Madison River Outfitters Fishing Report 8/24/21
Montana
Upper Madison: The hoot owl restrictions on the Upper Madison are over, and you no longer have to quit fishing at 2pm. A few chilly and rainy days, combined with cool overnight temps the past week have helped keep the water temperature down and the fish happy. Nymphing remains your best bet if you are after numbers. We have been fishing mostly smaller rigs (#16-18) lately but have had a few fish eat stonefly patterns as well. The terrestrial bite has stayed pretty steady the last couple days, and should get better now that we can fish later into the afternoons. Make sure the fish eats your hopper/ant/beetle and turns their head before you set the hook! With storms in the forecast for the upcoming days, keep an eye out for fish rising to mayflies in the softer water. Streamers have been getting good early in the mornings and picking up again late into the evenings if you are looking to try something different.
Flies: #16-18 Pheasant Tail, #16-18 Black Lightning Bug, #18 Split Case BWO, #16-18 Guide Dip, #14-16 Lake Prince, #14 20 Incher, #16 Olive Hot Spot, #16 Firestarter #12-14 Pink Thunder Thighs, #10-14 Tan Morrish Hopper, #16 Hi-Viz Cinnamon Ant, #16 Parachute Ant, #16 Sparkle Dun, #16 Rusty Spinner #6 Mini Dungeon, #6 Sparkle Minnow Royal Oil
Hebgen: The lake has been fishing good most mornings until the wind picks up around noonish. Lots of Callibaetis and Tricos out right now, watch out for pods of fish rising to them. If they are being picky on the surface, try tying on a pheasant tail or turkey callibaetis a 12-16” underneath your dry fly. Slow stripping buggers and leeches has been slower action but still finding fish here and there .
Flies: #16 Callibaetis Sparkle Dun, #16 Callibaetis Sprout,#16 Parachute Adams, #16 Rusty Spinner, #14-16 Hi-Viz Ant, #14-16 Turkey Callibaetis, #16-18 Pheasant Tail, #14 Olive/Red Nugget, #8 Olive or Black Simi Seal Leech, #6 Flash a Bugger
YNP
The Hoot Owl restrictions from all of Yellowstone were lifted on August 20th, and anglers can resume their normal fishing hours (sunrise to sunset)
Gallatin: The Gallatin continues to fish well with terrestrials and small attractor dry flies. The colder nights have kept the water temps extra cold here, so it never hurts to get a later start, or just fish the afternoon and evening hours. Try dropping a nymph a couple feet underneath a smaller hopper pattern if the fish aren’t looking up.
Flies: #14 Yellow Morrish Hopper, #12-14 Grand Hopper, #16 CDC Flying Ant, #16 Nyman’s Flying Ant, #12 Longhorn Beetle, #16-18 Royal Wulff, #16-18 Purple Parachute
Madison/Firehole: Water temperatures have been dropping due to cold nights, and it’s about time to start thinking of swinging soft hackles and stripping streamers in these waters. The Madison has stayed at fishable water temps (below 68 degrees) the past couple days, and the Firehole is not far behind if these cooler nights keep up. Terrestrials have been fooling a few fish, and be looking for some fish eating Baetis in the forecasted storms coming up.
Flies: #10-12 Partridge and Peacock, #10-14 Partridge and Pheasant Tail, #10 Partridge and Copper, #6 Olive Sparkle Minnow, #8 Black Simi Seal, #12 Pink Chili Dog, #12- 14 Tan Thunder Thighs, #14-16 Hi-Viz Ant
NE Corner: Storms in the forecast the next few days could have the Lamar and Soda Butte blow out, so keep an eye on the Lamar gauge or give us a call for a conditions report before making the trip over. Slough Creek tends to stay pretty clear throughout rainstorms, watch out for some small baetis mayflies to be hatching. Attractor dry flies and small streamers are in play here also.
Flies: # 16-18 Olive Comparadun, #18 DOA Cripple, #18 Tilt Wing BWO, #16-18 Purple Parachute, #16 Renegade, #8 Simi Seal Leech, #6 Flash-a-Bugger
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Nick Toller
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