worm with a nymph behind them can be deadly also!

Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open 6:30AM to 5:30PM Every day! Stop in or call for day to day conditions and fly reports!

Dries: Super Chernobyl Pink #12; Delektable Halo Royal, Tan or Peacock #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, Royal, UV Cinnamon or UV Olive #16-#18; Delektabe Lil’ Secret Goldrush or Royal #14-#18; Delektable Chubbyness UV Cinnamon, Royal or Rootbeer #10-#16; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Royal or Yellow #14-#16; Missing Link Caddis Amber #16; Bloom’s Parachute Caddis UV Tan or UV Olive #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Purple, Cinnamon or Tan #16-#18; Carlson’s Purple Craze #14-#16; Guide Winna Spinner Rust #16; PMD Parachute Rusty Spinner #14-#16; Thunder Thighs Hopper Tan, Yellow or Pink #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Green, Pink, or Tan #12-#14; Delektable Slammer Yellow or Cream #10-#14; Para Ant Black & Red #16; Delektable Flying Ant Red or Purple #16-#18.

Nymphs: Formerly Known as Prince #12-#16; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Delektable Prince Brandon #12-#16; BH Tungsten Jig FB Pheasant Tail #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #18; Jig Duracell OG, Tan, or Copper Top #16; Pat’s Rubberleg Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#12; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker Miller Time, Holo Gold, PT, Holo Silver & Holo Pink #16-#18; BH Lightning Bug Gold, Silver, or Pearl #14-#18; Delektable Hammerhead GTBH UV Purple, Hare’s Ear or PT #16-#18; Delektable Rootbeer Float Yellow #16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14; Mo River Green #16; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black or Brown #14-#16; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Black or Crystal #16; Delektable Big Spanker Warrior #16-#18; Copper John Red or Chartreuse #14-#16; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #8-#10; Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#12; Lemon Drop #14-#16.

Streamers: Dali Llama Olive/White #6-#10; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #4;  Mini-Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Flash Fry Olive/Natural #6; Zonker Natural Pearl, Natural Copper Body, Natural Tan #6-#8; JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black in Gold or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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July 8th-July 14th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

The Heat in On this week and the 10 day forecast predicts it won’t be letting up this coming week either. Hoot Owl is in effect on the Upper Madison River from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake which translates that this stretch of river is closed to fishing from 2:00pm to Midnight. Our temperatures as of this writing are staying good on the rest of the Upper Madison and we should be in the clear during this heatwave. Thankfully we have the Dam Keepers with Northwestern Energy at Hebgen Dam that are diligently watching temperatures and managing flows appropriately to protect our precious resource. We do have Hoot Owl restrictions throughout the state on numerous rivers; the link following has information about the latest restrictions, https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.

Streamflows this week started at 1,150cfs @ Kirby and 1,450cfs @ Cameron, a rise starting Tuesday to 1,300cfs at Kirby and 1590cfs at Cameron and finishing off the week at 1,310cfs @ Kirby and 1,530cfs @ Cameron.

Fishing this week has been very consistent with Nymphs and Emergers. The Dries (especially if you’re fishing the right combo) have been also quite productive. Caddis, PMDs, Summer Stones and some Hopper action has been the ticket! As the heat continues the upcoming week, Hatches will be starting earlier in the day and Trout will holding in the deeper cooler water during the day.

With the hotter conditions continuing this coming week, remember to use heavier tippet to bring your trout in quickly, handle your trout as short as possible and resuscitate your catch in the water before releasing. Whenever possible keep the trout wet and in the water. Also hydrate yourself, you can never have too much water when temperatures are climbing in the 90’s!

Nymphs: Delektable Lil’ Spanker Gold, Silver, Olive Green or PT #18-#14; B.H. Lightning Bug Gold or Silver #14-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Pearl or Black #14-#16; Split Case PMD #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown, Black #6-#10; Delektable Prince Brandon #8-#16; B.H. Montana Bullet Black #18; Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown #8-#10; One Man Party Caddis #16; Electric Caddis Olive #16; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig FB Pheasant Tail #14-#18; Jig Duracell Copper Top #16; JH Napoleon Light Olive #18; Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Miller Time, PT, Pale Olive PMD or Holo Gold #16-#18; Delektable Mega Prince STD FB #8-#10; Three Dollar Dip Olive or Brown #16.

