Madison River
Hebgen Lake-Quake Lake: 6/24/09
Flow out of Hebgen Dam has increased substantially in the last few days. The boost in flows to 1,150 CFS helps to spread the fish out and makes wading a bit more difficult, but the fishing is still quite good. Small nymphs continue to be the best way to find willing fish. Serendipities and small golden stone nymphs will be the ticket until fish start seeing more insect activity on top and are more willing to rise.
Quake Lake-Lyon Bridge: 6/24/09
Fishing in the wade section has been good and should continue to excel as the water comes up with increased flows out of Hebgen Dam. We’ve had some good fishing with two fly nymph rigs. #12 Golden Stones, #6 Black and Orange Silli Legs and #14 Biotic Nymphs have been really good top flies and use #20 Olive Pheasant Tails, #16 Black Crystal Dips or #18 Olive Micro Mays as the bottom fly. Get good drifts in as much pocket water as possible to find feeding fish.
Lyon Bridge to Ennis 6/24/09
Salmonflies have yet to arrive in fishable numbers in the water upstream of Ennis Lake. However, this should change any day as the sun is out and the weather is warming. The hatch moves upriver rapidly once it starts, so floating a long stretch of the Madison is the best way to find fish willing to eat big dries. Until we see the big stoneflies, keep fishing with nymphs. Silli Leg Stones, Shop Vacs, and Olive Serendipities have all been good flies to fish below an indicator.
Gallatin River: 6/24/09
The Gallatin is still high, but it has dropped and cleared up a great deal. We’ve had good fishing with large stonefly nymphs, San Juan Worms, Princes and Olive Hare’s Ears. Trout are tucked into slow pockets and calm water along the lazy edges of the river. A good dead drift is really all that is needed to hook up with a hungry fish. Salmonflies should be kicking off shortly and making their way upriver.
Hebgen Lake 6/24/09
Not much has changed out on Hebgen and we aren’t complaining one bit. Our resident lake bum, Tyler, has been bobbing up enough trout to keep himself awake during his morning sessions on the lake, as long as the wind isn’t nuking first thing in the morning. The most successful bobber rig has been a #14-16 Peacock Chironomid fished below a small leech. Fishing drop offs and deeper spots in the lake has kept the rig from floating too long with out a bobber down.
Quake Lake 6/24/09
Quake is good and clear. It has been hammered by harsh canyon winds for much of the last week but the weather seems to be stabilizing, which should bode well for fishing. Hit the drop offs and trees with Zonkers or Buggers on a sinking line throughout the day and in the evening look for risers to strategically place Chironomid pupa in front of.