Wild Trout Outfitters Fishing Report – June 6, 2017.

Our guides are ready to get started on the main fishing season of the year .The trout will soon be rising to an assortment of Stonefiles , Caddis and Mayflies. There is one hatch that anglers and guides alike look forward to. The salmonfly hatch. These enormous stoneflies hatch in big numbers on the Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone. With good timing and a bit of luck, anglers can successfully chase the hatch on all three rivers. And make no mistake, chasing the hatch is a fitting description.

The big bugs typically come off first on the upper Madison, followed shortly thereafter by the Gallatin and Yellowstone. The hatch on the Madison is the most reliable from a fishability standpoint… water clarity is typically good when the hatch comes off in mid to late June. The Gallatin and Yellowstone are more of a gamble, as these freestone rivers can still be big and muddy when the giant stoneflies decide it’s time to hatch. But based upon current snowpack and river levels, we anticipate good fishing conditions on all three rivers for this year’s hatch.

The salmonfly hatch is fast and furious, for those who chase the hatch it seems that it’s over in the blink of an eye. But in reality an angler with the time to do so could follow the hatch for the better part of a month by bouncing from river to river and following the hatch as it progresses upriver. Here are a few tips for fishing the hatch:

• Follow the herd. Pay attention to where the bulk of anglers (and particularly the guides) are fishing and focus your efforts nearby.The salmonfly hatch progresses upriver incrementally day by day – it doesn’t come off all at once river wide.
• Stray from the herd. While it’s true that the hatch moves upriver at a steady clip, it can pay dividends to fish a few days behind the main hatch… there are often still a few of the big bugs around and even if there aren’t the fish certainly haven’t forgotten what they look like. And as a bonus you won’t have nearly as much competition since most anglers will be feverishly fishing the main hatch.
• Mix up your patterns. A few of our favorites include the True-Wing Salmonfly, the Barely Kicking Stone, Trina’s Carnage Salmonfly, and the Cat Puke. And don’t be afraid to throw a smaller golden stonefly or attractor pattern into the rotation.
• Get your fly under overhanging willows and tight to banks… you’ll lose some flies in the process, but this isn’t a time to play it safe.
• Nymph ahead of the hatch. It’s not as glamorous as taking fish on the surface on huge dries, but some of the most productive fishing during the salmonfly hatch can often be found by nymphing just ahead of the hatch. The fish often gorge on the huge nymphs as they migrate to the banks prior to hatching.

Hitting the salmonfly hatch just right is an incredible experience, but it can take years of chasing the hatch to experience a truly epic day. You can put the odds in your favor by spending as much time as possible chasing the hatch, or if you only have a day or two to fish you’ll benefit from hiring an experienced guide. It’s not too late to reserve a day with one of our guides for this year’s salmonfly hatch, give us a call at 800-423-4742.