Wild Trout Outfitters Fly Fishing Report 4-2-2019
GALLATIN RIVER
The Gallatin River is on the rise at Gallatin Gateway. The river has provided us with excellent fishing so far this year. We should see several more weeks of good fishing before the BIG Muddy. The spring runoff which will last for approximately 4-5 weeks.
The Gallatin River
Now is the time to get out and fish the Gallatin River. With warmer temperatures the last several days the fishing on the Gallatin has been great. We are seeing a little color in our home waters around Big Sky. This is a good thing. With over 3 feet of visibility, Mr. fish can see just fine. The color allows the angler to approach the fish without spooking. This allows more consistent action in the deeper runs and pools.
Spring melt is coming
Although we are seeing some warmer temperatures and a hint of spring, winter is not over yet. April typically brings more snow in Montana. Especially here in Southwest Montana. If I had to guess I would say somewhere around three more feet here in Big Sky. Only time will tell. Hopefully we will. As of today the Gallatin snopack is at 107% .
Spring Runoff
In the next few months Gallatin River is about to experience a good healthy runoff. As a result runoff will flush out sediment and create new trout habitat. Right now we anticipate a fairly normal runoff that will subside sometime around the third week of June… Just in time to fish the salmonfly hatch.
During spring runoff the river will remain fairly productive. The Gallatin River fishes great for those who are intimately familiar with it. In fact some of the largest browns of the year are caught during runoff conditions. Streamers and large nymphs are the go-to patterns at this time. Fishing the mouth’s of clear-flowing tributaries is one tactic that can be successful.
If the off-color water has you down, conditions are typically a bit more conducive upstream of the Taylor Fork confluence. Keep in mind that Yellowstone National Park doesn’t open to fishing until 5/25, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. There is just a short stretch of river between the Taylor Fork and the park that is currently open to fishing. So this reach of the Gallatin will see increased fishing pressure as the spring runoff progresses in late April and May.
If you are here visiting and need your fly fishing FIX we can make it happen, just pick up the phone and call Wild Trout Outfitters and we will do what we do best (PUT PEOPLE ON FISH). Don’t forget to pinch your barbs down and practice catch and release, please love them and leave them in the river.
Nymphs:
Pats’ Rubber Legs #6-10, Black & Brown Wooly Bugger #12-#6. Black on black girdle bugs #10. Montana prince Black #14. BH rubber leg Prince # 14. Goomey worm pink/purple #12. Tri-colored omelette #14. Baetis Nymph # 14,Gold Lightning Bug #14 & 16, Copper John #14-16.
Dries:
Parachute Adams #18-14, Midge #20-16. Elk Hair Caddis (Yellow/Tan/Olive) #14-16, X-Caddis (Olive) #14-16. Lime Trude #14-16, Purple Haze #14-18.
Streamers:
Quill Pig Brown #4, Kory”s Grinch #6. Black and Olive Wooly Buggers #2-#10, Black and Olive Wooly Bead Buggers #2-#10.Bow River Bugger #4-#6. Be sure to have an array of colors represented in your streamer box including: white, yellow, olive, natural/tan, and black.
Wild Trout Outfitters Fly Fishing Report 4-2-2019
UPPER MADISON RIVER
The upper Madison remains very fishable and productive with over 4 feet of visibility. Stream flows at Kirby Ranch are currently around 1,800 cfs .
Fishing Report April 2019
Water clarity remains good
This Year the snow pack for the Madison is still currently 113% . Flows have increased with the recent warm weather. Water clarity remains good and the fishing is great. Anglers can currently expect over 4 feet of visibility above the West Fork, and a bit less below.
The nymph and streamer fishing has been excellent. Especially above Raynolds Bridge and Three dollar bridge. A wide variety of nymph patterns are taking fish right now, and fish are holding in a variety of water. It’s definitely time to start fishing some of the water that we’ve been ignoring over the past several months. Particularly on warmer afternoons, those fishy looking, summertime type of holds are starting to produce again. We’re talking about the buckets and shelves below riffles… faster seams, and tailouts.
The upper Madison
The streamer bite has been much more consistent over the past week, and we expect that to continue. Fish are chasing aggressively at times and large, articulated patterns seem to be attracting the most attention. Black has been a top producer, but olive has been hot at times, as has white.
Good numbers of caddis will soon join the ongoing emergences of baetis, March browns, and midges. Despite the presence of all these insects, the dry fly fishing has been spotty. But it is good to be prepared for rising fish by having a rod rigged and ready for the possibility of dry fly fishing.
The upper Madison remains our most productive fishery in the region.The upper, walk/wade stretch of the Madison River will remain fishable throughout runoff. Water clarity will be diminished significantly at the height of runoff, but the fishing typically remains very productive with large nymphs and streamers worked along the banks. Some of our clients’ largest fish of the year come from this stretch of the Madison April through June. We’ll be running guide trips daily, give us a call (800-423-4742) to arrange a trip.
