Madison River
Dam: 1,030 cfs
Kirby: 1,140 cfs
Varney: 1,270 cfs
While mornings and evenings are still going to be your best bet on the Upper Madison, we’ve been getting more reports of good terrestrial fishing in the wade section from late morning through the afternoon over the last few days, so there is a glimmer of hope out there for the mid-day angler and we’re hoping that it just keeps getting better. Tan and flesh colored hoppers in the #12-14 range and #14-18 cinnamon and black ants will be your best options during these time periods. We have also been seeing a lot more of the #18 flying ants around, so it shouldn’t be long before the larger honey ants begin taking flight. Caddis and Eperous Spinner action has started to slow down below $3 Bridge, so we would suggest fishing from the Bridge up to Quake if you’re looking to fish late. Streamer fishing has continued to produce some of the larger browns in the river both early and late in the day, but we’ve also had some incredible afternoons during storms and heavy cloud cover…Last night a couple of us did a quick Varney to 8 Mile and landed some really nice browns on black sex dungeons, olive peanut envys, and olive silk kitties so don’t be afraid to throw some meat at them when the conditions are in your favor. The float sections below Lyon’s Bridge has been a little more inconsistent, but again….mornings have been good with nymphs, dries, and streamers, so try and get out there early if you can…we’ve had a few good afternoons below Ruby Creek with hoppers and ants, but it has been a little more day to day than the wade section. If they aren’t looking up for you, try smaller serendipities (#16-18) under and indicator, and make sure to have your flies right on the bottom.
