August 12th-18th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 18, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

The “W’s” of Change have been blowing through the Valley this last week. By the end of this week Hoot Owl Restrictions from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake have been lifted. The cooler rainy days mixed with breaks of sunshine, all be it the Wind was present, and gave us feelings that Fall is just around the corner. Traffic in the Valley has been slowing down as the kids go back to school. Fishing has been just great and still a lot of trout to go around and be caught with a variety of techniques.

Streamflows this week started at 1,100cfs @ Kirby and 1,280cfs @ Cameron and dropped to 976cfs @ Kirby and 1,140cfs @ Cameron by the end of the week. It’s getting a little boney out there, especially the accessibility of some boat ramps. Storey Ditch, Varney Bridge & Palisades have been more difficult to launch and take out at but still achievable if you don’t mind scraping your bottom a bit and doing the walk across slippery boulders! The flows for the dry fly bite, however, have been fantastic.

Terrestrials have really turned on this last week. Storms and the “W” Factor have been challenging some days but regardless the fish have been eating! Small Streamers, and Attractor Nymphs followed by a smaller Nymph have been productive. The Trout are putting on their feed bags for the upcoming Winter season, so get out there and try to get one of those 70 fish days!

As always the pictures tell the best story! Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we open Everyday 6:30 am to 5:30 pm. Come on in for an epic Retail Adventure and the best free coffee in the Valley!

Dries: Grillo’s Hippie Stomper Royal #12-#16; Delektable Chubbyness UV Cinnamon, Olive Brown, Royal or UV Purple #12-#16; Panty Dropper Hopper Yellow or Pink #10-#12; Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink, Yellow, Tan #10-#14; KB’s Hop Zone Tan, Cheese or Peach #12; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Olive, or Red #14-#16; White Cloud Hopper Tan, Olive or Peach #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Green or Tan #12-#14; Purple Craze #10-#20; Para Ant Black/Red #14-#16; Delektable Flying Ant Purple, Red/Purple or Black #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby Royal, UV Cinnamon or UV Caddis Green #16-#18; Delektable Halo Royal, Peacock or Purple #14-#18; Delektable Twisted X Chartreuse/Sand or Olive/Gold #10-#12; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut #10-#12; Super Chernobyl Pink or Brown #12; Will Dornan’s Circus Peanut #12; Parachute Adams #10-#20.

Nymphs: Lightning Bug Silver, Pearl or Gold #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Black or Pearl #14-#18; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, Blue, Silver, Gold or PT #16-#18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior, TRBH Red Headed, or TCBH Light Olive #14-#16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #16; BH Tung Teaser Black #18; Wire Worm Red/Orange #4-#10; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; The Fly Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18; JH BH Black Zebra Midge #18; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker PT, Holo Olive, Holo Red or Holo Gold #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#10; BH Shop Vac Brown #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #16-#18; Delektable Mega Prince STD FB #6-#10; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #10.

Streamers: Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black or Olive Yellow #6; Mini Dali Llama Olive/ White #10; Fish Wacker Mini White #6; Mini Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Zirdle Olive/Orange, Orange or Natural #6-#8; Zonker Natural or Black #6-#8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Muddy Buddy Olive #8; Sculpzilla Olive/White, Olive/Tan, White #8; Shelia Sculpin #4; Bloom’s JH Zirdle Olive/Orange #10; Pocket Rocket Olive, Copper Brown or Black #4; Bunny Buster #8.

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August 5th-August 11th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Change has finally come! Goodbye 90’s and hello to rain and cooler temperatures! We are so grateful for the weather and the rain later this past week and rolling into next week. This is just the hydration we need, when we need it the most. The Universe proves again that everything is in perfect order.

Streamflows this week started at 1,220cfs @ Kirby and 1,370cfs @ Cameron and ended the week at 1,080cfs @ Kirby and 1,250cfs @ Cameron. With the drop in flows the Cameron Flats can be tricky, plan your lines accordingly otherwise you may be scraping the bottom of your boat on the rocks!

Fishing this week has been a mixed bag (Catching good but dealing with the weather and “W” Factor tougher) as we are dealing with a weather change and a drop in flows. Streamers have turned on in a more consistent way, Nymphing has been steady (Especially that August Worm Bite), Dries have been good when it warms up and into the evening. There are still some PMD’s out there, the Nocturnals have been very consistent, and the Terrestrial bite is getting better by the day. This coming week we are looking to have some weather earlier in the week followed by warmer days which will hopefully really turn on the Terrestrial bite!

As always, the pictures tell the best story! Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday from 6:30AM to 5:30PM. Stop on in for the Best Retail Adventure and Free Coffee in the Valley!

