June 17th-June 23rd, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

It is Game On here on the Upper Madison River! The water has dropped and cleared, and the Big Bugs are here!! Most sightings of the infamous Salmon Fly this week have been from Valley Garden to Varney Bridge, however Caddis, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies & Goldenstones have been making appearances here and there throughout the whole Upper River.

Fishing this week has been productive on Nymphs, still a strong Streamer bite and of course the Dries (because why not?)! Stream flows this week started at 1,260cfs @ Kirby and 2,040cfs @ Cameron, dropping mid-week and leveling out to 2,040cfs @ Kirby and 1,650cfs @ Cameron by the end of the week. Clear shining days, albeit the start of the week with a June Snowstorm! Our hardy Fisherman braved the Storm and were rewarded with Big Fish while getting to wear winter garments and hand warmers in June!

These next couple weeks are supposed to be beautiful. We may see some afternoon thunderstorms but just wait an hour the Weather will change! Best to load up on those Salmon Flies, Caddis, Goldenstones, PMD’s & lovely Yellow Sallies! We are open here at Beartooth Flyfishing Everyday 7:30am to 5:30pm! We would Love to see you here during this special time of year! We are reviewing the people action and changing our schedule based upon demand.

Dries: Delektable Secret Stone Royal, UV Salmonfly, or UV Orange #8-#10; Delektable Mega Chubbyness Royal #8-#12; Delektable Mega2Tone Chubbyness UV Goldenstone, UV Goldrush, UV Salmonfly or Royal #8-#12; Juicy Stone Salmonfly #6; Morrish Fluttering Stone Salmon Fly #6; Super Chernobyl Brown #12; Dornan’s Water Walker Peanut #10-#12; Delektable Twisted Baby Yellow with Red Butt #12-#14; Delektable Halo Peacock, Mo River, Tan or Royal #14-#16; Cornfed CDC Caddis Olive or Tan #16; Beck’s Polyfluff Caddis Tan #16; Etha Wing Caddis Olive #16; Delektable Twisted Baby Brown #12-#16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan or Olive #14-#16; Delektable Chubbyness Royal, Olive Brown or UV Goldrush #12-#16; Parachute Adams #14-#16; Purple Haze Parachute #14-#18.

Nymphs: Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black, Brown or Pearl #14-#16; Geppert’s Crystal Dip Crystal or Black #16; Delektable Hammerhead GTBH Olive, Hare’s Ear or Prince #16-#14; Lightning Bug Silver or Gold #14-#16; Delektable FB Sparkle or Sparkle Kaboom Stone #10-#6; Pat’s Rubberlegs Orange/Brown, Black, Black/Brown #10-#4; Shop Vac Olive or Brown #16; Delektable Mega Prince STD #6-#8; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #16-#14; Psycho Prince Green or Purple #16-#14; Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker PT, Holo Red, Holo Gold or Holo Olive #16-#14; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Blue or PT #16-#14; JH Napoleon #18-#16; Formerly Known as Prince #16-#12; Delektable Prince Brandon #16-#10; Delektable TGBH Sure Strike Sally or Yellow Peacock #16-#14; Jig Baby Sally #12-#14.

Streamers: Streamers: Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Olive/White, Black/Olive, Yellow, Olive/Yellow #6;  Zonker Dark Olive or Natural #6; Shelia Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8-#4; Mini-Loop Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White or Black/Olive Gold #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin, JJ or Smoke #6; Galloup’s Silky Kitty Tan, White or Black #6; Galloup’s Sex Dungeon Mini or Regular Olive/Black, Purple/Black or White #6-#8; Dali Llama Olive/White or Black/Olive #4; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive or Black #4.

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June 3rd-June 16, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

The only constant in this universe is change and the change has been epic the last two weeks on the Wild Upper Madison River. Hot days muddying up the water (on and off runoff), Snowstorms reminding us that Winter is always looming and crazy Streamer days; we have had a true Montana Spring.

Stream flows have fluctuated these 2 weeks from 1,370cfs @ Kirby and 2,140cfs @ Cameron the beginning of the week, topping to 1,940cfs @ Kirby and 3,530cfs @ Cameron and dropping gradually to the end of weeks to 1,370cfs @ Kirby and 2,020cfs @ Cameron. Throughout the runoff this year fishing was hot and cold from section to section on the River. The wade section of the River fished great throughout this year with Stoneflies and various small Nymphs because the fish were active and hungry.

