Clear and dry blue bird sky
The weather decided to help out the raising water temperatures with a cold front the last couple of days. Despite the weather change people have been coming in saying that they have been doing good. If you find your self in the midst of a thunderstorm and cloudy weather don't be afraid to throw a Woollybugger San Juan worm or a streamer. The unexpected rise in water can dislodge some of the critters these flies are imitating while the cloud cover has the others venturing to areas they n...
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Happy 4th of July
I always wondered if trout saw the flash on fly patterns the same way my childhood dog saw the shine of the sparkler that she bit and burned her mouth on. On a serious note I would like to wish everyone a fun, safe and happy 4th of July. Being Independence Day I would also like to take a moment to say Thank You to all of the Men and Woman that have served and protected this great Country Including my Family and Friends that served whom I don't say Thank You to nearly enough. If the day ...
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Blue and strawberry lit rivers flowing towards epic Birthday’s
Ennis the town I now call home is officially in summer mode. Drift boats and RVs pass the store front as people are out with a common goal in mind, to enjoy this beautiful time of year. As a child summer meant fishing vacations with my Grandparents labeled as my Grandfather's little fishing buddy while visiting his favorite lakes. Each day I see something that reminds me of those times and enjoy visiting with people up for their annual summer excursion with the new generation in tow. ...
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Riverside news
The amount of bug activity along the banks of the river is definitely in full swing. Ton's of caddis followed closely by Yellow Sally with a few march brown along the banks as well. The Yellow Sally Are paired up in the tall grass and have already been seen hitting the water to drop some eggs along with large numbers of caddis dipping into the stream. The numbers are prolific but the main story of corse is the Salmonflies. The hatch is officialy in full swing and has moved through tow...
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The rolling and tumbling stone.
Three quick tips to catch trout right before The Salmonfly hatch. The Salmonfly hatch on the Madison River should be right around the corner and you have heard reports of one or two bugs spotted, Yes you can feel adrenaline hit your blood stream as you think about giant clumsy insects crashing into the water as they fly overhead but you are still a day or two out, so now what? Try these three things.. First, target and aim for water close to the river's bank with your favorite stonefly ny...
Read More5 Things Your Friends Expect You to Know About the Salmon Fly Hatch
The Salmon Fly hatch on famous Montana Rivers like the Madison or the Big Hole are almost a state sponsored event and reach near religious devotions. If your new to fly fishing, Montana or just want to sound cool when sitting at the local bar you need to know a few things about the culture, mystery and fishing of Montana's Hatch. 1: Big Flies and Big Fish Yes this is probably the best time of the year to catch a really large fish on a dry fly. Imagine a all you can eat buffet with ri...
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Madison River Fishing Conditions
It is all about to start here on the Madison River. The flows have tabled off about 2750 cfs at Varney Bridge and you can now see 16 inches into the water. We did a little recon trip and kicked over some rocks at the 8 Mile Access and we found salmon fly and golden nymphs all lined up and ready for the party. Best guess a week before the confetti drops. Things are looking good now for a little float with some large rubber legs and worm hatches. I would not be afraid to drop in at ...
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Summer anticipation
As summer's warm temperatures melt off larger portions of the snow pack you can feel the anticipation and excitement grow. Yes runoff's current conditions are pushing the fish down deep and decreasing the visibility but as people talk over techniques for getting their flies down you can see them getting excited for the weeks ahead. Is this the last large push of water to insure clarity and flows are optimal for those B-52 bombers to start slamming into the river? Cotton is filling the air, ...
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May Madison River Montana Newsletter
Having trouble viewing this email? Click here Website About Guided Fishing Blog Fishing Reports Contact Shop Dear Friends, Here we are waist deep in May and staring down the barrel to the best time of the year on the Madison River. June will arrive before you know it and with i...
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Fish Like Worms!
Fish Like Worms! During this season of flux on the Madison River when the river looks more like bad fly shop coffee than a pristine blue ribbon stream anglers struggle to find the answer. With all the rain we have been having the edges of the river are water logged and the worms that live below start to move. My first few years of spring trout fishing was done with the real thing. Starting on rainy nights and a flashlight picking night crawlers in all the neighbors lawns. The followin...
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