Is that thing in the sky a bird or a plane? Oh no! WAIT!
It’s just a giant adult Salmon Fly fluttering to the water to lay its eggs for the next stonefly cycle that takes place every June here on the Madison River!
While it’s still early on and we are just starting to see the beginning of the hatch down above town. However, it is moving fast upstream, which is very exciting! Often fishing is best upstream of where the hatch is most prevalent on the River as the hatch progresses.
Dry Fly fishing the Salmon Fly Hatch can be a fun and exciting experience but also notoriously difficult at times. Going at the most optimal times of the day makes for more consistent eats and takes on the big bugs. These flies primarily hatch during the late evening or early morning hours so fishing during those times is most effective. Sometimes the action can be through out the day as with Salmon Flies Trout Bing and Purge with these big meals. With that, they can end up eating in different sections and at different times depending on how full they are.
In addition to Salmon Flies there are multiple other consistent hatches this time of year. Yellow Sallies, PMD’s, and Caddis can all be seen on the river at different times of the day so don’t neglect the other hatches as the trout could be just as easily keyed in on the other bugs as well.
When it comes to Nymphing the same rule applies. Covering the most consistent hatches with various Nymphs to try to replicate what is going on the river at that specific time of year often works best but attractor nymphs in bright colors and styles can be very effective.
Streamer fishing has dwindled since the water has come down with runoff but still has remained consistent throwing Sculpins, Juvenile Whitefish, Trout Parr and Crawdad Imitations. Keying into what these fish are feeding on can drastically help your streamer game! Early morning and evening remain our most consistent, but the middle of the day can turn on at times especially with a rolling thunderstorm or overcast days!
It is Prime Time in the West! Hope to see you soon, we are open 7 days a week 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Let us help you stock up on all the good ammo and gear for your epic Montana Vacation!
Dries: Delektable Secret Stone UV Orange, UV Salmonfly, and Royal #6-8; Delektable Secret Stone UV Goldenstone #10-#12; Delektable Chubbyness Little Yellow Stone, Royal, Cinnamon or Rootbeer #14-#16; Delektable Mega 2 Tone Chubbyness UV Salmonfly, Royal #6-8 and UV Goldrush, UV Goldenstone #10-#12; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Olive, UV Cinnamon, Royal #14-#18; Delektable CDC Elk hair Caddis Holo Olive, Purple, Olive or Tan #14-16; Delektable Twisted Baby Yellow With a Red Butt #12-16; Delektable Halo Tan, Royal #14-#16.
Nymphs: Delektable Tungsten Gold B.H. Formerly Prince #12-16; Delektable JH Tungsten Olive Hares Ear Torch Light #14-16; Delektable JH Tungsten Micro Spanker Sally, Hare’s Ear, Pheasant Tail #14-#16; Delektable Kaboom Stone #6-8; Delektable Gold B.H. Mega Formerly Prince STD #6-8; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown #14-18; Jig CDC Brown Thrasher #14-16; Silver B.H. Black Spanish Bullet #16; Lightning Bugs Silver, Gold, Pearl #14-#18; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail #14-#18; Splitback PMD #14-#16. Delektable Root Beer Float Yellow #14-#16.
Streamers: Dalai Lama Olive/White #6-10; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Yellow, White, Olive/Black or Badger #6; JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4, Trevor’s Sculpin Olive #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Sculp Ditty Olive #4; Pocket Rocket Olive #4.
