Tag: Madison river fishing guides

October 25th – November 24th | Madison River

As our season seems to be winding down and less busy with the Holiday Season upon us, we’d like to of course give thanks to all of our loyal customers and their support throughout 2021. It was a year that saw early high temps, and the first Hoot Owl closure on the Upper Madison ever. We all persevered though and enjoyed a great summer fishing on the river we all hold so Dear.

The last few weeks have seen unseasonably warm fall days, some cooler days, and the wind has been blowing many days. Welcome to Montana Right!?! Fishing has been solid to excellent many days. Flows remain low throughout the Upper and water temps are in the low to mid 40’s most days currently. The Trout are still hungry and attempting to fatten up for the long Winter ahead. Brown’s are spawning so keep an eye out for those Redds as your out wading the river. And of course let them do their thing in Peace.

For the Dry Fly enthusiast out there we have now transitioned into Midge time. If you can pick the right day with calm to no wind there are a surprising amount of heads up in the soft pockets along the banks, and behind the rocks in the Upper Wade Section.

Nymphing remains the most consistent method of catching and landing right now. Smaller Stonefly Nymphs, Midge Pupae, Worm and Imitations, and Small Attractor style Nymphs with a bit of flash are doing the job. And of course some of the year round producers like Pheasant Tails, Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Shop Vac’s, and $3 Dips.

Streamer action remains solid. Everything from Buggers to the Big Articulated Nasties are on the menu depending on the day. Just have a good rotation of patterns and colors available and you should have some hookups and the possibility of that Two Footer we always hope for.

Swinging the shallow riffles and softer water with a Soft Hackle is also producing well. Don’t be afraid to swing a larger brighter pattern this time of year. A size #10-#14 pattern with some color and flash can bring some amazing fish in this time of year. And those big bruisers sometimes are hiding in those little riffles. Keep in mind we are not necessarily matching the hatch right now. We are targeting those larger migratory fish. So whether you do this with a Single Hand Rod or are a newly converted disciple of the Trout Spey game there is just something about that grab on a Softie.

Dries: Parachute Adams #18-#22, Carlson’s Purple Craze #18-#20. Griffith’s Gnat #18-#20. Brook’s Sprout Midge Olive #20.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Delektable Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail, Silver, Red, Blue #16-#20. Delektable Tungsten Bead Head Big Spanker Warrior #18. Rainbow Warrior #18-#20. Zebra Midge Black, Red, Olive #12-#20. Formerly Known as Prince #16-#18. Pat’s Rubberlegs Black #10-#12. Worm Imitations #4-#12.

Streamers: Delektable Single and Double Screamers Black, Olive, White, Black/Olive, Brown/Yellow, Badger.
Galloup’s Dungeons Standard and Mini Black, Olive, Cream, Olive/Black Barred. Zonkers. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow. JR’s Conehead Olive.

Soft Hackles: Full Dressed Red, Partridge and Olive, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Purple. Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle. #10-#16.

Steelhead Rehab Oct. 23rd – Nov.11th | Rogue River, Southern Oregon

My first destination trip in over two years, to rehab the body, mind, and soul. 15 days of Flyfishing the Rogue River in Southern Oregon . Staying with one of my best friends Jeff Wilson. We caught Steelhead everyday except one. While also catching Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout on Dry Dropper combos.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You to all of our friends. Jeff and Jules. Jack and Angie at The Fishing Hole. Dave, Andy, Steve, Kam, Heather, Jed, and Clay.

October 18th – 24th | Madison River

With the end of October in sight Fall temperatures and weather are taking hold here in the Valley. We’ve had a good amount of windy days this week. Some very windy of course making casting anything but a Streamer a bit of an adventure. The Nymph bite and Streamer bite remain good to excellent though. And when the wind is calm enough the hatches of BWO’s in the Upper Wade section have been very heavy. Fish have also been eager to rise to a well placed dry BWO in the slicks behind rocks and those calm soft pockets along the banks throughout the wade section.

