Madison River
Dam: 1,110 cfs
Kirby: 1,390 cfs
Varney: 1,870 cfs
After a weekend filled with snow showers, another streak of warm temps have begun in and around SW Montana. It looks like more rain is on the way tomorrow, but the forecast is calling for 60-70 degree highs for the rest of the week. Cabin and Beaver creeks are spewing once more, so your best shot at clear water remains between the Dam and Cabin, and again, its been B-U-S-Y. Nymphs are still your best bet up there, and the usual suspects are still getting it done (san juans, eggs, rubberlegs, copper johns, dips, and midges) as water temps are now hovering in the mid to upper 40′s. Streamer fishing up there has been good for some quality fish, but not so much on the numbers game….that should change here very shortly. The West Fork of the Madison has also started to put in a little ribbon of chocolate milk below Lyons, so I would guess that we’ll be seeing a little less visibility in town over the next few days. As of this Afternoon there is around two and a half feet of viz–which is more than enough to get it done with dries– and there have been strong numbers of Mother’s Day Caddis popping between Varney and Ennis, with some March Browns thrown into the mix, but it doesn’t sound like many people are killing it down there on dries yet. To be honest, the river below Ennis dam is the place to be right now if you looking for quality caddis flights and quality fish eating them.
