09-26-2004, 04:32 PM
Madison River - Lower - September 20th, 2004
supplied by: [url "http://www.fisheyesoup.com/redir.php?recKey=86,re"]Montana Troutfitters[/url]
FISHING: Great
Stream Flow Information [[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=NONE&search_site_no_station_nm=Madison&format=html_table"]click here[/url]]
Madison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_Madison_River__1115074459269_0_131.90299987793.aspx"]click here[/url]]
South ForkMadison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_South_Fork_Madison_River__1112332447461_0_20.701000213623.aspx"]click here[/url]]
West Fork Madison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_West_Fork_Madison_River__1115837448893_0_33.1749992370605.aspx"]click here[/url]]
The flows at the Ennis Powerhouse are 1290 C.F.S. The lower Madison has been providing some of the best fishing in the area over the last few weeks. The Crayfish have been molting and the fish are definetly keying in on them with beacuse of the softer shell and the hearty meal that they provide the trout. Baetis activity really kicked off on Sunday the 12th and we should see some solid baetis activity for the next few weeks. The weather will be a big factor in the hatch and try and get out on the overcast days with high humidty and even some rain or snow showers. The higher humidity makes it tougher for the insects to dry their wings and get off the water. Bright sunny days will see a smaller hatch that will only last for a short period of time. There has also been some psuedocleons hatching as well and they are really nothing more than a smaller baetis. Scientifically they are different but in the eye of the trout there is not much difference other than size. You may also see a large white mayfly hatching which is called an efron leucon, probably the wrong spelling, these large mayflies will be available to the trout however I personally have not had much success trying to imitate them. The streamer acitivity is very productive when the insects are not hatching due to the crayfish molt. We have had good success with both a stripped fly as well as dead drifting them behind a strike indicator. The most productive techingue for numbers is to dead drift the crayfish patterns and trail them with a small bead head mayfly or caddis larvae off the back. Stripping the fly will generally produce larger fish, but not as many. Give both techiniques a try and see which works best for you.
Fly Pattern Suggestions : Bow River Bugger #6-8, Rat Sculpin #6, Brown Bugger #4-6, Orange Blossom Special #4-6, Bunny Crayfish #4-6, JJ Special #4-6, BH Lightning Bug #12-16, BH Copper John #14-16, Peacock Anatomay #12-16, BH Pheasant Tail #12-16, King Prince #12-14, Parachute Adams #14-20, BWO Thorax #14-18, Hackle Stacker #16-20, Tilt Wing Dun #16-18, RS2 #16-20.
supplied by: [url "http://www.fisheyesoup.com/redir.php?recKey=86,re"]Montana Troutfitters[/url]
FISHING: Great
Stream Flow Information [[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=NONE&search_site_no_station_nm=Madison&format=html_table"]click here[/url]]
Madison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_Madison_River__1115074459269_0_131.90299987793.aspx"]click here[/url]]
South ForkMadison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_South_Fork_Madison_River__1112332447461_0_20.701000213623.aspx"]click here[/url]]
West Fork Madison River Montana FWP Guide [[url "http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/fishing/guide/q_West_Fork_Madison_River__1115837448893_0_33.1749992370605.aspx"]click here[/url]]
The flows at the Ennis Powerhouse are 1290 C.F.S. The lower Madison has been providing some of the best fishing in the area over the last few weeks. The Crayfish have been molting and the fish are definetly keying in on them with beacuse of the softer shell and the hearty meal that they provide the trout. Baetis activity really kicked off on Sunday the 12th and we should see some solid baetis activity for the next few weeks. The weather will be a big factor in the hatch and try and get out on the overcast days with high humidty and even some rain or snow showers. The higher humidity makes it tougher for the insects to dry their wings and get off the water. Bright sunny days will see a smaller hatch that will only last for a short period of time. There has also been some psuedocleons hatching as well and they are really nothing more than a smaller baetis. Scientifically they are different but in the eye of the trout there is not much difference other than size. You may also see a large white mayfly hatching which is called an efron leucon, probably the wrong spelling, these large mayflies will be available to the trout however I personally have not had much success trying to imitate them. The streamer acitivity is very productive when the insects are not hatching due to the crayfish molt. We have had good success with both a stripped fly as well as dead drifting them behind a strike indicator. The most productive techingue for numbers is to dead drift the crayfish patterns and trail them with a small bead head mayfly or caddis larvae off the back. Stripping the fly will generally produce larger fish, but not as many. Give both techiniques a try and see which works best for you.
Fly Pattern Suggestions : Bow River Bugger #6-8, Rat Sculpin #6, Brown Bugger #4-6, Orange Blossom Special #4-6, Bunny Crayfish #4-6, JJ Special #4-6, BH Lightning Bug #12-16, BH Copper John #14-16, Peacock Anatomay #12-16, BH Pheasant Tail #12-16, King Prince #12-14, Parachute Adams #14-20, BWO Thorax #14-18, Hackle Stacker #16-20, Tilt Wing Dun #16-18, RS2 #16-20.