West Yellowstone – 303 CFS

Below Hebgen - 778 CFS

Kirby - 853 CFS

Varney - 994 CFS 

A couple things to note:

1. Hebgen Lake is just over 4 feet from full pond and dropping.  
2. Flows have bumped slightly from the rain over the past couple of days. 

September, is one of those transition months here in Hebgen Basin.  We will lose about 1.5 hours of light this month, the mornings are on the chilly side reminding us all that winter is coming.  However, there is still plenty of time to get after it and find some nice fish on the Madison River.  The forecast for this weekend is pretty darn fishy. 

BETWEEN THE LAKES

Terrestrials (hoppers, beetles and ants) and caddis hatches are on the menu - be sure to have a variety of dry flies in your box.  You could encounter a BWO hatch on cloudy days.  #12-16 chubbies, small hoppers, ants, a mix of BWO and caddis dries will be essential.  Searching the river with a single dry will be your best bet these days. As always, use the clues the river provides and take a moment before continuing to cover water.  Notice what’s going on around you, did a single caddis just land on your shoulder?  There are not too many caddis around but the fish will definitely eat a properly drifted fly in the right water. However minimal, a small hatch will sometimes change the trout's behavior.  Sit down and watch the river, the menu is in front of you.  When in doubt, tie on an ant and cover a ton of water.  

Dry Fly Patterns of choice are as follows - Chubbies of all sizes and colors (we like #16 and #14),  #16 Iron X Caddis, #16/18 Elk Hair Caddis, tan X caddis, #12,14 and 16  Dark Missing Link, Jojo's BWO, Parachute Adams, Flag Dun

Nymphing with the following patterns will produce - 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.  For caddis larva and pupa - the AZ Hares Ear, Shop Vac or Blow Torch are great choices.  Don't forget about the zebra midge - try sizing everything down and fishing two smaller thin profile nymphs with some spit shot. 

Swinging soft hackles is a good alternative to bobber fishing if you’re looking for some ways to switch things up from nymphing or casting dry flies.  Early morning, like sunrise, or late evening streamer fishing can be productive right now as well. The Sparkle Minnow, BFE or Bouface Leech patterns are tried and true for fishing early mornings or late evenings on the Madison.  The dry-dropper rig is as effective option these days as anything. Hang any of the above nymphs two feet below a Chubby and run with it.

WADE SECTION

The Wade Section remains a pretty chill place to cast a fly these days. You will likely see an uptick in anglers around the weekends, but mid week could find you fishing with very few anglers.  There are some caddis hatching, but not in great numbers.  Ants will continue to play a vital part in the trout's diet, as will hoppers on warm afternoons.  The rain showed up again the past few days, so there could be more ants in the air.  With any cloudy days, there will be a BWO hatch to some extent. 

The fast, shallow water can hold the nicest fish of the day. Shallow riffles, drops offs, soft pillows in front of boulders and edges close to the bank all are worth taking a good look at before moving upstream while wade fishing. You’ll notice fish tucked tight up to the banks, so always make a cast upstream before you continue walking.  Cover water quickly, slow down when you find a fish and observe the type of water said fish came out of.  Then find more of it! 

A skilled nymph fisherman will pick up more fish with a bobber, stonefly, a caddis larva/pupa or mayfly nymph, more so than the dry fly angler right now.  Nymph patterns are the same as BTL. 

Dry fly patterns of choice right now are as follows - Chubbies of all sizes and colors (we like #14/16 and #10), #16 Chubbinator, #14 Iron X Caddis, #18 Elk Hair Caddis, tan X caddis, tan Iris Caddis,  #14 Dark Missing Link, #14/16/18 Paranymph.  For BWO - Jojo's BWO and a Parachute Adams are great choices. 

FLOAT SECTION

Flows have bumped up slightly in the past week as the rain pushes through - floats from Lyons to Pal, Pal to Mac or Mac to Varney are great floats. On the bright sunny days, the river temps are still heating up down here later in the day.  Pay attention the water temps and if the fishing slows way down, its probably not your fly or your drift. River temps should be less and less of an issue as well move further into Fall.  The tribs in the valley are flowing cold and are at their lowest point in the season.  On warmer days, go early and get off early, the river temps after 4pm are def something to watch.  Its now time to size down your flies and fish caddis, smaller mayflies and definitely ant patterns.  Maybe a hopper or two on warmer afternoons. The Tan Caddis, aka Hydropsyche, are still hatching, but not in great numbers. With these cloudy days on hand, there will be a BWO hatch to some extent. 

There is no time like the present to fish dry flies on the banks and around those sexy mid river gravel bars. #16 Elk Hair, #16 Compara Buzz, #14/16 Chubbies, #14/16 Chubbinators, #14/16/18 Paranymph.  For BWO - Jojo's BWO and a Parachute Adams are great choice. For hoppers  - Thunderthighs, Morrish Hopper, Sweetgrass Hopper, Pink Chubbies or Jojo's Nocturnal will bring fish to the surface on warmer afternoons. The bank water is holding fish, get your fly into the bank, as deep as you can with a good reach cast and you will be rewarded. Do it all day perfectly and you will understand why we love the Madison River so much. 

The dry/dropper fishing is producing and a great way to start the morning until the bugs begin to hit the water.  Think sparsely dressed, fast-sinking droppers with a tungsten bead. Roza’s Pink Hare’s Ear Jig in #14, #14/16 Shop Vacs, #14/16 Olive Hotspots, #18 Prince nymphs, #16/18Pheasant Tail, #16 AZ Hare's Ear, and Redneck’s in #14/16 will also fool fish. 

If you haven't used the Fly Banjo combined with your favorite fly floatant, than you are truly missing out on the greatest little dry fly secrets there is.  

Respect The Fish 

1. Keep the fish wet at all times. 
2. Get out of the boat for fish pictures, if you need one. Take those pics quickly and get them back in the water.  
3. Release played out fish on the banks where they can safely recover. 
4. Be cool to other boats and wade anglers. Give plenty of room to other anglers. 
5. Drop anchor on or near the bank when you need to change flies or re-rig. Bouncing your anchor down the river is complete nonsense and frowned upon.