MADISON RIVER FLOWS 

West Yellowstone - 430 CFS. dropped a little bit. 

Below Hebgen - 494 CFS. low and steady. 

Kirby - 842. dropped slightly from last week

Varney - 1160 CFS. Peaked on 5/31 at 1640 and on the drop. 

A week of cooler temps have decreased snowmelt and flows from top to bottom have dropped off. This weekend looks super nice out there, keep an eye on the weather and bring your rain gear, Monday looks wet. Hebgen continues to fill, sitting at .7 feet from full pond. In the last week, we gained .7 feet in the lake. With any luck, Hebgen will be full next week and will remain full until possibly the second or third week of June, then we should see a bump in flows at Hebgen. There is still a fair amount of snow in high country yet to melt out. 

NWE is trying to conserve as much water in Hebgen as possible, but we are hopeful they will give the river a much needed bump in flows sooner than later.  Do you rain dances folks, if we get moisture each week in June we will be better for it! 

BETWEEN THE LAKES

Flows have been pretty stable down there, but Cabin and Beaver are tossing in some color. With the warmer weather arriving this weekend, those two should bump up. Nymphing stone flies, small bead heads or dead drifting streamers is best right now, but there could be a few fish up on BWO if you look close enough. Don't forget to carry bear spray either, by now, it should just part of one's daily attire.  

Jojo's BWO, Parachute Adams and BWO Sparkle Duns are great choices for small dry flies. I always carry a standard Pheasant Tail (no bead) this time of the year to be dropped off a Parachute Adams and fished in the slicks.  A #8 black rubber leg, #16 olive hot spot jig, #18 Pheasant tail, #16 serendipities, #16 Shop Vac, #16 black Zebra midges, #16 and #18 Juju Baetis, #14/16 Rednecks are all great choices for nymphing.  For streamers we like heavy, jiggy flies that get down quick. The Jig Zirdle, BFE, Swing Mint or Sparkle Minnow accomplish that. 

Ghost Village Bear Closure was lifted last week. Be careful out there, carry bear spray and be aware of your surroundings. 

WADE SECTION

Fishing has been solid down here, more color is coming here at some point.  Quake is green, for now.  Fish are eating nymphs, jiggy streamers and a few fish up at the right time and place. Definitely be on the look out for a late morning/early afternoon BWO emergence. I always carry a standard Pheasant Tail (no bead) this time of the year to be dropped off a dry fly and sight fished in the shallow riffles or slicks. Cover water, move quickly and then slow down when you start catching fish and pay attention to the water fish are coming out of. Nymphing has been productive with jigs, Shop Vacs, Red Necks, Olive Dips, Zebra midges, Juju Baetis, 101 Stones, Two Bit Stones and  Rubber Legs.  BFE, Olive Bouface, Sparkle Minnow, Scuplin Snacks and the Swing Mint are all great streamer patterns. 

FLOAT SECTION

The float section has some color in it from the West Fork but has been dropping for the past handful of days. With the warmer temps this weekend, there should be some color added to the left bank from the West Fork. The river is very fishable, but she is low. We have been nymphing, dead drifting streamers and there are a few fish looking up along the banks and in some slicks.  Rubber legs, golden stone fly nymphs, small mayfly nymphs, SJWs will all work. Fishing a chubby and a bead will also do the trick. 

 Do your part and treat the fish with respect. 

1. Pull over and release those fish on the banks.  
2. KEEP THEM WET. Leave those fish in the net to take pics, or keep them as wet as possible.  Dry hands are terrible for the fish. Try taking a slow mo video of releasing your catch back to the river. 
3. If your trout swallowed the fly, cut the tippet and leave it in there, no need to jab those hemos down it's throat and make it bleed. 
4. Fish barbless.  This is one that really needs it own blog post, just do it. 
5. Fish heavier tippet whenever possible.

Treat those on the river with kindness and respect - you will actually catch more fish if you follow this simple rule. When pulling off the bank, give plenty of room to the boats up stream working their way down. The Madison is moving fast and most folks new to rowing a boat don't realize that 100 yards is NOT enough space. When launching your boat and taking out, be efficient, get things done and exit the ramp area. Also, please anchor your boat on the bank when taking a break. Bouncing your anchor down the river is bad form, don't be that person.