There is plenty of good fishing to be had before the snow starts flying in earnest. The river isn’t crowded at all with hunting season being in full swing. It’s a great time to be out there for some solitude and some very solid fishing. Flows are right around the 800 cfs to 900 cfs mark river wide. If you’re bringing the hard boat for one or two last floats the Upper River from Lyon’s to Mac will still be your best bet. 

Dries: Delektable Sparkle Bug Light Olive, DarkOlive, Gray, #18. Delektable Lil’ Teaser BWO #18-#20. Delektable Lil’ Squeezer BWO #18-#20. Brook’s Sprout Emerger BWO #18-#22. Snowshoe Baetis #18-#22. Sparkle Dun BWO #18-#22. Parachute Adams #18-#22. Carlson’s Purple Craze #18-#20.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs Black #10-#12. Splitback Baetis #18-#20. Delektable Lil Spanker Silver, Blue, Red, Pheasant Tail, #16-#20. Delektable Tungsten Jig Spanker Red, Silver, Pheasant Tail, Holo Black #18. Geppart’s Master and Mega Emerger #18. Geppart’s Skinny Dip Black, Brown #16-#18. Pheasant Tail Nymphs #16-#18. Copper John’s Copper, Red #16-#18. Lil’ Green Machine Pheasant Tail, Olive #18-#20. Shop Vac’s #16-#20. $3 Dollar Dips Brown, Red, Crystal #16-#18. Zebra Midge Black, Red #18-#2

Streamers: Delektable Single or Double Screamer Black, Olive, Olive/Black, Badger, White. Delektable SS Jointed Screamers Black/Olive, White, Olive. Galloups Dungeon and Mini Dungeons Black, Olive, Cream, White. Galloup’s Boogie Man Black, Olive, White. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow #6. Zonkers Copper, Pearl, Olive. #6-#8. McCune’s Sculpin Olive #6-#8. Sculpzilla Olive, Black, White #4-#8.

October 11th – 17th | Madison River Fishing Report

We were greeted with a blast of winter at the beginning of the week. Lots of accumulating snow and high winds brought drifting snow and lots of shoveling to all of us here in the Madison Valley. We were grateful for a plow rescue from a friend. Thank you! The boat ramps at Varney and above were out of commission for a couple days but cleared up within a couple days. Now things are back to normal October conditions and we’ve had some pretty darn nice weather since Wednesday.

The front that moved through sure got the Big Browns of the Madison moving around and chasing quite well. Some very good streamer and nymph fishing was had the second half of the week. If you could find some spots shielded by the “W” there were trout sipping BWO’s in the soft pockets around rocks and near the banks.

Fall is here to stay and it won’t be long until we’ve all wondered where this season went so quickly. So get out on the water if you find a day to your liking and enjoy the last few weeks, before the snow is flying in earnest.

Flows still remain low so if you’re looking to squeeze in a last float or two before storing the boat for the season, your best bet will be up higher in the Lyon’s to Mac section. The water up top is just fine for floating without beating up your hard boat.

Dries: Delektable Sparkle Bug Olive, Dark Olive, Gray #18. Delektable BWO Teaser #18-#20. Delektable BWO Squeezer #18-#20. Brook’s BWO Sprout Emerger #18-#20. BWO Sparkle Duns #18-#20. Parachute Adams #18-#20. Carlson’s Purple Haze #18-#20.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #10. Delektable Guide Stones Black #10. Pat’s Rubberlegs Black #10-#12. Formerly Known as Prince #16-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon #16-#18. Delektable Lil’ Spanker Silver, Pheasant Tail, Blue #18-#20. Lightning Bugs #16-#20. Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-#20. Geppert’s Master BWO Emerger, Geppert’s Mega BWO Emerger.

Streamers: Delelektable Single and Double Screamer Olive, Black, White, Olive/Black. Zonkers Natural, Copper, Olive. Galloup’s Dungeon and Mini Dungeon Black, Olive, Olive/Black Barred, Cream. Galloup’s Boogie Man Black, Olive. Mini Loop Sculpin Olive and Natural. McCune’s Sculpin Olive. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow #6. 