Dries: Grillo’s Hippie Stomper Royal #12-#16; Delektable Chubbyness UV Cinnamon, Olive Brown, Royal or UV Purple #12-#16; Panty Dropper Hopper Yellow or Pink #10-#12; Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink, Yellow, Tan #10-#14; KB’s Hop Zone Tan, Cheese or Peach #12; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Olive or Red #14-#16; White Cloud Hopper Tan, Olive or Peach #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Green or Tan #12-#14; Purple Craze #16-#20; Para Ant Black/Red #14-#16; Delektable Flying Ant Purple, Red/Purple or Black #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby Royal, UV Cinnamon or UV Caddis Green #16-#18; Delektable Halo Royal, Peacock or Purple #14-#18; Delektable Twisted X Chartreuse/Sand or Olive/Gold #10-#12; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut #10-#12; Super Chernobyl Pink or Brown #12; Will Dornan’s Circus Peanut #12; Parachute Adams #16-#20.

Nymphs: Lightning Bug Silver, Pearl or Gold #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Black or Pearl #14-#18; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16-#18; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, Blue or PT #16-#18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior, TRBH Red Headed or TCBH Light Olive #14-#16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #16; BH Tung Teaser Black #18; Wire Worm Red/Orange, or Red #4-#10; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18; JH BH Black Zebra Midge #18; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker PT, Holo Olive Green, Holo Red or Holo Gold #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#10; BH Shop Vac Brown #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #16-#18; Delektable Mega Prince STD FB #6-#10; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #10; Psycho Prince Purple #16-#18.

Streamers: Mini Dali Llama Olive/ White #10; Fish Wacker Mini White #6; Mini Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Zirdle Olive/Orange, Orange or Natural #6-#8; Zonker Natural #6-#8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Muddy Buddy Olive #8; Sculpzilla Olive/White, Olive/Tan, White #8; Shelia Sculpin #4; Bloom’s JH Zirdle Olive/Orange #10; Pocket Rocket Olive, Copper Brown or Black #4; Bunny Buster #8; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black or Olive Yellow #6.

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July 29th-August 4th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on August 4, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

What a wonderful week we had at Beartooth Flyfishing!! We had a very successful event, the Beartooth Family and the Montana Hope Project Family are so thankful for the awesome community that comes and supports this amazing cause. We have been blessed with incredible donations from our event. If you missed it and still want to donate, please call us at 406-682-7525 or send an email to info@beartoothflyfishing.com. Nancy would be happy to help you with guidance on providing donations via check, credit card, and/or cash.

Streamflows this week started at 1,260cfs @ Kirby and 1,420cfs @ Cameron and remained steady throughout the week and ended at 1,200cfs @ Kirby and 1,350cfs @ Cameron. Flows may continue to drop a bit this coming week as the weather is finally cooling and we have started to see some much-needed rain!

The River has been fishing quite well this past week, nymphing and dries have produced epic trips and awesome fishing stories. There have definitely been some days on the River this week which were big fish days followed by little fish days with lots of action. We are seeing the last of the PMD’s and are transitioning into the Terrestrial and Nocturnal season. Bites on the Hopper have been happening more frequently but the Ant, Nocturnal and Caddis dries are the winners this week. Nymphing has remained strong, and the Streamer bite has started to turn on!

As always, the pictures tell the best story! Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open Everyday 6:30AM to 5:30PM. Stop on by for the best free coffee in the valley, epic fish stories and a retail adventure you won’t soon forget!

Dries: Delektable Flying Ant Cinnamon, Red, or Black #12-#16; Para Ant Black/Red #14; Bloom’s Stealth Ant #14; Yeagers 409 Red #14-#16; White Cloud Hopper Peach or Tan #12-#14; Thunder Thighs Hopper Pink, Tan, or Yellow #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Tan or Green #12-#14; Bailey’s Golden Rod Bug Eye Hopper #12; Delektable Lil’ Secret Goldrush, UV Pink #14-#16; Fat Albert Tan/Red, Tan/Tan, Tan/Yellow #12-#14; Delektable Chubbyness Olive/Brown, 2 Tone UV Dark Olive, Rootbeer, Purple or Cinnamon #10-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby 2 Tone UV Black, Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, Royal, Cinnamon or UV Tan #14-#18; Dornan’s Water Walker Pink or Peanut #12; Delektable Secret Stone UV Goldenstone #10-#12; Delektable Halo Royal or Mo River #14-#18.

