Madison River
Dam: 1,010 cfs
Kirby: 1,130 cfs
I suppose these reports are getting a little repetitive, but the dry fly action continues to produce consistent numbers of browns and rainbows throughout the wade section, and the nymph bite is just as good if not better. The most effective patterns have been #18-20 Griffith’s gnats and Kelly’s new Goober midge, but we’re 99.9% positive that they aren’t the only ones working out there for anglers–John’s black Three Dollar Crip was also effective when fished in the film, and we’ve heard of other gray or black midge imitations taking good numbers of fish. Surface activity seems to be in full force by 11:00 a.m. and running to roughly 3:00 p.m., and you’ll want to concentrate the majority of your efforts on the soft insides and pockets of the Upper Madison. Nymph anglers will want to have a good supply of #18 Three Dollar dips, zebra midges, and various other midge larva or pupa when heading out this way, but caddis larva, smaller hares ears, and pat’s rubber legs should not be overlooked. Last but not least, The section between Quake Lake and McAtee Bridge will be closed to fishing starting on Friday, March 1st, so be sure to get over here within the next few days and enjoy it while you can.