October 3rd – 9th | Madison River Fishing Report

Welcome back Autumn. The weather has turned and Fall conditions look like they are here to stay now. We are in the midst of our first weather system of the season here in the Madison Valley. Cool temperatures, and a good dose of much needed rain has been falling over the last couple of days. Snow capping the tops of the Madison and Gravelly Ranges again and we might even see a bit in the valley in the next couple of days. And heck yeah we are excited about it.

The weather has the Big Browns moving and chasing Streamers. It’s days like these when the BWO hatches come off thick and heavy especially on the Upper portion of the river. If the wind is down and you have some clouds, add some light rain, or snow and you can have some incredible dry fly fishing in the boulder fields of the Madison. There are plenty of very nice fish being landed throughout the length of the river right now. With that being said as you get below Varney a couple miles the river is very skinny in a number of areas. And you should use caution and know the path well if you’re floating. Since it’s never fun scraping your entire float. The Varney boat ramp itself is incredibly low and you will need to be wadered up to put in or take out there. The Upper Section from Storey Ditch upstream to Lyon’s Bridge is by far the best suited for float trips at the current flows. 

The Streamer bite is good and will continue that way throughout the month especially when we have clouds. Small patterns to large are all possibilities. Keep in mind with Streamers to be adaptable and change things up. Slow retrieves, Fast retrieves, Dead Drifting, Swinging, Trailing the Streamer with a Nymph. These are all possibilities out there and each day can be different. Be willing to change up your patterns and presentations and you will find success.

BWO’s have been active for a couple of weeks. But with the cool stormy weather beginning this will make the hatches much heavier and the fishing much more consistent. BWO’s tend to fish best in those softer pockets along the banks and along rocks, and the Trout of the Madison will move into these slots. When it’s good you can find multiple good fish sipping these small Mayflies in each pool.

Nymphing as always remains a great option. As smaller Stonefly Nymphs, Attractor Nymphs, Baetis Nymphs, and various Prince variants all continue to fish very well.
Soft Hackles are a great way to experience the Madison this time of year. Especially as the Blue Winged Olive hatches heat up. Find yourself a nice riffle that’s mid depth to somewhat shallow with some moderate to slower currents and swing a bigger Fall Soft Hackle or BWO Soft Hackle through there and hold on. You’ll love the results. It’s a very addictive way of fishing and you’ll be surprised how some of the larger Migratory fish will just hammer a well presented Softie.

 

 

 

 

 

The YNP section of the Madison should start to heat up much more during this batch of stormy weather. This should bring more of the big Runner’s out of Hebgen. And with clouds they should be willing to chase a swung Streamer or Soft Hackle throughout the day, rather than just at dawn or before sunset. I had a chance to fish the Park last Wednesday. The resident trout were plenty willing to eat a Dry, chase a Streamer or munch a Nymph. But the Big Migratory Trout were definitely laying very low except in the lowest light conditions. We have a few weeks left of the Park Season and then it will close at sunset on the first Sunday of November.

 

 

 

 

 

As the weather cools remember to take some extra time to prepare for your adventures. Pack extra layers and extra clothes just in case you take a dunking. Hypothermia becomes a real threat on the cooler Autumn and Winter Days. Hand Warmers can make or break an enjoyable Fall Day on the River. The crowds are down. The weather is crisp and it’s Fall in Montana. What more could you ask for. Stop by for some bugs, and some hot coffee before your journey. We are here to help and love to do just that.

 

 

 

 

 

Dries: Delektable BWO Teaser #18-#20. Delektable BWO Squeezer #18-#20. Delektable Sparkle Bug Olive and Dark Olive #18. Snowshoe BWO #18-#20. Delektable Ranch BWO #18. Parachute Adams #18-#20. Carlson’s Purple Craze #18-#20. Purple Haze #18-#20. Brook’s Sprout Emerger BWO #20-#22. BWO Sparkle Dun #18-#20.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs Black, Olive/Black, Brown, Brown/Black #8-#12. Delektable Guide Stones Black, Olive/Black, Brown/Black #8-#10.Delektable Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail, Red, Blue, Silver #16-#20. Pheasant Tail Nymphs #16-#20. Lightning Bugs Silver, Gold #16-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon #16-#18. Prince Nymph #16-#18. Formerly Known as Prince #16-#18. Shop Vac’s #16-#18. $3 Dollar Dips Brown, Red, Crystal #16-#18. Little Green Machine Pheasant Tail, Olive #18-#20. Splitback Baetis #18-#20. Delektable Tungsten Jig Spanker Holo Black, Holo Olive #18. Delektable Root Beer Float #18 Baetis Gray. Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black, Brown #14-#18. Geppert’s Master BWO Emerger #18. Geppert’s Mega Emerger #18. RS2’s Gray and Olive #18-#20.

