Hebgen Dam 930 cfs Old Kirby Place 1030 cfs Varney Bridge “ice” likely around 1050-1100 cfs Lower Madison 1260 cfs As we tick away at the last hours of 2019 I can not help but look back on the year and be thankful for another year spent on the river with old friends, family, old… Continue reading Thankful for another year…
Hebgen Dam 1150cfs Old Kirby Place 1360cfs Varney Bridge 1720cfs Lower Madison 2060cfs I haven’t been anywhere else. So this is the only report I have. If you want to know how the Ruby River is fishing you should go check it out. I would love to hear how it is. I love that little… Continue reading Madison River Fishing Report 7/19/19 among other things
Hebgen Dam 830 cfs Old Kirby Place 1180 cfs Varney Bridge 1700 cfs Lower Madison 2010 cfs With dropping flows and clearing water conditions the Madison River is in great shape. Even with some new snow on the first day summer runoff is over and on its way out here in the Madison Valley. We… Continue reading Madison River Report 6/24/19
Hebgen Dam 1790cfs Old Kirby Place 1890cfs Varney Bridge 2150cfs Lower Madison 2110cfs May 1st is officially in the books and although Old Man Winter can not decide if he is done with us yet, the spring fishing has been fair to great most days and his grip on us is slowing loosening. True to… Continue reading Madison River Fishing Report 5/1
It is still cold here in Ennis Montana and although we have had some mild temperatures and a good snow year winter is still hanging on. As I begin to put everything in order for the upcoming season I am excited about one new addition in particular. The upgraded lake boat. Ennis lake has always… Continue reading New Addition!
Hebgen Dam 910 cfs
Old Kirby Place 1180 cfs
Varney Bridge 1480 cfs
Ennis Dam 218 cfs
Lower Madison 1389 cfs
I’ve noticed some changes out there the past several days on the Madison River. Some good, that’s to say that the changes might benefit the angler. Some not so good, depending on how we look at it. These things are bound to happen when we spend so much time in a place bound to seasons. We anglers are just passengers along for the ride. Knowing this generally makes it easier to take the days that I can’t quite get my finger on the pulse. I can usually find some excuse for this occurrence and that makes it all the easier to accept that some days are just learning days.
All this doesn’t really mean that we had a bad day. This doesn’t really mean that the fishing was bad or that we didn’t catch some great fish. It just simply means that things are changing and that it is different today than it was yesterday. Might even change back.
The Madison Valley has seen all kinds of weather over the past seven days. 74 degrees sunny and warm or 42 degrees, snow and rain from a northern cold from, even a few day in between those two extremes. The Madison Valley is in its spring cycle and it will not be uncommon to see this back and forth over the coming months.
The Madison River will begin to react to this tussle over temperatures accordingly and will generally rise and fall with the fluctuations. The Madison saw its first small push of spring melt over the past several days (remember 74 degrees). This was promptly halted by cold northern air and rain and snow, It is still very much winter in the high country as far as temperatures are concerned. The flows stabilized and even feel a bit with the cold. This is likely to change with the next push of warmer weather and the Madison will likely rise again. So the cycle will go until most of the snow is out of the mountains.
With all this change comes bugs. As a fly fisherman I love bugs. The logic goes something like this. Trout eat bugs, therefore I love bugs. We are starting to see BWO’s or Baetis. The hatches of this beloved little mayfly happen all spring and are important as droppers fishing nymphs thru spring. The real fun show happens on the not so pretty days, the rainy days, the snow lightly falling straight down days, sometimes referred to as the nasty days. That’s code for the chance at great spring dry fly fishing. Towards the end of the April and the first of May we will start to see the first Caddis on the Madison as well. The Mothers Day Caddis also known as Brachycentrus occidentals will start to fill the air on the warmer days. Something I love about this time year is that we get to fish Caddis on the nice days and BWO’s on the “nasty days”. If we are lucky we will see March Browns in the mix as well. What a glorious time to be in Southwest Montana.
It’s early February and although it is still winter in Southwestern Montana today felt just a little more like spring than usual. The last week here in Ennis, Montana has been about normal for winter temperatures. So when we get a day around the 40 degree mark there’s one thing that comes to mind for… Continue reading A Bridge, Midge and a Fish