Fishing Reports Archives - Page 23 of 56

February 13th |Madison River Fishing Report

Amazing Day and Valley!

I died and went to Heaven 37 years ago when I became a Montana resident. Worked until 3:00 PM with the sun beeming and 40+ degree temps.

The fly rod, waders, and gear got thrown into the Durango and off to Mac. After 40 minutes, 9 fish hooked, 6 landed, and 3 others just smoked me. McAtee and Ruby Creek boat ramps are open. Palisades still has snow drifted in but Windy Point and Lyons, you can dump boats or rafts. I’ll be out there Wednesday again.

There are an amazing amount of Mule Deer and thousands of elk out. Also, I checked out the Raynolds Pass launch and it is a few weeks away. I drove up to Kelly’s and spotted a nice heard of Big Horn Sheep on the hillside. Get out there and enjoy the winter break!

Dan D

October 10th-15th |Madison River Fishing Report

Well, well, well, fall is rolling right along and we have had the privilege of having some real fun groups come in and we’ve made some new friends along the way! Thanks to all the people who make it possible every year for us to exist. (for you!) The groups this week have had to deal with some extreeeme weather (50-60 mph winds) due to the tailing storm patterns going on over on the west coast. We have received another healthy dose of rain and also some more snow in the mountains. Well folks, today’s weather is brought to you by …………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………SHARK WEEEEK!!!! Episode #3…………………………

These brown/black/yellow/orange sharks are being pulled out of the Madison River on the regs lately and are acting like vicious, sculpin-blood-thirsty predators. If you are out early in the early morning you will have the best luck (because it’s fall), but with the clouds and the weather the way that it has been all day long, it will be good…all day long. Our clients and guides have been reporting that the streamer bite is really crazy right now and that small children should keeps their hands and feet inside the boats at all times. Children have been known to lose fingers just by sticking them in the water around this time of year.

These toothy brown trout will stop at nothing to get a quick taste of a squirmy little fingers. After all, it will give those little sculpins a little break. The Sculpin is a small tapered olive fish with a big head, and browns and rainbows alike just love the little guy. It’s usually an easy snack any time of day, but it’s especially good in the morning. Breakfast to go with a side of…..SET THE HOOOOK!!!!!!!

I hope you are taking full advantage of the fall fishing as I and my friends at the shop here are. The rain has stopped for a bit now and the cloud cover is at a sick point sick on the sickter scale. (100% full send). So, please do yourself a favor and get out there!!!

If you need any pointers on what to use, here ya go, try something like these: Dan Delekta’s Delektable Screamers and Delektable Double Screamers in all the colors; Bern Sundell’s Bad Boy in all of his colors; Bern Sundell’s Silver Fire; Sculpzilla size 4 and 8 in black, olive and white, Trevor in black, olive, and white; Silvies Woolhead in white and silver; Kelly Galloup’s Sex Dungeons and Silky Kittys in whites, blacks and olives; The Zonker in pearl, copper, natural and white. And last but not least for my recommendations is the Bow River Bugger in a size 6 or 8.

We still have had a good bite on the big nymph as I said last week, as it is still going on under there in the dark world. The small BWO’s and Calibaetis #18’s and #20’s are out and about providing little scrumptious meals for the eager hard-working brightly spotted teenagers out there. You won’t need to be throwing anything small unless you are imitating those little guys right there. Also the midges are black and grayish and are about a size #20-24 and everywhere this time of year. Those tiny guys are verrrry effective if you are up to the challenge. I have a friend who is in his 70’s that has been knocking them down one by one with the 22’s and 24’s. “The cast must be a perfect cast, every time, on the first cast. Then you see the swirl in the film.”

In the guide world, the little nymphs that just catch fish are working just fine, as usual. The Lightening Bug size 14 behind a Pat’s Rubber Legs black size 8 is a sure combo to get fish in the boat. The Delektable Mega Prince Standard size 8 is a great nymph to put up top and get yer little guys down in the fish’s faces. Working here at the shop, I have been seeing a lot of small olive and darker guys in the #16-18 range going out the door. Also, the caddis right now are gray and in a size #14, maybe #15. A prince nymph in a size #12-14 is a sure catch most of the day. Tungsten beaded nymphs will help it get down even faster if you are having trouble tagging the bottom every now and then. The October Caddis has been flying around and he’s about a size 10 dry. Any orange or brown stone nymph in that size too will work for him too. We have a series of Delektable stones and nymphs that will work for the Octobers if you come in and are looking for some new guys to try.