Streamers: Delektable Single and Double Screamer Black, Olive, White, Olive/Black, Brown/Yellow, Badger. Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Black, Olive, White, Olive/Black, Brown/Yellow. Sparkle Minnow’s #6. Zonkers Copper, Natural, Olive #6-#8. Mini Loop Sculpin Natural and Olive. Sculpzilla Olive, Natural, Black #4-#6. Galloup’s Dungeon Standard, Mini, Olive, Black, White, Cream/White, Olive/Black. Galloup’s Boogie Man Black, Olive, White. Galloup’s Silk Kitty Olive, White. Bow River Buggers White, Olive, Black, Black Olive #6-#8.

 

 

 

 

 

Soft Hackles: Full Dressed Red, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Olive, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear. Partridge and Purple. Soft Hackle BWO.

September 26th – October 2nd | Madison River Fishing Report

We were greeted with cool to downright chilly morning temperatures this week here in the Madison Valley. High winds in the early part of the week turned to some absolutely beautiful calm days in the latter half. The future forecast looks good until next weekend when some cool and cloudier days will return.

Very good to excellent Streamer activity continues in the early to mid mornings and again in the late afternoons and evenings. There are a good number of large Brown Trout running up into the system out of Ennis Lake. Some pigs are being landed from Varney down to the lake but that is the skinniest water. Just keep in mind if you’re floating at these lower flows keep your eyes downstream as it gets pretty skinny in some areas. Especially for those of you in the hard boats. Olive, Black, Black/Olive, Yellow, White, Brown/Yellow Streamer colors are all effective. Adding a small attractor nymph trailing the Streamer has also been very effective.

The Dry Fly bite has slowed over the last week. If you are a Dry or Die Angler you still have opportunities out there.There are BWO’s hatching daily. With some cloud cover the hatches have been heavy especially on the Upper Wade section. Next weekend there is some scuzzy weather moving in that should be an excellent window for some strong BWO activity. Hoppers never really materialized this year and the action on those has slowed even more now with the colder nighttime temperatures. You can still find a good fish or two to come up and inspect a well placed ant, beetle, or smaller Chubby though. October Caddis and the Fall Sedge Caddis are out on the water as well.

With the cooler Autumn temps the Nymph bite has returned to a much more consistent level. Smaller to Mid Size Stonefly Nymphs trailed with any of the Prince Variants, Bright Attractor Nymphs, or Perdigons is a good go to rig right now. We’ve been seeing some big fish come to the net nymphing as well over the last several days.

The crowds have thinned out for sure and there is plenty of water and the Rainbows and Browns of the Madison are getting on the feed ahead of the long winter ahead. With clear air quality again the views in the valley this time of year are simply stunning. Especially at Sunrise or near Sunset. The Alpenglow on the sides of the Gravelly and Madison Ranges are so beautiful this time of year. The snow will be flying before we know it so get out there and enjoy the last bit of nice weather remaining.

Dries: Delektable Flying Ant Red, Cinnamon #14-#16. Delektable Twisted Sister Orange/Brown #12 – #14. Delektable Twisted X Orange/Brown #12-#14. Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan, Purple #14-#16. BWO Sparkle Dun #18-#20. Delektable Ranch BWO #18. Delektable BWO Teaser #18-#20. Parachute Adams #18. Carlson’s Purple Craze #16-#18. Purple Haze #16-#20.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs Black, Olive/Black, Brown/Black, Brown #8-#12. Delektable Lil’ Spanker Silver, Gold, Red, Blue, Purple, Pheasant Tail #14-#18. Delektable Jighead Tungsten Spanker Holo Red, Holo Silver, Holo Black #14-#18. Formerly Known as Prince #16-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon #14-#18. $3Dollar Dips Brown, Red, Crystal #16-#18. Splitback BWO #18-#20. Pheasant Tail Nymphs #16-#20. Copper Johns Red #14-#18. Shop Vac’s #16-#18. Little Green Machine Green, Black, Pheasant Tail #16-#20.

