Everyone is going salmon fly crazy even though we are still a few weeks away from the main Hatch on the Madison River. Yes there have been reports of toilet bowl rises and spot hatches of bugs on the Big Hole but the real wave is still some time off for us Madisonites. We have been getting calls daily from booked guests wondering if their dates are still good, what the “epic high water” they have been hearing about will do and when we will start to see bugs.
Lets break this down one by one. First, the epic high water is really just our first normal high water event in the last few year. Yes there is still a bunch of high elevation snow in the mountains and the color of the water is less than ideal but not that bad right now. We should have seen the peak or very soon. We expect the river to trend lower and in the next 10 days be in the safe zone for the fish, bugs and anglers. Right on time. We predict that the bugs will show up in force around the same time they always do. Still sticking with my prediction of June 23 for darn good dry fly fishing. The first bugs that hatch are spot hatches and it gets everyone all fired up. Keep in mind the first spot hatches are just that spot hatches. It usually takes a few days of this before the main wave of bugs starts it progression up river.
When fishing stay either above or below the main wave of hatch. If your slightly above the hatch the fish are not yet full of floating tbones. If your a day or possibly two below it they are hungry again and looking for the lingering bugs. The fish will still be looking for the big bug up to several weeks after the hatch. Pattern hangover is real.
Lots can be said and everyone has a best super slam salmon fly pattern. We like the low floaters. Yes the flutter types look really cool but we have tons more luck on the low riders. Also take a black sharpie with you and use it liberally on all your salmon fly dries. If you look at the naturals they are more dark than orange.
The salmon fly hatch brings out the crazy in everyone and the Madison River will be busy. If your going to put in at 9 am and want to be on the deck of the Gravel Bar with a Mule in hand by 6pm you will make lots of friends on the river. Get up early and get ahead of the pack or don’t put on till noon and fish till dark. Better fishing, less people, and a more zen like state on the river.
The Caddis is key. When dry fly fishing during the mega hatch we do better trailing a caddis behind a salmon fly. The river is like chicken soup and some days they are on the chicken chunks but most often they are eating the peas, carrots and rice. Even with the best soup my Mom ever made there was way more peas, carrots and rice than chicken. During the salmon fly hatch it is also the prime time of year for caddis. A size 14 neversink caddis behind your Fat Freddie Salmon will double your catch for the day.
Fish away from the banks. Yes the salmon flies crawl up on the bank to emerge and then fall back in. Everyone is putting their bug less than one inch from the shore even if it is only 2 inches of water. Back off a little. Fish river wide love tasty morsels.
Start your motors boys and girls the salmon fly race is about to start.