Nymphs: Lightning Bug Silver, Pearl, or Gold #14-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown, Black, or Pearl #14-#18; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Red, Blue, or PT #16-#18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior, TRBH Red Headed, or TCBH Light Olive #14-#16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #16; BH Tung Teaser Black #18; Wire Worm Red/Orange #4-#10; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #14-#18; JH BH Black Zebra Midge #18; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker PT, Holo Olive, Holo Red, or Holo Gold #16-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#10; BH Shop Vac Brown #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #16-#18; Delektable Mega Prince STD #10; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #10.

Streamers: Sculpzilla Olive/White, White or Black #4-#8; Shelia Sculpin #4; Zonker White, Natural or Black #6-#8; Dali Llama Olive/White #10; Mini Loop Sculpin Olive #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Fish Wacker Mini White #6; Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow Smoke or Sculpin #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black Gold Body, Black, Yellow or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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July 22nd-July 28th, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

NOTICE!! This coming weekend, August 3rd & 4th Noon to 5PM, we are celebrating our 11th Annual Montana Hope Project Fundraiser in memory of John “Grandpa” Delekta! The importance of this event is to make a wish come true for the terminally ill, disease stricken, and special needs kids of Montana and their families. We will be serving Marty’s famous Gumbo, Dan & Nancy’s Chili along with cookies and pies from Elle at Elle’s Belles and Vickie Noack at Country Bumpkin Bakery. We will also provide fly tying demonstrations and casting clinics throughout the weekend. For a $50 donation you can get all the food you can eat that day and support a great cause to help Montana’s Families. Additional donations are greatly appreciated. Contact us if you need guidance on providing a donation by mail or phone. Phone: 406-682-7525 or email: info@beartoothflyfishing.com.

The heat continues to be a factor this last week fishing, catching conditions have been quite favorable in the morning and up into the early afternoon. Luckily our water temperatures have stayed below the Hoot Owl restrictions but with higher water temperatures in the afternoon remember to bring in your Trout quickly, keep your Trout in the Water as much as possible, take a picture only if necessary and in a timely manner and revive your fish in the net as long as needed. Help keep our little fishery sustainable for generations to come!

Stream flows at the beginning of this week were 1,560cfs @ Kirby and 1,730cfs @ Cameron and a steady drop to the end of the week to 1,200cfs @ Kirby and 1,430cfs @ Cameron. Thankfully we got some much-needed cooler weather and rain which has helped our watershed immensely! With the Streamflow drops we have seen a rise in Terrestrial action, Summer Stones are in full swing (fishing well above and below) and Caddis are still plentiful throughout the river.

Although these Summer conditions are tough with the heat and the smoke, it is years like this that we have an incredible Terrestrial August! Time to start going through the color rotations with Hoppers and of course the Ants and Beetles. The universe is always balanced and hopefully fishing days in the future will be plentiful and bountiful!

Dries: Delektable Halo Royal, Mo River or Tan #14-#18; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, UV Black, UV Pink, UV Cinnamon or Royal #14-#18; Delektable Chubbyness Rootbeer, Royal, Olive Brown or UV Cinnamon #12-#18; Delektable Flying Ant Black, Purple or Cinnamon #16; Bloom’s Stealth Ant Purple #14-#16; Para Ant Black & Red #14-#16; Craven’s Fat Angie Ant Gold/Cinnamon #16; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Red or Royal #14-#16; Fat Albert Tan/Red Thread #10-#14; Morrish Hopper Pink, Green or Tan #12-#14; More-Or-Less Hopper Peach, Yellow, or Tan #12-#14; White Cloud Hopper Olive, Peach, Tan #12-#14; Panty Dropper Hopper Yellow or Tan #12-#14; Delektable Lil’ Secret UV Caddis Green, Goldrush, UV Pink or Royal #16-#18; Rusty Spinner PMD #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Holo Olive, Tan or Cinnamon #16-#18; Elk Hair Caddis Royal or Tan #16-#18; Royal Wulff Cripple #14-#16; Flat Wing Stone September Stone #12-#14.

Nymphs: Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Delektable Prince Brandon#8-#18; Formerly Known as Prince #12-#18; Pat’s Rubberlegs Olive/Brown, Black/Brown or Black #8-#12; Jig Duracell Copper Top #16; Wire Worm Red/Orange #4-#10; Geppert’s Mega Emerger #16-#18; Delektable Hammerhead Jig Hook GTBH Prince, PT, Hare’s Ear or Red #16-#18; Psycho Prince Purple #16; Lightning Bug Silver or Gold #14-#18; BH Montana Bullet Black or Black/Red #18; Delektable TSBH Big Spanker Warrior #14-#16; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black or Brown #14-#18; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Brown, Crystal, Black or Red #16-#18; Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Holo Gold, Pale Olive PMD, PT, Holo Red or Holo Silver #16-#18; Delektable Tungsten TCBH Surestrike Black/Purple #14-#16.