Streamers: Delektable Single and Double Screamers Black, Olive, White, Olive/Black, Brown/Yellow, Badger. Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Black, Olive, White, Olive/Black, Brown/Yellow, Chartreuse/White, Olive/Yellow. Zonkers Natural, Copper, Pearl #6-#8. Mini Loop Sculpin Natural and Olive #6. Sculpzilla Olive, Natural, Black #8. Galloup’s Dungeons Regular or Mini Black, Olive, Cream. Galloup’s Silk Kitty Olive, White.

September 19th-25th | Madison River Fishing Report

 

 

 

 

 

Hello again from the Delektable Crew here at Beartooth Flyfishing. We’ve had a busy and great week here in the Madison Valley. After the cold warmer weather and sunny skies returned and we’ve had beautiful days with very little haze from the wildfires of the West. The fishing overall is great especially sub surface with a great Streamer bite most mornings. The Fall BWO’s are beginning to make their presence known. Especially on cloudy and cool days. There are some Fall Sedge Caddis, October Caddis, and still Hoppers and Ants to keep us on our toes as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Streamer fishing has been good to excellent most days from Dawn until about mid morning. And throughout the day with some cloud cover. We’ve seen numerous fish in the 20+ inch class come to the net throughout the week. The Browns are getting more aggressive the deeper we get into Fall. Numerous patterns are working effectively as well as presentations. And you don’t necessarily have to throw the huge patterns to get the big boys to eat. We’ve had numerous clients get into some of the bruisers on some of the smaller patterns just as much as the big articulated ones. And if you’d like add a small Nymph to the back and double up on your chances.

We still have Hoppers, Ants, Beetles, Caddis, and BWO’s out now as well. So by no means is it time to put away the Dry Fly sticks just yet. Periods of surface activity occur each day and it’s a matter of rotating through bugs and watching what the river tells you. If you commit to the Dry you can have success. You may have to sift through some of the little guys until the bigger fish you want comes up and sucks down that dry.

As always Nymphing will be your most consistent way of hooking up for more numbers. With the Baetis activity on the rise be sure to have a good selection of small Baetis and Pheasant Tail Patterns on board in the size #18-#20 range. Many attractor nymphs are having success. Patterns such as Lightning
Bugs, Delektable Lil’ Spankers, and most of the Prince Nymph Variants are all good places to start. Trailing one of these behind a Pat’s Rubberlegs or a Delektable Mega Prince are a good two fly rig to fish now.

Dries: Morrish Hopper, Panty Dropper Hopper, Thunder Thigh’s Hopper in Tan, Pink, Peach #10-#14. Delektable Flying Ant in Cinnamon and Red #14-#16. Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #16. Delektable Twisted X Orange/Brown #12-#14. Delektable Twisted Sister  Orange/Brown #12-#14. Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis in Tan, and Purple #14-#16. Snowshoe Baetis #18-#20. Sparkle Dun BWO #18-#20. Delektable Chubbyness in Rootbeer and Cinnamon #14. Delektable Lil’ Chubby in Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Black, and UV Gray #16 – #18. Delektable Lil’ Secret in Royal and UV Pink #16-#18.

 

 

 

 

 

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs in Black, Brown/Black, Olive/Black #8-#12. Delektable Guide Stone’s #8-#10. Delektable Lil’ Spankers #16-#18 in Silver, Red, Purple, and Pheasant Tail #16-#20. Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-#20. Delektable Big Spanker Warrior #14-#18. Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18. Prince Nymph #14-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon #14-#18. Little Green Machine in Olive, Black, Pheasant Tail #16-#18. Splitback Baetis #18-#20. Delektable Rootbeer Float in Baetis Gray #18-#20. $3 Dollar Dips in Red, Brown #16-#18. Crystal Dips #16-#18. Shop Vac’s #16-#18.

