Marty guided some friends of ours from The Trout Shop in Craig. They came to visit for a IMG_0468 SM IMG_0471 SMdifferent fishing experience and to learn more about the Madison. It was a day of mixed conditions, with a pleasant morning, turning into stormy and windy, then sunny and warm, then more storms, then clearing, then … Well, you get the idea.

But despite the drastically changing weather, there were happy, hungry fish to be found. IMG_0474 SMFishing was better in the calmer periods and slow during the stormy times, as expected. And the changing weather also stifled any hatches, with no bugs to be seen, so we went down deep after them, having success with various nymphs. In the morning, Flashback Gray Delektable Hurless in size 6 and 8, and size 14 Silver Lightning Bugs worked best. In the afternoon, size 6 and 8 Black Pat’s Rubberlegs were the go-to fly. The river also showed little effect from run-off, with clear water for the majority of the float, and only stained water in some sections. In a word, the water conditions were perfect.

Oh, and yes, someone did catch a hog in honor of Mike, or so Nancy says.

Marty and Nancy

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