Madison River Outfitters Fishing Report 9/19/2024

MRO Guide BJ Stone with a very excited young client and a nice Gallatin 'Bow

Montana

Hebgen: The dry fly fishing on the lake has mostly subsided due to the weather cooling way off. You still ~may~ be able to rise a few on callibaetis or chironomids, but why waste your time with that when the browns are getting colored up and looking for meat? Stripping streamers and leeches in the upper reaches of the arms has been pretty productive for us. Alternatively, you can hang a leech to a baetis nymph under an indicator. 
 
Flies: #8 Black or Olive Simi Seal Leech, #6 Balanced Squirrel Leech Black, #6 Olive or Black Hot Bead Leech, #8 Booby Leach, #8 Thin Mint, #6 Olive OR Brown Peanut Envy, #4 Supernatural Peanut - Olive, #6 Olive Montana Mouthwash, #18 BBQ Baetis, #18 Turkey Callibaetis,  #12 Balanced Damsel, #14 Olive Nugget, #12 O.S. Buzzer

Flows:
Inflow to Hebgen Lake: 894 cfs
Hebgen Lake Outflow: 952 cfs
Kirby Flows: 1070 cfs

Temp @ Kirby: High - 61 F

                        Low - 52 F

** Flows as of 12pm September 19th, 2024 **

..................................................................................................................................
MRO Guide Mike Loebl and client Jerry Smith with a tank Upper Madison rainbow

..................................................................................................................................

Upper Madison: 

The weather has been trending towards the typical early fall norm. Be on the look out for BWO and smaller baetis hatches, especially on the overcast/drizzly days. Aside from the odd baetis, the surface action has mostly come to a close this season. Nymphing is as consistent as ever - small & natural is the name of the game in the fall. Streamers and Leeches will definitely drag Ol' Leroy out of the cutbanks and pools as autumn sets in and those browns get mean.

Flies: #16 Sunburst Perdigon, #18 S&M Dark Baetis, #18 Purple JJ Baetis, #16 Black OR Red Krystal Dip, #14 Pilva's Perdigon - Olive, #16 BWO Loopwing, #18 BWO Magic Fly, #18 CDC BWO Biot Comparadun, #20 Low Water Baetis, #16 Purple Parachute, #20 CW Trico Spinner, #18 CW Rusty Spinner, #4 Olive Supernatural Peanut, #6 Olive MT Mouthwash, #6 Olive/White Barely Legal, #8 Hot Bead Leech - Olive, Black, Brown

.............................................................................................................................

MRO Guide Tom Forsberg's client roped a great Upper Madison Brown 

YNP
As of August 14th, The Northeast Corner of YNP's hoot owl restrictions on Slough Creek, Soda Butte, Lamar River, and Yellowstone River have been lifted - Have fun!

The western side of YNP is fishing great, and we've begun to see our first signs of lake fish in the system, no doubt fueled by the recent chilly/rainy weather that is synonymous with fall fishing in the West Yellowstone area. Get in there with soft hackles, leeches, and streamers and try to swing one up! The Northeast Corner is starting to slow down and was recently hit with a lot of rain, which has colored up many of the watersheds up there. There's still some good fishing to be had before it gets too cold up there though! 

Flies: #12 Partridge & Orange, #14 Partridge & Peacock, #16 Diving Caddis Olive, #8 Hot Bead Leech - Black, Olive, or Brown, #6 MT Mouthwash Olive, #6 Olive Slumpbuster, #6 CH Sparkle Minnow - Brownie, #6 Olive OR Brown Peanut Envy, #8 Thin Mint Hot Bead, #4 Supernatural Peanut - Olive & Black

Flows:
Madison near West Yellowstone: - 407 cfs
Yellowstone below Yellowstone Lake: - 903 cfs
Gibbon: - 109 cfs

Firehole: - 265 cfs & 66 F

Lamar: - 800 cfs
Gallatin near Big Sky: 387 cfs
***************************************************************