Streamers: Delektable Single and Double Screamer in Olive, Olive/Black, Brown/Yellow, Badger. Zonkers in Copper, Olive, and Pearl #6-#8. Galloup’s Dungeon Standard and Mini in Olive, Black, White, Cream. Galloup’s Silk Kitty Olive or White. Mini Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive. McCune’s Sculpin Natural or Olive. Sculpzilla in White, Olive, Natural, and Black #4-# 8. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow #6.

 

September 12th – 18th | Madison River Fishing Report

Another week has come and gone here in the Madison Valley. October is approaching quickly. Shorter days lie ahead in the very near future. It’s been a mixed bag this week with the fishing action on the Upper Madison. We’ve seen some very tough days out there with the fish being finicky and selective and some good solid consistent days as well. We’ve had some pretty heavy wind as well for about the last four days making rowing a boat down the boulder field that is the Madison a bit of an adventure. Flows remain low and I would expect this to remain the same for the foreseeable future. With that said just know the River gets a bit boney down below 8 mile through the town stretch and down to Valley Garden. So those of you with the hard boats might get some new scrapes in the paint.

Streamers, Nymphs, and Dries when the wind is calmer are all in play on the Upper currently. We have some cool wet weather forecast for Sunday and Monday so that could get some BWO’s up on the surface especially in the Upper Wade Section around $3 Dollar and Raynold’s. Streamers are for sure the name of the game if you’re out early. And you can definitely throw them all day now if you have the stamina for it. Zonkers and Sculpin Patterns are fishing best. Olive, Black, White, Olive/White colors seem to be the most consistent. It seems we will not be seeing that consistent good Hopper fishing we were spoiled with the last couple years. Definitely still have them as on some days they do turn onto them and it’s best to have them in your quiver than not just in case.

 

 

 

 

 

The Chubby/Hopper dropper rig continues to produce. And the Ant patterns are for sure your best bet for the closest thing you’ll find to some consistent Dry Fly fishing right now. Nymphing as always gives you your best overall bet. The Trout seem to be looking for the smaller fair mostly now. Fishing smaller Stonefly Nymphs trailed with Small Attractor Nymphs and Baetis Nymphs are bringing some success. Think no bigger than a size #16 for your trailers now. With a lot of #18’s in the mix as well.

The Madison in the Park is beginning to heat up as a fairly good number of run up fish from Hebgen are now in the system. It’s still not money time there yet. But there are definitely enough fish in to make the drive worth while and swing a runner or two up with some streamers or soft hackles. Early mornings are currently best for the Trout Spey crowd. And you can certainly Nymph some of those big runners up throughout the day and into evening. If you’re new or interested in getting into the Trout Spey Game stop by and talk to Ryan our Shop Manager. He is a regular in the Park for the Fall Brown Trout Run and can give you some advice on Rods, Shooting Heads, Flies and all the fun that is Fall Fishing in YNP. There is something about being on the Madison inside the Park on a crisp Autumn morning by yourself. With the steam rising off the river, Bull Elk bugling, and walking the footsteps of the legendary anglers who have come before us is just something all Flyfishers should look to experience just once in their life if they have not had that opportunity.

As always be safe out there. Enjoy this beautiful Fall Weather we are experiencing. And don’t forget to look around and experience the breathtaking scenery we have surrounding us. It’s so easy to get tunnel vison and focus on our Flies or Indicator and forget about the miracles of nature that surround us on each Outing. Feel free to call or stop by anytime for some Flies, advice, and all your flyfishing needs. Our shop hours are currently 8AM to 6PM 7 days a week.

Dries: Delektable Chubbyness in Rootbeer and UV Cinnamon #14-#16. Delektable Lil’ Chubby in Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Black #16-#18. Delektable Flying Ant in Red, Cinnamon, and Black #14-#16. Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #16. Delektable Secret Stone #10-#12 Dark Olive. Parachute Adams #12-#18. Carlson’s Purple Craze #12-#18. Purple Haze #12-#18.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs in Black, Olive/Black #10-#12. Delektable Lil’ Spanker in Silver, Red, Gold, Purple, and Pheasant Tail #16-#20. Shop Vacs #16-#18. $3 Dollar Dips in Red and Brown #16-#18. Crystal Dips #16-#18. Pheasant Tail Nymphs #16-#20. Beadhead Mo’ River Pheasant Tail #18-#20. Tungsten BWO Splitback #18-#20. Olive Perdigons #16-#18. Micro May Brown or Olive #18-#20. Tung Teaser Black #18. Prince Nymphs #16-#18.

