Let it Rain! Spring rains have blessed the Madison Valley this week with temperatures ranging in the low 70’s to mid 60’s and as always it seems that Mother Nature has the best timing. Beginning May 31st Northwestern Energy began dropping flows steadily this week from their planned flush. Streamflows this week started at 3,440cfs @ Kirby and 4,840cfs @ Cameron and incrementally decreased by the end of the week to 2,330cfs @Kirby and 3,890cfs @ Cameron. This week brought all the big water we needed to revitalize our Madison River ecosystem and sets up our Summer to be a cornucopia of phenomenal hatches and even better fishing.
By the 5th we are starting to see the feeder Streams clearing and the River is starting to get that green color we all love. Fishing has been productive through this time from Raynolds Bridge to Pine Butte and as the flows have dropped, we have received reports of people able to go under the Sun West Bridge and the Wolff Creek Bridge. Wolf Creek Bridge does have some logs and debris on the right (east) side and the only passable side is far river left. Sun West Bridge is passable on river right. We do advise caution on floating from Lyons Bridge to Pallisades, experienced rowers and those that are familiar with the bridges will still have a tight squeeze so if you are less experienced with this section we suggest waiting for this section until Streamflows drop.
Fishing this week has been the most productive on Streamers, Stoneflies and of course the Worm Hatch. Fish have started to chase the Streamer hard! As we continue on to the next week and water clarity continues to improve look for Dry Fly opportunities in between scoring huge Fish on the single or double streamer!
Nymphs: Delektable FB Mega Prince STD or Olive #4-#8; Delektable Olive Mega Prince #6-#8; Delektable FB Hurless Stone Gray #6-#8; Delektable Worm Red #12-#14, Pat’s RubberLegs Black, Black/Brown, or Olive/Brown #4-#8; Delektable Guide Stone Brown/Yellow, Black, or Olive Brown #4-#8; BH Tung Teaser Black #20; Geppert Crystal Dip Olive, Red #16-#18; BH Shop Vac Brown, Olive #16-#18; Wire Worm Red #6-#10; ; BH PT Tungsten Soft Hackle #20; Delektable Twinkle Black, or Red #18-#20; BH Montana Bullet Black, or Black/Red #18; Delektable JH Tungsten Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail, Olive, Holo Olive Green, or Silver #14-#20; Delektable Lime Juice Caddis Emerger #16; BH Partridge Caddis Olive #16; Delektable TGBH Big Spanker Light Olive #14-#16, Psycho Prince GB Caddis Green #12-#16; Delektable Spark Plug Stoner Egg Head Black, or Egg Head Brown #6-#8.
Streamers: Delektable SS/Double/Single Screamer Olive/White, Black/Olive, White, Yellow #6; Zonkers Olive, Natural Copper Body, Black, or White #6 & #8; Fish Wacker Mini White #6; Blooms Jig Hook Zirdle Gold, or Olive/Orange #10; TBH Balanced Leech Egg Sucking #10; Snapping Craw #8; Claws R Crawfish Olive, or Tan #10; McCune’s Sculpin Olive, Tan #4-#8; Delektable Christmas Tree Original #6; Jr’s Conehead Streamer Olive #6; Yo Dali Llama Olive/White #6; Mini Loop Sculpin Olive or Natural #6; Sparkle Shelia Sculpin #4; Trevor’s Sculpin Olive, Natural #4, Zirdle Orange, Olive, or Tan #6; Bunny Buster #6; Mini Loop Sculpin Natural #6.
