Winter in the Valley

 This week’s warm weather has made for good fishing down in the valley.  There has been some decent midging and the rubber legs has worked well when they aren’t rising.  Regardless, the weather has been super nice…..almost too nice.  Some folks are starting to forget that it’s Winter.   I hooked several fish that ripped up stream and caught air – not the typical behavior in February.

Rubber leg victim

We get one more day this year to fish the Madison, you can thank Leap Year for that little nugget.  The only downfall to Leap Year is that it’s shared with the Election Year…..giving us all one more day of the Washington Shenanigans.  

 For the next two nights, I will be shacking up at the Snow Lodge in YNP.  We have a three day photo tour through the Interior.  Up early, out late, find wildlife. 

 

Stella

 

Winter Bow

 When leaving the house this morning, the W was no where to be seen.  Forecasters were calling for 30 mph gusts with a sustained 15 all day.  After running some errands in town I headed for the Madison Valley.    There were some fellas at Renyolds, so I went on downstream a ways.

Aspen reflection

 There’s a storm a comin’ they say…….I’ll believe it when it shows.   At one point the temp registering on the Sequoia read 37 degrees……..balmy….and windy it was.  A dowstreamer, hence the warm weather.  The fishing was consistent for the hour and half I spent on the water.  Rubber legs and a zebra midge fooled plenty.  

Standing tall

Three Dollar Bridge

With all the warm weather over the past several days, I just couldn’t help it.  After a few chores around the house, I finally made it to the river around 2pm…..late, but not too late.   Stella ran ahead, burning off the edges of her energy.  Deep snow drifts help slow her down, but we are lacking those in the Madison Valley.  Once to the river, I watched for a head or two, but saw none and rigged for nymphing.  This is when I realized that I had forgotten my spool of 8lb Maxima.  My leader was as thick as cable, so a rubber legs was tied on and then a midge dropper below it.  A few nice trout bent my Freestone 906 quite well.  One brown, about 14 inches, found it’s way into Stella mouth.  Upon hooking the fish, it jumped twice, right in front of us.  On the third jump she launched off the bank and caught the fish mid-air.  The 906 bent all the way over with Stella pulling hard as she swam back toward the bank.   I grabbed her collar and went for the trout.  She didn’t want to let go, but quickly realized that I was right.  The brown seemed a bit stunned by all this, but swam away unharmed. 

A new puppy....Dixie.

This is not our typical late December/ January in southwest Montana.   Most of December was cold and dry, then finally it warmed and the snow began to fall….but only for a few days….enough to allow tracked rigs in Yellowstone.  Actually, our snowpack doubled in about 48 hours last week.  We are light in snow compared to the past three winters and could use some moisture.  The Madison, Gallatin and Jefferson are all hovering around 70% of snowpack – remember, I always report the snow/water equilvalent and not the actual snow fall.  There is still plenty of time left for moisture to build up, as the snow falls for another 5 months around here.  The next few days are going to prime for winter angling, get out there while you can.  If you can’t, well,  keep reading as I will try to get down to the river ateast once a week for the next three months. 

Stella

Molly's dream home.....

24 below zero on the 24th of December.  When it warms up, the hounds and I will take off for a quick ski around Horse Butte.   For now, wrapping  presents is on the docket as is feeding the wood stove.  Tomorrow’s weather forecast is for a bit warmer weather in the Madison Valley….a high of 32 degrees.  I think I will fish on Christmas Day as Molly will be running the office at the West District Ranger Station of Yellowstone NP.  If the fresh white stuff arrives early, then a trip to Telemark Meadows will over rule fishing on the Madison.  Not a bad way to spend the day……it won’t suck. 

Merry Fishmas to you and yours.    

Winter in the Madison Valley.

The valley floor, just south of Ennis, is hardly covered with snow.  Getting around the banks looked easy enough and if it warmed up a little, a quick float might be a good idea.   The river look pretty sexy down here, but I chose not to wet a line this afternoon.  The wind was sharp and busting ice out of the guides didn’t seem like fun. 

A frozen Earthquake Lake.