Well, I hope to hear about your wild fishing stories here at the shop when you stop by! But for now, if you are feeling the skunk while chuck’n the junk, keep on keeping on, cause those brown punks will eventually get outta their bunks ta bust yer funk. But if they won’t…….. I guess go get drunk! 🙂

Happy Fishing!!! -DanG

September 28th- October 9th | Madison River Fishing Report

So the episodes of Shark Week continue……

These last weeks we have been waiting for the colder weather to come in and stir things up. Well, we got our wishes and the fish are all kinds of riled up now. Last week was a good start to the fall fishing and now it is in fullll… swiiiing!!! We have been seeing some good sized fish in the last few days here. The streamer bite has been on and there have been some nice fish coming in and submitting to the net. The BWO and Baetis bite is on because of the colder weather too, so if you don’t like throwing streamers or big nymphs, you are still going to be satisfied with decent dry fly fishing! That being said, I would like to tell a quick dry story. Emmett and his father went out to throw nymphs. Big fish were lurking and looking up. Now, dad had his bobber get eaten by a decent sized fish a few times and so he told his son, Emmett. Dad: “what should we throw on?” Emmett: “Well, lets throw a salmon fly on.” So, in very late September they throw salmon flies on and…. well you guessed it…blaaam, they were into a few nice fish. Take a peak, its Shark Week!!! ….again.

Now, before I get into the streamer talk (which is probly going to seem repetitive) I’ll let you in on the guide bugs and whats working for them out there right now. The stones are crawling around and a Black Pat’s Rubber Legs in a size 8 will do just fine. There are a couple of different colors in that pattern that are also working very well, like Brown, Tan/Brown, Black/Brown and Olive/Black. The size is an 8 but a size on either side of that will do just fine also. Bend the shank to give it a much buggier look (and give you an up on yer buddies) 🙂 . Also, try a Twenty Incher Stone (it’s a peacock stone) in a size 8 or 10. As usual, the Delektable Mega Prince Standard size 10-8 is a good call for any stretch of the river, but especially the top end right now. The rock pocket picking is spectacular above the Lyons Bridge Recreational Area all the way up to the Slide at Quake Lake. The Prince nymph in a size 12 has been a “go-to” with the guides here as well as a whole slew of small darker BWO/Calibaetis style nymphs. As for the streamer bite… all the colors are working, all of the silhouettes are slaying and all the rods SHOUUULD…theoretically and historically be…BENT!!! Some of the best colors have been olive and black combos on articulated streamers. Olive and Yellow has been really good too. Black, Black and Blue, Black and Purple, White, Silver, Tan and various colors of the natural spectrum have been doing well. That pretty much covers the rainbow huh? Well, if you are having trouble hooking up on the “straum” (streamer) and you want to quit and throw nymphs again, just take a look at these photos and rethink your decision. If you want to catch a fish on a streamer…you must first throw the streamer…in the water.

I don’t want to give away all the secrets about streamer fishing to the world wide web, but if you would like to know a little more, please come on in and let’s have a ‘lil heart to heart eh? Please have a wonderful rest of your season and fish your brains out!!!

Happy Fishing!!! _DanG

September 20-27, 2016 | Madison River Fishing Report

The Mighty Madison has a couple of weeks every year where it has the potential to be …. Shark Week! …and it’s now. Brown sharks… Sharks… Sharking. Sharks attacking streamers…

This past week has been really quite awesome in regards to the streamer bite. All the leaves are in full bloom and raging yellows and reds and oranges. In corrilation, all the streamer colors are working. All of them. White has always been my favorite, but lately its been the olive/gold combo. This river is just full of streamer-eating, carnivorous, slimey, fattened up monsters now. The lakes (Ennis and Quake) are literally putting out, I mean puuuutting out right now.

The float sections down near town have been really good this past week and seem to get better by the day. But then again, some of the big fish you see in theses pictures came from higher up. Some of us have been throwing only streamers and doing verrrry well. This is the time to do that if it’s not really been a strong point for you. Your chances are looking pretty good right now, just throw it in the water in the morning and you might be surprised. But do take a second to look at the colors on the trout before you slip them back in the water, they are just gorgeous!!! Also, take a look at a few of these photos and the colors they have been displaying!