Nymphing and Streamers have been the game as we wait for the hatches to begin. The Trout this year are healthier and bigger than we have seen in several years. The mild Winter has made a profound impact on our fishery, and we all are excited for the Dry Fly swarm to begin!! Look for Salmon Flies, Caddis and PMD’s this coming week with the warm Weather predicted for the future. Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are fully stocked, free coffee is always available, and the retail adventure is the absolute best!

Nymphs: Delektable Sparkle FB Kaboom Stone #6-#10; Pat’s Rubberlegs Black, Black/Brown #6-#10; Delektable Prince Brandon #8-#16; Psycho Prince Purple or Yellow #16-#14; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Silver or Gold #14-#16; Delektable Jig Hook GTBH Hammerhead Hare’s Ear #14-#18; Delektable Mega Prince Std or Std FB #10-#8; Wire Worm Red/Orange, Wine/Red or Orange #10-#4; Delektable Mr. Rubberlegs Goldenstone #8-#10; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Black #14-#16; Delektable JH Tungsten Spanker Holo Red, Holo Orange, or PT #14-#18.

Streamers: Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Olive/White, Black/Olive, Yellow, Olive/Yellow #6;  Zonker Dark Olive or Natural #6; Shelia Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8; Mini-Loop Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White or Black/Olive Gold #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or Smoke #6; Galloup’s Silky Kitty Tan, White or Black #6; Galloup’s Sex Dungeon Mini or Regular Olive/Black, Purple/Black or White #6-#8.

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May 22-June 2nd, 2024 | Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Besides Memorial Day Weekend, the past two weeks it have been quiet here in the lovely Madison Valley. The river has not really let loose a full runoff, but rather the water has been green and just the best flows for catching lots of spring trout!

Streamflows started the week at 1,380cfs @ Kirby and 1,840cfs @ Cameron climbing to 1,530cfs @ Kirby and 2,310cfs @ Cameron mid-week and dropping to 1,410cfs @ Kirby and 2,210cfs @ Cameron. With the warmer weather and rain predicted this next week we may see some dirtier runoff water. However, it still has been an unpredictable Spring here and if you’re thinking of heading up here to catch some Spring joy give us a call as conditions could be changing daily!

Fishing this week has primarily been most productive with Streamers, Stoneflies and other Nymphs. With the water levels elevated green, buggier and bigger bugs have been the ticket. Some Caddis and BWOs have been spotted throughout the River this week, the Trout have preferred the Nymph to the dry from Lyons Bridge to Ennis. However, the wade section has produced some fish for those willing to work for it.

We are excited to start the Summer, it feels so close you could almost taste it! Our shop is fully stocked for the Season, and we can’t wait to see all the happy faces of our fishing family returning to the waters of the Madison. We are open 7 days a week 8am to 5pm, the coffee is still free and fishing tales are still bigger than life!

Nymphs: Delektable FB Sparkle Kaboom Stone #6-#8; Delektable Sparkle Kaboom Stone #6-#8; Fly Formerly Known as Prince #14-#16; Jig Duracell Original/Red Bead #16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker PT, Silver or Purple #14-#16; Delektable Prince Brandon #12-#16; Psycho Prince Caddis Green or Purple #12-#14; Delektable TGBH Sure Strike Yellow/Peacock or Black/Purple #12-#14; Delektable Mr. Rubberlegs Goldenstone #8-#10; Delektable Mega Prince STD Flashback #6-#8; Wire Worm Pink, Red/Wine or Orange/Red #4-#8; Lightning Bug Gold #14-#16; Delektable Hammerhead GTBH JH Hare’s Ear, Olive or Prince #14-#16.

Streamers: Zonker Dark Olive or Natural #6; Shiela Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8; Mini-Loop Sculpin Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White or Black/Olive Gold #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or Smoke #6; Galloup’s Silky Kitty Tan #6; Galloup’s Sex Dungeon Mini or Regular Olive/Black #6-#8.

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May 24th, May 30th & June 1st, 2024 | Beaverhead River Fishing Report

Posted on June 1, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Our Shop Manager Ryan had the chance to bring fellow Beartooth employee RT along on an adventure at the Beaverhead River at the end of the opening week on the Upper River between Clark Canyon Dam and High Bridge. It was so good they had to go back a few more times to test if it was a fluke… it was not!