Streamers: Delektable Single or Double Screamer in Olive, Black, Olive/Black, White, Badger. Delektable SS Jointed Screamer White/Olive. Galloup’s Dungeon Regular and Mini in Olive, Black, Cream, and White. Galloup’s Silk Kitty Olive. Mini Loop Sculpin Olive and Natural. Sparkle Minnow and Sparkly Yummy. Zonkers in Silver, Copper, and Olive.

Soft Hackles: Full Dressed Red, Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Olive.

September 5th – 11th | Madison River Fishing Report

Fishing on the Upper Madison right now continues to be an adventure of adaptation and changing strategies throughout the day. But you can certainly bring plenty of fish to the net if you are willing to change it up. Streamer action remains strong in the early mornings. Stripping, swinging, and dead drifting are all working.

As the sun gets higher there are still fish looking up for Nocturnals. A well placed Chubby or Water Walker in a Dark Olive tone is a good way to go. Drop a small Nymph off the back and you have a great chance with that.

As you transition into afternoon start fishing the Hoppers and the Ants, or Hopper Dropper. Attractor dries are also working at times.

Or if your wanting some numbers and don’t mind staring at the indicator all day go sub surface with a two fly rig and bring some in that way. Stonefly Nymphs, Bright Flashy Attractor Nymphs, Perdigons, old standby’s like Shop Vac’s, $3 and Crystal Dips, and Lightning Bugs are all good patterns to try.

There are a lot of anglers having success swinging Soft Hackles as well.

Best way to describe it right now is have plenty of ammo and be willing to change things up throughout the day until you start finding that consistency. The transition to fall is well underway to be sure.

We just want to as always say a huge thank you to all of our customers. Your support and patronage is so appreciated. And if you aren’t a regular here at Beartooth Flyfishing yet, please stop by and share some of your Montana trip with us. We are always here with great advice for fly selection, or any of your other Gear needs. We still have plenty of Cortland Clearance lines at 40% off. A lot of 7 and 8 weight lines available for those of you who may need a new Steelhead Line for the Fall. Be safe and enjoy a beautiful time on the River out there.

Dries: Delektable Chubbyness in Rootbeer, UV Purple and UV Cinnamon #12-#16. Delektable Lil’ Chubby in Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Tan #14-#18. Delektable Secret Stone Dark Olive #10-#12. Delektable Secret Stone UV Goldenstone #12. Purple Haze #12-#18. Carlson’s Purple Craze #12-#18. Parachute Adams #12-#18. Delektable Flying Ant in Cinnamon and Red #14-#16. Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #16. Dornan’s Water Walker September Stone #14. Delektable Lil’ Secret in Royal, UV Pink #16-#18.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #8-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs in Black, Olive/Black, Coffee/Black, and Brown #8-#10. Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker in Pheasant Tail, Silver, Orange, and Red #14-#18. Delektable Lil’ Spanker in Silver, Gold, Purple, Blue, and Red #12-#18. Shop Vac #16-#18. $3 Dollar and Crystal Dips #16-#18. Formerly Known as Prince #12-#18. Prince Nymph #12-#18. Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-#18. Micro May in Olive #18-#20. Lil’ Green Machine Pheasant Tail #18-#20.

Soft Hackles: Hare’s Ear Soft Hackle, Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, Full Dressed Red, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Olive, Partridge and Purple.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single or Double in White, Olive/Black, Badger, Yellow/Brown. Delektable SS Jointed Screamer in Olive/White. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow, Coffey’s Sparkle Yummy. Sculpzilla’s in White, Olive, Black, Natural, #6-#8. Mini Loop Sculpin in Natural and Olive. Zonkers in Copper, Silver, and Olive. Galloup’s Dungeons Regular and Mini in Black, Olive, White. Galloup’s Boogie Man in Olive, Black, and White. Galloup’s Silk Kitty in Olive or White. Kreelex Minnow’s. Montana Intruders.

