Montana's Best Flyfishing

We'll do our best to keep a regular fishing report running throughout the summer. Tight Lines!

-Jimmy "loosewraps" Armijo

Gallatin River 280c.f.s., March 8th 2010. The fishing has been excellent on warmer overcast days.  There have been fish rising to midges in the late afternoon! Until the sun warms the water the fish are in the deep pools, tailouts and pocket water.  On warmer days you can find them spread out in deeper riffles.  Standard winter fare has been working well.  Girdle bugs and smaller stone fly nymphs.  Smaller nymphs in reds; midges, lightning bugs, copper johns and the like.  This week could see some nice warming trends, be ready with some midge dries and emerger's.

Lower Madison 1250 c.f.s., March 8th, 2010. Great fishing on warm days. Bear Trap has been fishing well with nymphs,, streamers and crayfish.  Below the damn has been excellent, San Juan Worms and Wooly Buggers.  If you can catch it on a calm day midges have been hatching and there is a good chance for some dry fly action.

Upper Madison 500 c.f.s., March 8th 2010. Quake to McAtee is closed till the 3rd  Sat. in May.  Fishing below McAtee has been hit or miss, Ice is clearing toward Ennis, and there is always the section between the lakes, there could be plenty of opportunities if you are willing to trek in toward the head of Earthquake. Midges, worms woolly buggers and small stone fly nymphs are all working well.

Yellowstone River 720 c.f.s., March 8th, 2010--Access is clear above and below Livingston, and where it is clear you can get a nymph down to the bottom and have a banner day!  Midges below girdle bugs are the way to go.  Lots of sippers in the back eddie foam, little griffiths gnats will bring them in.

Missouri River 4130 c.f.s., 63 deg.--Dry fly fishing on the upper section has been best on Trico spinners, spent caddis(size 16-18 dark brown body, grayish tan wing) and PMD spinner (size 16-20 rusty and pale yellow) patterns and on the lower section, below Mid Canon, fishing with ants and hoppers has been the ticket. Nymphing with a variety of bugs will produce fish all day.