Salmon Flies and Goldenstones have left the building but the river is still on fire.

Caddis and PMD dry flies and nymphs have been dominating the bite this last week. The hatches are even in the shop and we can’t keep the cases clean from the hatch action. The afternoon PMD Rusty Spinners are out there. Sallys are out. You will also see some olive Flavs in the afternoon into the evening. A Purple Haze can work for that.

Many of the guide trips are starting early in the morning as it gets pretty hot mid afternoon. Small nymphs have been the choice of many guides, but the evening caddis and mayfly dry fly action has been outstanding.

Mice are working in Russia and Alaska right now, but not so much on the Madison. Larger Caddis and Mayfly patterns have been producing larger fish, but oh…don’t forget about the midges! Sizes 16 and 18 on Caddis Dries are a good start and 14-16 for mayflies.

Stories abound from what happened to Howard, guiding a group of women, and he leaped out of the boat and something happened where he is now showing a lot of leg. He returned to our shop to purchase new fishing pants. It was good for a laugh.

Okay, Elle’s Trout cookies were a hit this week and shown in addition to the nice trout catches.

Father and Son, Mike and Mike, had a great week learning the freestone techniques as compared to smaller streams in the east. It was fun.

Our dear friends and brothers, Steve and Jim Geil came to visit again this year with a friend, John. They had some really unforgettable fishing days with awesome catches and numerous fish that got away too. It was a really fun week and great to see our friends.

Bobby and Gail were back from Louisiana and had some fun on the Upper Madison.

The Fully Wild group and others did hit some late afternoon storm action. They still caught fish but we experienced a change in the action just after the storm.

There have been some reports of spruce moths up around the Pine Butte area and patterns imitating both Caddis and Spruce Moths have been producing lots of fish.

Kay, Liz, Martha and Cecily had a bunch of fun with Howard and Randy and the ladies really caught some nice fish.

July on the Madison is an awesome time! Come on out, have a few cold ones, and forget the waders in the car. It’s HOT! Happy fishing!

John and Nancy

Dry fly mania!!! Salmon flies, Golden stones, Caddis, PMD dry flies, and a few Sallies have ruled the day and night time fishing! And there were even reports of a few Spruce Moths above Lyons. It has been kind of insane with the big bugs here behind the shop up to Lyons and now at Three Dollar Bridge.

Kim with Joe caught a fat stuffed trout with a Sculpin still in its mouth and still eating the fly, reminding us how trout like to gorge themselves.

Gary rowed Martha into some really nice action with the Delektable Drowned Salmon Fly.

Jeff sent a photo from his adventures this week and a really nice catch.

We had some great family groups and buddies fishing together and our crew fished this week on numerous occasions. It has been a really fun buggy week. Yes, there were a bunch of people some of the days but that’s what happens when the big bug hatch is at the same time as a holiday week. There are definitely a group of big bug followers that chase the bugs from river to river.

This 4th of July there were many happy campers on vacation here with the big Salmon fly hatch and you will find no one complaining still. Yes, there was a people hatch too but if you strategized, you could beat it and find the fish. Flies that rocked were as follows:

Dan’s Secret Salmon and Secret Golden, the Drowned Salmon and Golden, the Delektable Twisted Sister orange/brown (size 6 and 8), Chubbies in gold, brown, purple, and peach (size 8, 10, and 12).

Caddis flies were Delektable Halo’s in royal, tan and peacock (size 14 and 16), the Delektable CDC elk hair caddis in olive, tan, purple and cinnamon (size 14 and 16), the Delektable Twisted X in red, tan/brown, purple and olive/gold (size 14 and 16).

Mayfly patterns were Delektable Teasers in royal, purple and PMD (size 14 and 16), Split Wing Adams and Purple Haze (size. 14 and 16), Purple Craze and Adams Parachute (size. 14 and 16) PMD Butt Head Sparkle Dun (size. 16)

And in the nymph world, PMDS, Sallies and Caddis are hatching daily so of course bead head nymphs in sizes 14, 16 and 18 are rockin’ the boat too baby!!! This includes: Lemon Drops, Delektable Lil’ Spankers in Gold and Silver, Shop Vacs, Pyscho Princes in Yellow and/or Green, Delektable Sure Strikes in Peacock, Yellow/Peacock, Yellow Sally, and Purple. And the various Princes continue to work well. Pat’s Rubberlegs are still in the game but some have said the trout are figuring out they are not real.

Enjoy the fishing!

Dan D and Nancy

Dave Gazzara and I took a nice float down the Madison this past Saturday. We did a Lyons to McAtee from 6:30 in the morning till 9:30. I would love to elaborate on how all the different flies were working and how they ate everything, however it was not like that. The fish ate the single salmon fly ALL DAY long, period.

Dan G