We were interested to see how the trout were doing after a milder winter with much more solid flows than the previous two winters. And we are happy to report the Trout in the Upper River are in very good shape. They most certainly had their feed bags on all winter and spring. Ryan and RT were both blessed with numerous trout in the 20 – 24 inch class and hooked up with two or three that were over that class but were lost due to straightened hooks or just by being outsmarted by our finny friends.

The Outflow at Clark Canyon Dam was at 489cfs making for a comfortable day of wade fishing the buckets and runs of the Upper River. Nymphing was the name of the game as it often is in this stretch of the Beaverhead. Sowbugs, Annelids, Small Baetis Nymphs and Emergers, and Midge patterns were all effective throughout the day. There’s just something special about showing a good friend a new stretch of river that they have never fished and seeing their delight as they began to unlock the keys to how to fish such a special piece of water.

Nymphs: Delektable Lil’ Spanker PT #16-#20, Delektable Big Spanker Warrior #18, Splitback BWO #18-#20, Hot Bead Soft Hackle Sow Bug Tan or Pink #16-#18, Ray Charles Tan or Pink #18-#20, Ninch’s Pill Popper #16-#18, Barr’s Emerger PMD or BWO #16-#18, Flossy Worm Red #12, Stocker’s Two Hot Baetis #18, Geppert’s Master Emerger #18, RS2 Olive #18, Delektable Worm Red or Pink #12, Delektable Ranch BWO #18.

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

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Beartooth Flyfishing

Fake Runoff, Real Runoff…. The lines are usually quite blurred on this subject in Spring on the Madison River. Due to the changing weather, we have had this week, one day we were led to believe that this off-color water would only get worse. But then we woke up to cooler temps the next day and were surprised to see crystal clear waters. However, the way the water looked this week did not stop the fish from eating. And you may have been lucky enough to have the right set up in the right place that trout were eating at the end of your line!

This week was a special pleasure. Jointly with Madison Gallatin Trout Unlimited, Beartooth Flyfishing, and Michael Gerhart we hosted a fantastic group of Veterans for a 3-day fishing adventure on our famous home waters. Fun, laughter, healing, and lots of fish were had by all. The Vets Really enjoyed some great eating and accommodations at Michael’s. We are honored to be apart of a great organization and selfless individuals that make this possible for our most valued members of our nation.

Fishing this week was dominated by Stoneflies, Streamers and of course the Worm. Dead drifted Streamers with a smaller Nymphs trailing were quite productive and double Stoneflies were a favorite for many. With the changing water clarity, buggier, bigger, brighter Nymphs have been the ticket and most likely will continue to be as we are having a strung-out runoff this year.

Stream flows this week started at 1,070cfs @ Kirby and 1,420cfs @ Cameron and steadily rising to 1,420cfs @ Kirby and 2,070cfs @ Cameron. We will be having cooler temperatures next week which will slow down runoff and change water clarity. This time of the year it is always good to call the flyshop and check the conditions from day to day. Here at Beartooth Flyfishing we are open 7 days a week 8 AM to 5 PM. Give us a call or stop by and enjoy the free coffee and even better free advice!! (406-682-7525)

Nymphs: Delektable FB Sparkle Kaboom Stone #6-#8; Jig Duracell Original/Red Bead #16; JH CDC Flashback PT #16; JH BH Zebra Midge Red #18; Delektable Mr. Rubberlegs Goldenstone #8-#10; Delektable Mega Prince STD #6-#8; Delektable Prince Brandon #8-#12; Lightning Bug Gold #14-#16; Delektable Hammerhead Jig Hook GTBH Hare’s Ear, PT or Prince #14-#16; Delektable JH Tungsten Lil’ Spanker PT #14-#16; Delektable Stonefly Candy UV Black BH #6-#8; Pat’s Rubberlegs Black, Olive/Brown or Brown/Black #6-#8; Psycho Prince GB Purple #12-#14; Tungsten Jiggy Blow Torch #14-#16; Wire Worm Pink, Red/Purple or Orange/Red #8-#4.

Streamers: Zonker Dark Olive or Natural #6; Sheila Sculpin #4; Sculpzilla Olive/White #8; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive, or Natural #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive #8; Mini-Loop Olive #6; Fish Whacker Mini Olive #6; Delektable Screamer Single Olive/White or Black/Olive in Gold #6; Coffey’s CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin or Smoke #6.

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