Fishing Conditions
The opening of the Upper Madison River above McAtee Bridge and below Ennis in the Channels section is this weekend and should not be missed. With the good flows and the green to clear water this is shaping up to be one of the best openings in recent memory. If your heading out i would suggest starting the day bobber lobbing and nymphing. Keep with the basic stuff of stone fly's, large may fly nymphs and caddis emergers. We are still seeing good hatches of caddis as well as March Browns and if the weather man is correct we will see rainy weather which will bring out the BWO's. Look for the dry fly game to start mid afternoon and continue till evening. This will be a water temp thing and you will need to wait till it creeps just a few degrees to get the bugs active.
If you are floating try the Lyons Bridge to McAtee section and time your float to be in the good dry fly water around Palisades mid afternoon. If your a wade fisherman try Reynolds Pass area and hike a ways. You are sure to make some friends with other anglers this weekend but everyone should be to busy fighting fish to notice.
Once your done fishing the Madison River stop in Ennis for the Tap into Ennis Brew and Spirit Festival in Lyons Park. We are going to have 20 Montana breweries and distilleries on hand to sample. What is better good fishing and Montana beer and whiskey?
Fly Patterns
Dries
Purple Haze 12,14: Parachute March Brown 12,14: Peacock Caddis 14,16: Parachute Dancing Caddis Peacock 12,14: Chubby Skwala 12: XCaddis Olive 14,16: PMX Royal 14,16: PMX Olive 12,14,16
Nymphs
Pats Rubber Legg in black or coffee/black 6,8,10: Copper John 10,12: Delektable CDC Baby 12,14,16: Soft hackle Purple Lightning bug 14,16: Hares Ear 14,16: Soft Hackle CDC Prince 12,14,16: Lightning Bug Silver 14,16: FKA Prince 12,14: San Juan Worm Pink 10,12,14: Delektable Lime Juice 12,14,16: BH Pheasant Tail 12,14: BH Sparkle Prince 12,14,16
Streamers
Sparkle Minnow Sculpin size 4, sparkle Minnow Ghost Size 6, Sculpzilla Olive 4,8: Bow River bugger size 6: Mini Loop Sculpin 6: Haymaker sculpin olive, Grand Master Flash Brown: Sculpzilla Black 4,8: Zonker Pearl 8,10: Wool head sculpin black 4: Sculpzilla Olive 4,8: Shelia Sculpin 4:
More Info
USGS flow information
Shuttle Services:
Meadowlark Shuttles
406-682-4188
406-581-4626
Dorothy’s Shuttle Service
406-682-4886
Quake to Ennis Lake
The opening of the Upper Madison River above McAtee Bridge and below Ennis in the Channels section is this weekend and should not be missed. With the good flows and the green to clear water this is shaping up to be one of the best openings in recent memory. If your heading out i would suggest starting the day bobber lobbing and nymphing. Keep with the basic stuff of stone fly's, large may fly nymphs and caddis emergers. We are still seeing good hatches of caddis as well as March Browns and if the weather man is correct we will see rainy weather which will bring out the BWO's. Look for the dry fly game to start mid afternoon and continue till evening. This will be a water temp thing and you will need to wait till it creeps just a few degrees to get the bugs active.
If you are floating try the Lyons Bridge to McAtee section and time your float to be in the good dry fly water around Palisades mid afternoon. If your a wade fisherman try Reynolds Pass area and hike a ways. You are sure to make some friends with other anglers this weekend but everyone should be to busy fighting fish to notice.
Once your done fishing the Madison River stop in Ennis for the Tap into Ennis Brew and Spirit Festival in Lyons Park. We are going to have 20 Montana breweries and distilleries on hand to sample. What is better good fishing and Montana beer and whiskey?