The streamers that have been hurled out here involve multiple articulations and/or stinger hooks. Trevor has been catching fish, Sheila has been catching fish, the Zonker has been catching fish, Mini Loop has been doing well and of course Dan Delekta’s Double Screamer in all the colors. Bow River Bugger has also been getting stripped outta the bins here at the shop. they are still eating the nymph really well too if stripping streamers is just not your thing. Some dries are even working yet. The Ant and even the Hopper are out in this late September weather. If your are a dry or die kinda guy or gal, you will still be matching up with BWO’s, Caddis and Midges in the 18-22 size range. The nymphs that most of the guides are going out the door with are getting back to the larger size.Try some bigger prince nymphs and bigger lightening bugs. It is about that time of year again where you are going to see the size 14 mayfly patterns working again. Well, there is the polished version. If you need more info and you just want to talk to us here at the shop, call us! If you are more lost than a Salmonfly in September (which does happen occasionally) call us and any one of us will be happy to point you in the right direction. Happy Fishing!!! -DanG

September 22, 2016 | Yellowstone River Fishing Report

The Yellowstone River has been through some crazy times this summer with some record lows and a pretty hefty whitefish kill, but it is getting back into the swing of things now. Some friends and I went over and floated from town down about 13 miles with perfect weather for throwing streamers. It was kind of rainy and cloudy at first but the sun came out a little bit later and warmed it up a tad. we saw a few eagles before we set off, and that’s always a good omen, so we knew we would see some fish.

The streamer bite was most definitely on! We did see some nice big fish follow our flies all the way up to the boat and swat at them without total commitment. At least we were seeing them. The flies and colors that were the best where brown/yellow and olive/gold wool-head sculpin patterns. Yellow and brown are just really good fall spawning colors to throw. White was also a good color to throw in the articulated world as white is always right.

Well, I hope you all are doing well and fishing your little @$$’$ off! May you all fish long and prosper!

Happy Fishing!!! -DanG

September 20, 2016 | Missouri River Fishing Report

Dan Delekta, Bernie Sundell and Mike Mach went to the Missouri river this past week and it was good for them. They caught rainbows, browns, carp and walley. Long days on the river with your buddies in the Clacka is the best way to spend the fall out here. Articulated streamers in white, black and black and olive were the hottest flies of the day. Dan’s Delektable Double Screamers in white were the best while black and back and olive were good towards the end of the day.

the Delektable Chubbyness and other dries were working in the film in the back-eddies, but you know how ya get when the fall comes around…force feeding of the streamer! The weather was perfect for banging walley too. They hit streamers hard and would keep you occupied if you were not catching trout. The limit for walley is 4 each, so they came back with some white meat that Captain Marty deep-fried in his special Cajun ways that tasted soooo good (just take my word for it). As for the carp, Mike caught that on a white Delektable Double Screamer (I know, wierd)

So, heres to fishing and drinkin with buddies on your day off!

Happy Fishing!!! -DanG and Danny D

September 13th-19th, 2016|Madison River Fishing Report

This week’s fishing report is brought to you by….me. It’s not a funny one this time either. These reports have been lacking and slacking in what we all really want to see…and that is whitefish after whitefish after WHITEFISH, and these rainbows and browns just keep getting in the way. We still take quick photos of the trout still (just because we kinda feel bad for them), but one day we will have a perfect report with only native mountain whitefish…just how it should be. Who’s with me!?!? I know Grandpa Delekta would be.

Hahaha, well, I’m afraid I may be on my own team on this one 🙂

Speaking of the great white fish, if it matters to you, the “whitefish conspiracy” over on the Yellowstone River is somewhat under control and you are now allowed to fish certain sections of the river again. Check it out for yourself if you’re interested. This also provides updates on the analysis of the parasite impact to varied fish. Right! It is not really a conspiracy, just protection. (http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/closures/waterbodies/nr_106.html ) We have also seen a lot less people and guide boats over here now and thus less pressure on our slimy, slippery, yet very sneaky little friends.

The browns are coming up on a very important annual event here soon…homecoming. Some will be late and some will be early, but it is up to you to see where they may be and what they are going to be focusing on for food during that period of time. Some friends around the shop here and I myself have been experiencing some early birds getting the worm. You may hear things here and there, but I recommend you get out and find out for yourself. So do your homework before it’s too late to turn it in. I can give you some sharp little pointers but that’s going to be the things that are working for me. Every section is going to be fishing differently, so maybe try some different unorthodox tactics (not dynamite) to lure them of their comfortable little underwater dirt/log housing complexes as you bounce around from place to place.