Nymphs:
Green Machine- Red & Grey # 18, Garrett’s Purple Death #16 & #18, Black & Red Zebra Midge# 20 & #18. Tungsten Warrior # 18. Mega Gay Emerger #18, Tri-colored omelette #14, Pats’ Rubber Legs #6-10, Amber Stone #8-10, Pheasant Tail #18, Soft-Hackle Olive and Brown #16-12, Lightning Bug #18-14, RS-2 #18-20, Shop Vac #16, $3 Dip #16-18, San Juan Worm #12
Dries:
Parachute Adams #18-14, Midge #20-16. Purple Haze #14-18.Parachute Adams #18-14, Purple Haze #14-18, X-Caddis Olive, Brown & Grey#16-12, Elk Hair Caddis #12-16, Sparkle Dun (olive) #18 and #12 (brown),
Streamers:
Quill Pig Brown #4, Kory”s Grinch #6. Black and Olive Wooly Buggers #2-#10, Black and Olive Wooly Bead Buggers #2-#10.Bow River Bugger #4-#6 Be sure to have an array of colors represented in your streamer box. Including: white, yellow, olive, natural/tan, and black.
Wild Trout Outfitters Fly Fishing Report 4-2-2019
YELLOWSTONE RIVER
The Yellowstone River is holding steady at 1490 cfs. The River is in fishable condition and could hold on for the Mothers Day Caddis Hatch. Keep your fingers Crossed. With warmer weather in the forecast the river is only weels away from the BIG MUDDY until runoff subsides in early July.The Snowpack for the upper Yellowstone river is currently at 106%
Fishing Report April 2019
Good fishing conditions on the Yellowstone
After a few more weeks of good fishing conditions on the Yellowstone, river levels will be on the rise again.With warmer temperatures in the forecast the stream flow will increase and the water clarity will deteriorate. The Lamar, Gardner, and Shields – all major tributaries of the upper Yellowstone – will substantially increase the flow in the next few weeks . The river is will be entering full runoff in late May or early June.We expect runoff to subside in early July this year, hopefully in time for the salmonfly hatch.
Currently:
Large nymphs or dead-drifted streamers in the #4-8 size range such as the Pat’s Rubber Leg, Bitch Creek, Yuk Bug, Mega Prince, San Juan Worm, Bow River Bugger or Sparkle Minnow.
Dries:
Elk Hair Caddis (Grey/Brown/Dark Olive) #12-16, X-Caddis (Olive) #14-16, Chubby Chernobyl (Golden) #8-10, Stimulator (Yellow) #10-14,, Lime Trude #14-16, Sparkle Dun (PMD) #16-18, Purple Haze #14-18
Nymphs:
Pats’ Rubber Legs #8, Mega Prince #8, Dirty Trixie (Red) #12, CDC Pheasant Tail #16-18, Pheasant Tail #16-18, Lightning Bug #16-18, Copper John #14-16, Beadhead Yellow Sally #14, CDC Emerger #14-18, Shop Vac #16
Streamers:
Quill Pig Brown #4, Kory”s Grinch #6. Black and Olive Wooly Buggers #2-#10, Black and Olive Wooly Bead Buggers #2-#10.Bow River Bugger #4-#6.Barely Legal, Sparkle Minnow #4-6, Bow River Bugger #4-6, McCune’s Sculpin#4. Be sure to have an array of colors represented in your streamer box. Including: white, yellow, olive, natural/tan, and black.
Wild Trout Outfitters Fly Fishing Report 4-2-2019
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK’S FISHING SEASON IS CLOSED AND WILL REOPEN ON THE SATURDAY OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ( MAY 25,2019).
Fishing Report April 2019
53 days and counting, that’s all that remains until the fabled waters of Yellowstone National Park reopen to anglers for a new season of fishing. The Saturday of Memorial Day is opening day and will greet anglers with opportunities for quality fishing. Opening weekend typically finds most of the park’s streams and rivers swollen with snowmelt. Many river systems such as the Yellowstone and its tributaries (the Lamar, Slough Creek, etc.) are virtually unfishable during the early portion of the park’s fishing season. The portion of the Gallatin River within the park is typically fishable from a clarity standpoint, but the river and its tributaries will be flowing high and water temperatures will be cold.
Early season fishing opportunities
Some of the best early season fishing opportunities in the park can be found along the Madison River and its two primary tributaries: the Firehole River and the Gibbon River. These fisheries are located near the park’s west entrance and are go-to destinations for most of our guide trips in the park. The Firehole is a popular opening weekend destination for anglers, and for good reason – flows are typically moderate and it’s a fairly safe bet that trout will be found rising to hatches of both caddis and baetis in the classic meadow water above the falls. Below the falls on the Firehole anglers may still find a few large, holdover fish that migrated up from Hebgen Lake during the fall spawning run. These fish can be taken on large stonefly nymphs imitating the giant salmonfly, a hatch that occurs in early June on the lower Firehole due to its thermal influence. Should opening weekend find the Firehole flowing high and turbid, anglers can still find success, but may need to shift gears and trying swinging soft hackles or nymphing.
Opening weekend
The Gibbon River is a very diverse fishery that provides less reliable fishing for opening weekend – some years it fishes very well on the opener, and during other years it is too high and off color to be productive. If conditions allow, anglers will do well nymphing below the falls with stonefly patterns, or with baetis imitations along the river’s upper meadow reaches.
Opening weekend in Yellowstone is a tradition for many anglers, give us a call (800-423-4742) to discuss planning your own trip.
Patterns to have on hand for the opener:
Dries:
Adams #18-20, Sparkle Dun (olive) #18-20, Purple Haze #18-20
Nymphs:
Pheasant Tail #18-20, Soft-Hackle Pheasant Tail #18-20, CDC Emerger #18-20, Partridge & Olive Soft Hackle #18-20, Lightning Bug #18-20, WD-40 #18-20, RS-2 #18-20, Pat’s Rubber Leg #8