August 29th – September 4th | Madison River Fishing Report

Today is the 4th of September and I awoke realizing that today is the Archery Season opener for Deer and Elk here in Montana. It boggles my mind just how fast time flies during our short Summer seasons in the Northern Rockies. The mornings leave no doubt that fall and winter are right around the corner. It’s been very cool and actually chilly in the early mornings over that last ten days. And we will gladly take it after the extreme heat of June and July that had all our area rivers under Hoot Owl conditions for a month. But that is a distant memory now and we have a few more weeks of great fishing ahead. With Fall hatches of Blue Winged Olives and the annual spawning runs of Brown Trout entering the rivers and tribs to chase the bunny fur and soft hackles.

Overall fishing on the Upper Madison remains pretty good as long as your willing to be patient, rotate through some bugs and colors, and adjust your strategies to current conditions. Streamers fished dead drift with a twitch, or stripped are bringing in plenty of quality fish in the early to mid morning time periods each day. And Streamers are continuing to fish decently throughout the day once you find the color and size that Trout prefer. Nymphing remains your best bet for a larger catch rate. Two fly rigs with a Pat’s Rubberlegs, Delektable Mega Prince, or Wire Worm trailed with a size #16 to #18 trailer Nymph in most of the usual suspects is the way to go. There are plenty of Ants along the banks and that has been the go to for surface activity for the last several days. A small to mid sized Chubby or Water Walker trailed by an Ant has been a popular rig. Hoppers continue to be very inconsistent. There are Hopper windows here and there usually in the Noon to 2:30 window. But with the smokey haze and calmer winds it is looking more and more that the stellar Hopper seasons we had the last two years might not materialize this season. But keep chucking them. You just need that one player to come up and slurp that bad boy down.

We are selling through a good amount of our 40% off Rio and Cortland Clearance lines. A solid selection still exists especially on the Cortland side. So, please come by and pick up a fresh line or two if you have a rod or two in need of a new line. And as always free coffee in the mornings and some great advice from the Delektable crew. We appreciate you all so much for your support and all the friendships we’ve made throughout the years.

Dries: Delektable Chubbyness in Rootbeer, Royal, and UV Cinnamon #12-#16. Delektable Lil’ Chubby in UV Cinnamon, Tan, Royal #14-#18. Delektable Flying Ant in Cinnamon, Red, Purple, Black #14-#18. Yeager’s 409 in Red #16. Bloom’s Stealth Ant in Purple #16. Delektable Lil’ Secret in UV Pink and Royal #16-#18. Dornan’s Water Walker September Stone #14. Delektable Secret Stone in Dark Olive #10-#12. Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs Hopper, More or Less Hopper, Panty Dropper Hopper in Tan, Peach, Pink #10-#14.

Nymphs: Delektable Mega Prince Standard and Flashback #6-#10. Pat’s Rubberlegs in Olive/Black, Coffee/Black #6-#10. Delektable Lil’ Spanker in Silver, Gold, Purple, Pheasant Tail #16-#18. Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker in Silver, Pheasant Tail, and Orange #14-#16. Lightning Bugs in Silver, Gold, Purple #14-#18. Delektable Prince Brandon and Prince Nymphs #14-#18. Shop Vac’s #16-#18. $3 Dollar Dips Brown #16-#18. Crystal Dips #16-#18. Zebra Midge in Black/Silver, Black/Copper, and Red/Silver #18-#20. Wire Worms #4-#8.

Streamers: Delektable SS Jointed Screamer in White/Olive. Delektable Screamers Single or Double in Black/Olive, White, and Badger. Sex Dungeons full size and Mini in Olive, Black, and Cream. Trevor’s Sculpin in Black and Olive. Silk Kitties in Olive and White. Mini Loop Sculpin in Olive or Tan. Zonkers in Copper, Silver, and Olive. Sculpzilla’s in Olive, Black, and White.