As for the nymphing end of things, the little tikes (18’s and 20’s) have been the ticket lately trailing the big Pats Rubber Legs once again. BWO’s and Caddis are out and I know by this time you have those standard little nymph patterns ready to go already, so get those out and get ‘em wet again. If you are out of the loop a little, I will list a few nymph patterns that have scored well that you could try. The Prince nymph (sizes 14-18), Crystal Dip (size 16-20 black bead), Copper John (size 16-20 red and chartreuse), Delektable Lil’ Spanker Pheasant Tail (size 16-18), The Worm (any size), the Panty Dropper BWO (18-20) ,Delektable Sure Strike (size 16-18 peacock), and Delektable Mr Rubberlegs in a couple different colors including rust/olive.

Like I have previously stated in previously written reports…the streamer/nymph combo under the “bob” is a killer combo for these Madison River fish. Some streamers in that realm would include Shelia (size 6), Trevor (in black, barred natural and olive), Mini Loop (in natural and olive), Delektable Screamers (white, olive/black, black, and olive), and Zonkers (sizes 6-8 in natural and copper).

Articulated streamers also have been producing some gems. Delektable Double Screamers (white, black/olive/silver, black/olive/gold, badger, black), Bunny Love (black), and the Sex Dungeon (White, black, olive). Also some of Bernie Sundell’s patterns have been going out the door: Sundell’s Badboy (yellow, grey); and his Silver Fire (olive/black/silver).

Overall…get out there and send it!

Happy Fishing!!! -DanG

September 7th-12th, 2016|Madison River Fishing Report

It’s early morning and nice weather is in the forecast for Bill later today. The “W” is almost nonexistent. He gets out of his truck all bundled up head to toe in his newly purchased gear. The cold crisp fog is rising from the upper Madison River in what seems to be slow motion. He takes a look around and sees an eagle barely visible through the fog flying majestically, looking for an easy target to scoop up for breakfast. Bill is fully equipped and ready for action. He starts walking toward the river from his rig. He immediately spooks a brown right off the bank. He smiles. Bill has been waiting for this all year….the fall run. The leaves are turning yellow quickly and the valley is changing in color day by day. Bill is in his element. He is free, the air is clean and he is alone. This moment is all about him in his favorite Montana surroundings. His soul needs this……it craves it. The best part about this story is that Bill IS actually here now. He is NOT daydreaming about monster brown trout while he butters his toast at home. He has built a getaway that is healthy for him away from work, and now he is here. He has set himself up for success not only mentally and therapeutically, but for the fishing too. He is fully prepared.

The cold weather snap here in Southwest Montana has given the trout a little indication that it is time. It is time to get serious about fattening up, and time to get serious about getting serious in a fishy relationship. It is spawning season soon and the bite is on!! I hope you all will take advantage of these ferocious browns with their vicious takes on the streamer!

We are seeing some nice fish enter and exit the boat safely taken on single hooked streamers, articulated streamers and well, you get it. It’s on!

Well, it’s not just streamers that are working. There is also still quite an extensive list of “normal” flies that will be working. Let’s start with the stone flies that are moving around with the colder temps. Pats Rubber Legs in a size 8-12 are working just fine for those little guys. Colors that are strong ones will be brown, black, brown/olive and black/olive (for the Nocturnals still), black/brown and orange/tan. A red headed prince with a tungsten bead on a size 14-16 hook in combination with any of those stones would be good. Small princes, small pheasant tails and small serendipities (size 18-20 on curved hook) have been working lately. Baetis…start looking for ‘em and start throwin ‘em. A wire worm size 8. Delektable Lil’ Spankers in silver, red and pheasant tail have been good. Lightning bugs silver, pearl and purple are working just fine. We have also had some good reports on the little red copper john size 20. That could be for the pseudo mayflies we have had lately, but trout just love the little red copper john….always. There is a 14-16 gray caddis that has been flying around and we have been using the Delektable Rose/Pink Twisted Sister dry size 16 for that lil’ guy. One might want to try that one in the brown color too. It could be time for the Delektable Mega Prince and relatives.

As for the weather and the bite during the day, it has been real good in the early morning, a little slower by mid-day, and then it has been picking up a little bit more later in the afternoon.