There has yet to be much white stuff fall from the skies this winter.  A skiff here and there since before Thanksgiving, but all in all, the snow has yet to come.  Looking around on the web, one can quickly find reports which say that December will continue to be cold and dry.  As I write, the thermometer reads 18 below zero.  Once January arrives, the snow should begin to fall on a regular basis.  Yellowstone National Park is set to open this week, on December 15th, but the West Gate will most likely be open to guided wheeled vehicles. 

A few of us hit the Madison River yesterday afternoon, for 3 hours of winter angling…..catch a trout, warm the hands….repeat.   We caught a few fish, on nymphs, in the wade stretch below Quake Lake.  Rubbers leg stoneflies, zebra midges,  lightning bugs and pink flies did the trick. 

Reynold's Pass Bridge

There were midges rolling down the bank upon arrival to the Madison this afternoon.  A couple of noses poked through, but nothing consistent.  After fishing tiny, itty bitty dry flies in tough light, a switch over to nymphs was needed.  Midge patterns fooled plenty of trout and I had the river to myself.  A couple of anglers had been upstream on the other side, but I only saw them depart for their rig.  Winter angling is here.  From time to time the dry fly fishing will be good, but one must prepare to nymph most of the time.  With flows at 1270 CFS (Kirby Gage) the river is in great shape.  The pockets are actually deeper than they were back in August, which is not how it should have been since the lake was kept full for the entire summer….anyway, it will be interesting if the river gets colder than normal this winter since the water is once again releasing off the top of the lake.

How long will the construction at Hebgen Dam last you ask? 

Well, PPL says at least until 2014.  I heard a rumor that the water will release off the top for the next two years, but that’s just a rumor.  Getting any kind of press release from PPL and FWP on the construction time lines at Hebgen Dam has been a nightmare.  It seems as if neither side has a clue what’s going on…..if they do then they aren’t saying much when asked. 

JC in Big Bend National Park. October 2011

My boys in Texas just got back from a long weekend in Big Bend National Park.  Beers, Jack, no campfires cause the state burned up this summer, plenty of open space, a 100 games of washers (if you don’t know, google it) and a some solid guitar strummin’.  Coach Campbell is seen here sporting his BSA Hoody in the cool evening desert temps.

More snow and rain here in West Yellowstone.  The upper Madison fished pretty well today and not a sole on the river.  Guiding again tomorrow. Where?  Not sure yet….YNP or Montana….not a bad choice either way.

1-3 at my place, still coming down.

Guided the Madison today in the pouring rain, wind, cold ass weather and then snow……my customer was a tough cookie and held up in harsh conditions.  Yes, snow fell hard and is still falling from the sky.  Howard Creek Ranch, on Henry’s Lake, has 8 inches on the ground….Trouthunter on the H Fork has about the same.  Is Winter here?  Not a chance, but I bet the elk think so.  The river was good today.  We wade fished as a float trip would have been pretty dumb considering the weather down there.  Streamers……BWOs too….not a blanket hatch, but enough to make good trout rise in a few spots.  BBT were looking for scuplins to eat.  Reminded me of Rancor – Return of Jedi – the crazy pet of Jabba the Hut which Luke ultimately kills in the pit….random, I know, but a thought none the less which occured after several huge browns rushed out from behind a boulder to crush our sculpin pattern. 

So gorgeous......

Yesterday’s cloudy weather and rain showers made for a solid morning of trout fishing on the Madison River below Lyons Bridge.  We had to work for our fish, but we got em’.  Actually, the bite was spotty but lasted well into the afternoon and finally shut down about 3:30 or so, when the high pressure reared it ugly face and the flippin’ wind blew us to the ramp.  70 degrees in October is odd…..will it change, you ask?  Snow is in the forecast for the end of the week.

My arms are tired of the wind…..there is no slowing down the boat or back rowing upstream in this neck woods when the wind blows.  Unlike the Missouri, which I have a small love affair with, we can’t row back upstream to the hot spot on the Madison River.  While some guides will hold the boat on large boulders or shelves, I try not to employ this tactic too often – especially when there are other boats around……it is a float trip after all. 

BBT from the Madison.