THE MADISON ABIDES, DUDE 

MADISON RIVER FLOWS

West Yellowstone – 438 CFS 

Below Hebgen - 440 CFS

Kirby - 970 CFS

Varney - 1660 CFS

Last week’s fishing report proves that I am anything but Nostradamus when it comes to predicting springtime conditions in the Rockies. While I tried to pepper our report with a healthy dose of uncertainty and potentialities, we definitely thought runoff would be chugging along in a more serious way by this point. While it hasn’t been frigid by any means, things have been “cool” and hitting overnight lows below freezing — couple that with a lake that needs filling, and we’ve got a Madison River that is very much fishable in June, and may continue to be so in the weeks to come!

BETWEEN THE LAKES

Northwestern energy is still struggling to catch all available runoff in order to fill the lake and has thus had to cut flows even further after last week. With these low water levels, the river’s holding water between the lakes is super “legible” with well-defined riffles, runs, and pools teeming with fish. Cabin and Beaver Creeks are also running mostly clear, meaning the river is fishing well from the Dam down to the mouth of quake. Our fly selection remains relatively unchanged from last week’s report – heavy tandem nymph rigs featuring a rubberlegs stonefly and smaller mayfly nymphs hung off the back will be your most productive bets. Recent killer combos have been the 101 Stone from Cat3 or Heames’ Jig Rubberlegs in #8 or #10 paired with a #14/16 Redneck or Olive hot-spot perdigon hung below. If bobber-dogging is not your thing, small-but-heavy streamers such as the BFE or Bouface Leech can be killer twitched and jigged through the buckets and pockets below the dam. Lower water levels have also opened up the dry-dropper rig as an effective option these days. Hang any of these nymphs 2-3 feet below a gaudy chubby and you’ll have less tangles and maybe even a big, early dry fly eater on the end of your line! Lastly, please try to wade with caution in this section for another week or so as there could still be Rainbows spawning. Keep your eyes peeled for active redds and give wide berth to any rainbows still doing their special dance!

WADE SECTION

The Wade Section continues to fish well, with plenty of willing participants still being found in some of that classic winter water: Soft pillows and edges close to the bank and off the main flows. As with the rest of the river, clarity remains pretty dang good and is only a small fraction of the discoloration we’d typically have at this point in the season. A small sculpin fished upstream tight to the bank is still my favorite method of instigating strikes at this time, though the skilled nymph fisherman will pick up more fish with a stonefly and a midge or baetis nymph. As with BTL, try dry-dropping something big and ugly and you might be in for some surprises!

FLOAT SECTION

The river remains relatively clear, low, and fishable from Lyons Bridge all the way through to Ennis and fly selections and tactics remain largely unchanged. Some of the small tribs might have added a little color to their respective banks, but visibility remains good – On his drive back from guiding up the Missouri yesterday, our spiritual leader Fishy Joe pulled over and observed gray (not green) water down at Ennis Bridge, and even better clarity higher up at Pallisades where he could see the bottom with 1-2 feet of visibility in most places. Word on the street has been olive, black, and yellow streamers killing it early, with a handful of nice fish picked up dry-dropping later in the day. Think sparsely dressed, fast-sinking droppers with a big tungsten bead. We’ve got a number of gnarly, 3.8mm bead perdigons in the store that’ll do the trick — namely the Tungsten Jig Splitcase PMD in #14, and Roza’s Pink Hare’s Ear Jig in #14 or #12. Olive Hotspots and Redneck’s will also work if you (or the fish) favor a slimmer, easier-casting profile as well.