Back to streamer talk now. Early mornings have been borderline epic on the strip. As for colors, white is right. Olive articulated streamers have been reeeally good along with black here and there. There has been some good nipping going on without the full commitment, but have no fear, it will happen. Personally I would rather strip a streamer than dunk it under a bobber, but dunk’n stinger-hooked streamers with a nymph trailing has been a killer combo for numbers in the boat. They may look at the streamer and hopefully take it, but if not, they usually take the small nymph behind it. Anywho, please get out there and get some fishing time in for yourself with this epic weather. The bite is just simply better with this colder weather. You may have to bundle up a bit more but it usually well worth the effort. To each their own, but I prefer fishing in the snow and blizzard conditions with the way the trout react. Plus, there are a lot less people out there in “your spot” 🙂

Happy Fishing!!! -DanG

August 28-September 4, 2016 | Madison River Report

Change is good; especially when it comes in the form of an early fall front bringing chilly temps, welcome and needed rain, and snow on the mountain peaks. The change in the air also means fall fishing (streamers!) is just around the corner.

The transition into fall continued last week, with change also being the theme. Fish were/are being caught, including some true trophies, but during the transitional season, change means being willing to get out of one’s comfort zone, and try different, sometimes multiple patterns. What worked one day often didn’t work the next. So to catch fish, change was very good.

Fly selection the last week has been quite varied, with catches coming on dries, nymphs and streamers. On the dry side, the Delektable Chubbyness, in all colors, has continued to be the go-to fly of the season, with other winning selections including Delektable Teasers, Purple Haze and still some hopper and ant action.

Most of the normal players have worked on the nymph side; Girdle Bugs, Lightning Bugs, Delektable Spankers, along with various Pseudo and BWO patterns. And, of course, worm patterns have been the ticket some days.

Delektable Double Screamers, Zonkers, wooly buggers and other streamer patterns have worked, mostly in white, black or olive/black. If you are doing poorly catching or moving fish on the streamer, then try changing up the color. If that doesn’t yield any results, then try changing up the silhouette also. Treat it the same as switching up your nymphs or dries. Fear not, for they will eat the streamer! Try all the little bank undercuts and log jams in the shallows along with the deep runs in the middle of the river in the middle of the day.

Well, that’s it for now. Stay tuned for more epic weather brought to you by the great state of Montana and the letter F! (for fly-fishing of course 🙂 ) Happy Fishing!!!

-DanG and Marty

August 21-27, 2016| Madison River Fishing Report

Blaaaaam!

As the leaves are thinking about the fall and how they might brighten up our little world out here when they turn, we are still crank’n it out here on the mighty Madison as if were still midsummer! Personally, I can’t wait for the snow to fall and for the browns to start their epic journey up the little criks and crannies to spawn. My favorite time is when the aspens are in raging full bloom in their fall display of beautiful yellows and oranges. But ahhh, it is still august, and we are still fishing the small bugs and terrestrials. Today…yes today the sun is a hot one!

We are still having the cool spell here and there, but only in micro-doses. The weather is looking pretty good right now for us this week as we have some highs and some lows. The sun will come up each day and then go down and the weather will happen as it does around here…it will be completely unpredictable 🙂

We have had some of our favorite groups come in these past couple of weeks along with all the folks from the Yellowstone River (don’t ask). But nevertheless, they have struck gold and we are happy to see happy clients! Check out the smiles and slime!

The bugs that have been working are very specific; flies that float and flies that sink, flies with an eye, shank and hook bend (barb or barbless), flies that have feathers and flies that have synthetic materials….need I go on? The flies have been a one and done around here lately and the guides have been changing up so much as if it were cool to change flies or something. It’s not like it’s been one single pattern that has been really hot, it’s just been the one-fly-wonders. So, when your are out there on your own, go through your box and try some things that maybe wouldn’t be one’s first choice. You may be surprised. Okay, the basics have reported results such as Prince Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, Something small and Green, a variety of Delektable Lil’ Spankers, Various Pat’s Rubberlegs Colors, Small things in Olive, Ants, and the Smaller Delektable Chubbyness Patterns are still working as dries, and Different dries in colors for the nocturnal are working. Oh yeah, there are some streamers to try including Zonkers, and others in various colors. Remember to experiment. There are also always Midges and Tricos abound if you are up to the tiny sizes.

Yesterday someone came in and told me that he caught a 22inch rainbow on a brown beetle on the Madison. So, there ya have it! Try an oddball fly and you might be happy ya did! Good luck and Happy Fishing!!! -DanG