The Epic Salmonfly Hatch is winding down this week, they are still smacking at the big bug but at a decreased rate. However, the Goldenstones, Yellow Sallies, PMDs and Caddis of all sizes are all over the place this week! Fishing in July on the Madison River with lush green hills, lovely temperatures, and snow still in the mountains; just wow, it feels like a Summer of yesteryear. If you’re here this year you are living a blessed life and when your not watching your Fly, look around at the world around you (never know you may see an Otter, a Moose, a family of Geese and Ducks).
Streamflows this week started at 1,320cfs @ Kirby and 1,700cfs @ Cameron, a gradual drop to 1,190cfs @ Kirby and 1,460cfs @ Cameron by midweek and finishing with a rise on the 16th to 1,300cfs @ Kirby and 1,520cfs @ Cameron. Fishing the drop in flows can be so productive and it proved itself so this week. Nymphing and Dry Fly fishing were both productive means of catching this week. We did see an interesting trend of some Fish rising on surface and then dead spots as the Fish are all over the hatches and if you happened to see those sweet Lil’ Yellow Sallies you were in for a treat at the end of your line!
With the upcoming forecast for next week getting into the high 80’s to mid-90’s; please be aware of your fish handling techniques whilst trying to get that great picture! Here are some guidelines to help you out on the water: Watch the Temps, Fish Barbless Hooks, Play the Fish Quickly Using Strong Leader/Tippet, Keep the Fish in the Water at All Times While Not Taking a Quick Picture, Use a Rubber Landing Net & Keep Fish in the Water, Creatively & Selectively Take Photos and Slowly Revive and Release.
Nymphs: Delektable Jig Hook Tungsten Spanker Pheasant Tail, Holo Olive, Holo Pink or Pale Olive PMD #10-#16; The Fly Formerly Known as Prince #12-#18; Crack Back Bullet Cream #16-#18; Geppert’s Skinny Dip Brown #14-#18; Pat’s RubberLegs Black, Black/Brown or Olive/Brown #4-#8; Delektable Guide Stone Brown/Yellow, Black, or Olive/Brown #4-#8; Jighead CDC Flashback Pheasant Tail #16-#18; BH Lemon Drop #12-#18; Delektable BH Prince Brandon #12-#16; Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #12-#16; Delektable Lil’ Spanker Gold, Silver, Blue or PT #12-#18; Delektable Tungsten Gold Bead Head Sure Strike Sally or Peacock/Yellow #14-#16; Tungsten BH Yellow Sally #14-#16; Tung Drop Yellow Sally #14-#16; Delektable Tungsten Beadhead Big Spanker Warrior, Lt Olive, or PT #12-#16; Delektable Rootbeer Float Yellow #16; BH Shop Vac Brown or Olive #16-#18.
Dries: Delektable Lil’ Chubby Royal, UV Cinnamon, UV Olive, Rootbeer or Caddis Green #14-#16; Delektable Secret Stone UV Salmonfly, Orange, UV Goldenstone or UV Dark Olive #8-#12; Dornan’s Water Walker Pink or Peanut #6-#12; Delektable Mega2Tone Chubbyness UV Salmonfly, UV Goldenstone, UV Goldrush or Royal #6-#12; Purple Haze Parachute #14-#18; Micro Chubby Gold #16-#18; Carlson’s Purple Craze #10-#16; Mercer’s Missing Link Caddis #16; Corn Fed Caddis Tan or Olive #16; Delektable CDC Elk Hair Caddis Tan, Olive or Purple #14-#16; Delektable Halo Royal, Tan, Dark Olive, or Purple #16-#18; “X” Caddis Tan #16; Split Wing Parachute Purple #12-#16; PMD Parachute Rusty Spinner #14; Delektable Sparkle Bug Olive, Pale Olive or Tan #14-#16; Bloom’s Parachute Caddis Tan #16.
Streamers: Delektable SS Jointed Screamer Olive/White, Black, White, or Yellow; Delektable Double Screamer Olive/Black, Black, Olive, White, Yellow; Delektable Single Screamer Black, Olive/White, Olive/Black, White, Olive, or Spawning; #6; McCune’s Sculpin Olive or Tan #4-#6; Zonkers Dark Olive, Tan, or Natural #8; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive, Black, or Natural #4; Dali Llama Olive/White #6; Galloup’s Silky Kitty Black, Tan, White, or Olive; #6; Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow Sculpin #6; Conehead Zuddler Olive #6- #8; Flash Fry Olive/Natural #6; Mini Loop Sculpin Olive or Natural #6; Galloup’s Mini Sex Dungeons Olive, Black, or Cream #6.