Streamers: Dali Llama Olive/White #6-#10; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4;  Mini-Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Flash Fry Olive/Natural #6; Zonker Natural Pearl, Natural Copper Body, Natural Tan #6-#8; JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black Gold Body or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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July 15th-July 21st, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

I don’t think that the weather gods got the memo that the thermostat was left on too high! The heat wave continues this week and looks like it will next week as well. Regardless, the fishing has continued to be productive; our fishery is safe, the water is cool, and the fish are healthy!

Hoot Owl is still in effect on the Madison River from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake, Northwestern Energy Footbridge to the confluence with the Jefferson and from the Yellowstone National Park Boundary to Hebgen Reservoir. Full closure from Madison Dam below Ennis Lake to the Northwestern Energy Footbridge. There are numerous other rivers in the state that are being affected from the heat and have Hoot Owl restrictions or Closures in effect. For more information on closures, please visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.

Stream flows this week started at 1,370cfs @ Kirby and 1,600cfs @ Cameron, an uptick on the 19th to 1,460cfs @ Kirby and 1,660cfs @ Cameron and another rise on the 21st to 1,560cfs @ Kirby and 1,730cfs @ Cameron. Our friends at Northwestern Energy are doing an excellent job monitoring and adjusting flows to keep our waters under that 70-degree mark and keeping our trout healthy and happy.

Fishing this week has been sporadic during the middle of the day, with better action during the lowlight hours. The mornings and evenings have been littered with consistent hatches of various Caddis, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies and Nocturnal Stoneflies. Dries and Nymphs are fishing equally well. With the consistent warmer weather, we are beginning to see Terrestrial activity as well with Hoppers and Ants starting to come off. Bacon and eggs are back on the menu (Streamers and Trailing Worms) and have been fishing well on a tightlined or dead drifted setup, sometimes alternating the worm with a nymph behind them can be deadly also!

Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open 6:30AM to 5:30PM Every day! Stop in or call for day to day conditions and fly reports!

Dries: Super Chernobyl Pink #12; Delektable Halo Royal, Tan or Peacock #14-#16; Delektable Lil’ Chubby UV Caddis Green, Royal, UV Cinnamon or UV Olive #16-#18; Delektabe Lil’ Secret Goldrush or Royal #14-#18; Delektable Chubbyness UV Cinnamon, Royal or Rootbeer #10-#16; Dry Humper Royal Purple, Royal or Yellow #14-#16; Missing Link Caddis Amber #16; Bloom’s Parachute Caddis UV Tan or UV Olive #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Purple, Cinnamon or Tan #16-#18; Carlson’s Purple Craze #14-#16; Guide Winna Spinner Rust #16; PMD Parachute Rusty Spinner #14-#16; Thunder Thighs Hopper Tan, Yellow or Pink #12-#14; Morrish Hopper Green, Pink, or Tan #12-#14; Delektable Slammer Yellow or Cream #10-#14; Para Ant Black & Red #16; Delektable Flying Ant Red or Purple #16-#18.

Nymphs: Formerly Known as Prince #12-#16; Tungsten BH Jiggy Frenchie #16-#18; Delektable Prince Brandon #12-#16; BH Tungsten Jig FB Pheasant Tail #16-#18; BH Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #18; Jig Duracell OG, Tan, or Copper Top #16; Pat’s Rubberleg Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#12; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker Miller Time, Holo Gold, PT, Holo Silver & Holo Pink #16-#18; BH Lightning Bug Gold, Silver, or Pearl #14-#18; Delektable Hammerhead GTBH UV Purple, Hare’s Ear or PT #16-#18; Delektable Rootbeer Float Yellow #16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14; Mo River Green #16; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black or Brown #14-#16; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Black or Crystal #16; Delektable Big Spanker Warrior #16-#18; Copper John Red or Chartreuse #14-#16; Delektable Hurless Nymph Olive FB #8-#10; Delektable Guide Stone Olive/Brown or Black/Brown #8-#12; Lemon Drop #14-#16.

Streamers: Dali Llama Olive/White #6-#10; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#8; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Natural #4;  Mini-Loop Sculpin Natural or Olive #6; Flash Fry Olive/Natural #6; Zonker Natural Pearl, Natural Copper Body, Natural Tan #6-#8; JR’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White, Olive/Black in Gold or Olive #6; Galloup’s Cactus Wooly Sculpin Olive or Tan #6.

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