Dries: Z-Caddis Olive #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Secret Goldrush, Royal or UV Caddis Green #14-#18; Parachute Caddis Tan #14-#16; PMD Parachute Rusty Spinner #14-#16; Cornfed Caddis Tan or Olive #16; Missing Link Caddis Amber #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan, Olive or Cinnamon #16-#18; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, UV Olive, Royal or UV Cinnamon #14-#18; Delektable Chubbyness Olive/Brown, Rootbeer, Royal or UV Cinnamon #12-#16; Hi-Vis Slickwater Caddis #16-#18; King’s Wedgewing PMD #16; Elk Hair Caddis Black #18; CDC Dun PMD #16; PMD Spinner #16; Hi-Vis Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink or Tan #12-#14; Morrish’s Hopper Pink or Green #12-#14; Juicy Hopper Pink #12.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Black/Olive, Yellow, Olive/Yellow #6; Zonker Dark Olive, Natural Pearl or Natural Copper #6-#8; Shelia Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; JR’s Conehead Streamer #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8; Mini-Loop Sculpin Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or Smoke #6.

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July 1st-July 7th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

We’ve celebrated our Montana Independence this week on the water with Fun, Sun, Bugs, and of course our Wild Trout. The weather this week was just perfect not too hot, cooler in the evenings and the hatches have just been epic!

Streamflows this week started at 1,160cfs @ Kirby and 1,650cfs @ Cameron and lowering to 1,100cfs @ Kirby and 1,430cfs @ Cameron by the end of the week. Temperatures have been fluctuating from 65 degrees at the peak of the day and dropping to 55 degrees at night. Later in the week afternoon and evening temperatures were much warmer and the start of the next week will be warmer again.

The Catch this week has been primarily on the Nymphs, however, the Dry or Die have been rewarded plenty! The hatches are moving up the River, by the end of the week Salmon Flies have been spotted starting between the lakes. The Caddis and PMD hatch has been going strong throughout the upper River. Even though the hatch may have moved on from the area you are fishing for the day it’s worth it to throw on a Salmon Fly or Goldenstone as the fish eat them a week before the hatch and a week after.

As always, the pictures tell the best story. Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday 7 AM to 6 PM, stop on by for the day-to-day report and of course the best free coffee in the Valley.

Dries: Delektable Mega2Tone Chubbyness UV Goldrush, Royal or UV Salmon Fly #6-#12; Delektable Chubbyness UV Purple, Olive Brown, Royal, or Rootbeer #10-#16; Super Chernobyl Brown #12; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut #10-#12; Morrish’s Fluttering Stone Salmon Fly #6; Delektable Secret Stone UV Orange, UV Salmon Fly, UV Goldenstone or Royal #6-#10; Juicy Stone Salmon Fly #6; Delektable 2Tone Chubbyness UV Goldrush or Royal #10-#14; Delektable Twisted Sister Orange/Brown #4-#8; Delektable Twisted Baby Yellow with Red Butt or Brown #12-#16; Cornfed Caddis CDC Olive or Tan #16; Elk Hair Caddis Tan or Olive #14-#16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan, Holo Olive or Purple #14-#16; Bloom’s Parachute Caddis Tan #14; Delektable Halo Royal or Tan #14-#16; Adams Split Winged Parachute #14-#16; Hi-Vis Rusty Spinner #14-#16; PMD Spinner #16; Guide Winna Spinner #14-#16; Carlson’s Purple Craze #12-#16; Lil’ Hotties #14-#16; Delektable Sparkle Bug Olive and Tan #16.

Nymphs: Formerly Known as Prince #14-#16; Psycho Prince Purple, Caddis Green or Yellow #12-#16; Lemon Drop #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker PT, Silver, Red, Blue or Gold #14-#18; Geppert’s Gold Lightning Bug #18; Tungsten BH Electric Caddis #14-#16; BH Shop Vac Olive or Brown #14-#16; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #14-#18; Jig Baby Sally #14-#16; Delektable Hammerhead Jig Hook GTBH Hare’s Ear, Holo Green or Prince #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Miller Time, Holo Pink, Holo Olive or PT #14-#18; Split Back PMD #16-#18; Delektable Prince Brandon #8-#16; BH Lightning Bug Gold, Silver or Pearl #14-#16; Tungsten Split Case PMD #16; BH Tungsten Jig FB Pheasant Tail #14-#18; Tung Drop Yellow Sally #14-#16; Delektable Kaboom Stone #6-#10; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Black or Pearl #14-#18; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-#16; Delektable Sure Strike TCBH Yellow/Peacock or Sally #12-#16; Napoleon Jig #16; Delektable Rootbeer Float Yellow #16.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Black/Olive, Yellow, Olive/Yellow #6;  Zonker Dark Olive or Natural #6; Shiela Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; JR’s Conehead Streamer #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8; Mini-Loop Sculpin Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Delektable Screamer Double Olive/White or Black/Olive Gold #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or Smoke #6.

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