Yeah we didn't talk too much there for a bit" except for the occasional "ho-lee shit." Bugs crawling all over you, down your back, in your ears. It was fun.
Correct. Well most of the day anyway. My buddy got the brown in the photo on tan streamer. Unfortunately it was pretty windy so dry fly fishing was tough. But I also nymphed and this caddis pupa was my best fly of the day.
I'd love to say we crushed it but honestly the fishing was kind of slow. It is just an incredible experience just to see that much biomass and cool to be able to fish it as a lot of years this river is blown out during the hatch from runoff.
I was up there last week as well.
It was some of the best fishing I've had on the Mo for big browns on top. It's amazing how little water the big boys move sipping baetis. We caught a bunch over 20" the biggest was a little over 22" and jumped six times.
Really fun head hunting, really cold.
I can just see the cover of American Angler: "Fish a Small Western Tailwater and a Classic Western Freestone. On the same weekend. Sponsored by Winston and Bauer."
Hey Swimmy, how come you don't debarb your hooks. They come out of your fingers and hands a lot easier if you do. If you fly fished in Washington you would have to in fly only water. It's a good habit to have,
I'd seen that the water level was going down there last week, and the clarity (what you can see through the bugs) doesn't look too bad. Should be at least a couple more days of fishable water there this week I'd think.
I noticed the boat you were in from your pics. I'd love to get one, but have some questions as to how they'd do on some of the rougher water, such as below town or up high. Have any thoughts on that?
I noticed the boat you were in from your pics. I'd love to get one, but have some questions as to how they'd do on some of the rougher water, such as below town or up high. Have any thoughts on that?
The Adipose fan club is interesting. Guys who own them absolutely love them. I think they are cool boats for slower tailwaters and stillwaters but they just aren't designed for anything bigger. If you are a good on the sticks, there is usually a skiff line but I have much more confidence in a Mackenzie style.
I think the most versatile boat for SW Montana is a 16' Clack LP. I'm biased though since I own one.
For sure! I also own a Montana-made Weber Gallatin snake head mandolin. Still trying to learn all the basic chords on that sweet thing. At least I gots rhythm!
Yeah there were some dinks rising throughout the day. We did a little sight fishing but no luck really. I think you are better off nymphing or fishing emergers when it is that thick like T.O. said. Pretty much all of our fish came subsurface.
Also, right a dusk the dry fly bite typically picks on this river.
This is such an awesome hatch. We had some great days in eastern WA last year like this. The fishing wasn't great, but just floating the river during a hatch like that is pretty incredible. I have a video somewhere I'll try to post. I'm guessing the top water action isn't that great because the fish are just gorging on bugs subsurface and don't need to chase them up? I'm not sure, but it never seems like there is that much surface action with that many bugs around.
Fantastic evening of dry fly fishing. Perfect weather, lots of caddis, handful of mayflies, and even a couple stoneflies. The caddis hatch on this river is one of my favorites of the year.
One thing I learned years ago on this river, hard to beat the purple haze during the caddis hatch.
I had been catching a couple fish and slowly working upstream. I came across this decent bow sippin' caddis. He was tucked in super tight to the left of the big rock on the right. It took the perfect slice cast to land the fly where he'd eat it. I sat there for 20 minutes working this fish. I finally got him to eat but the fly was submerged and I didn't get a good set. So much fun.
I proceeded to run up the body count on these little guys.
Now this is what trout fishing is supposed to be. Headed back out there tomorrow evening.
Fished the lower Madison Monday and Tuesday evenings. It's fun to relax while fishing and actually catch a few.. No monsters but a couple 15 inch browns.
We'll have to have a recently displaced WFF party. But no talk of steelhead or salmon... just bitch about too much or too little water, too much or not enough wind, too much or not enough cloud cover .
Back out again tonight. Went lower down on the river looking for a big one. No go and fishing was slower. Caught a couple but not as many fish rising as last night. Should've gone right back to same spot as last night. My bad.
Down lower is so hit and miss. But there are a few monsters that don't eat little bullshit caddisflies.
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