Madison River Outfitters Fishing Report 7/25/22
Montana
Hebgen: Callibaetis hatches are starting to get going and gulper fishing isn’t too far out. Look for bugs in the more weedy, shallow areas of the lake. There are some chironomids hanging around as well, so be prepared with a couple patterns of each. If you aren’t getting them on top, try hanging a Turkey Callibaetis or a pheasant tail #14-16 under your dry fly. If nothing is happening on the surface, try stripping a leech or wooly bugger.
Flies: #14-16 Turkey Callibaetis, #12 O.S Opal Buzzer, #16 Pheasant Tail, #14 Olive/Red Nugget, #8 Olive or Black Simi Seal Leech, #8 Olive or Black Hot Bead Goat Leech, #8 Thin Mint, #6 Black/Olive Flash Bugger
Flows:
Inflow to Hebgen Lake: 931.1 cfs
Hebgen Lake Outflow: 1062.3 cfs
Kirby Flows: 1280 cfs
** Flows as of 12 pm July 24, 2022
Upper Madison Upper Madison: It’s hot out there, but thankfully cooler overnight temps have helped keep the water temperature down. Keep an eye on the gauges or have a stream thermometer with you, because the water has been creeping up to 68 degrees in the afternoons. Look for caddis, PMD’s, and Yellow sallies. It’s not too early to start tossing around some terrestrial patterns either as hoppers, ants, and beetles have had a few fish looking up. Nymph fishing remains strong with a two-fly rig and some split shot to get you in the zone.
Flies: #10-14 Chubby Chernobyl, #16 Tan Chili Dog, #14-16 X Caddis, #16 Peacock Caddis, #16 PMD Cripple, #16 Larimers Yellow Sally, #16 Nyman’s Flying Ant, #10-12 Morrish Hopper, #16 Frenchie, #14-16 Shop Vac, #16-18 Black Krystal Dip
YNP
Gallatin: Not much has changed here since last week. Look for Caddis, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, maybe a couple Spruce Moths too. Your favorite attractor dry pattern should find a couple fish if nothing is coming off. Fishing seems to be better in the mid-morning ad can pick up in the evenings. Biting flies have been pretty bad, make sure to bring some bug spray.
Water Temps on the Firehole, Gibbon, and Madison have started to be too hot for ethical fishing, so we recommend finding somewhere else to fish and come back during the fall once water temps cool back down. Instead look towards the Yellowstone River where the water level is coming down slowly and the fishing has been good on small mayfly imitations.
Flies: #14-16 Purple, #16 Tilt Wing PMD, #14-16 Brown Elk Hair Caddis, #16 Royal Wulff, #12-16 Tan Chubby Chernobyl, #14-16 Royal Stimulator, #16 Corn fed caddis, #12 Missing Link Green Drake, #12 Perin’s Green Drake Comparadun
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Peter Greubel
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