Salmon Flies
Yes they are still around and what a good hatch it has been. Lots of good fish coming to the net in the last two weeks to the big orange bug. It has been awesome. If you are still in the Salmon fly craze think Sun West and upstream for the peak of the hatch. Lyons bridge is probably the epicenter as of this writing. Remember the fish have pattern hangover and will still be looking for the large bugs days and even weeks after the main hatch has gone past.
Small Ball
We have been having much better luck as of late on the smaller flies. Everyone has floated a size 6 orange foamie past every fish on the river. We have been making a living on the caddis and the PMD. Play small ball, get folks on base and win some games. The entire Money Ball was based on this and it works this time of year. PMD are hatching all morning long and even if you do not see fish rise they will eat them. Think parachute stuff in the choppy water. We also like the rusty spinner stuff in the afternoons and evenings as the duns fall to the water as spinners. The biggest fish have been eating the spinner late in the day.
Caddis is King
We have said it before and it still is true on the Madison River the Caddis is king. If you can fish caddis effectively you will rule the day. There are tons of caddis out there and the fish are on them. The bigger dark brown bombers, mid sized tan buggers and the smaller black are all in the soup. We like fishing micro chubby for the dark brown chocolate colored bombers. For the mid sized we like the x caddis and for the little ones we like the peacock caddis. The nymphs and larva are in the soup all day every day right now so concentrate on webby soft hackle stuff like CDC Princes and the like. Fish get on the emergence about mid day and continue all evening. They like the emergers from about 1 pm on and then are on the adults on the surface after that. Fish the caddis and you will be rewarded Yoda says.
Lots of water in the Madison River this time of year. Flows are 1310 CFS at Kirby and 1740 CFS at Varney. All this with a full lake and we are set for a great summer.
Lots of good stuff happening on the Madison River right now. This is as good as it gets so get out and get some. Stop by the store for the latest intel from our guides and to pick up the bugs of choice.
