flyfshr8
07-03-2002, 03:59 AM
If your not buisy for the 4th, grab your gear and head to Varney Bridge!!!
Just walked in the door after spending three days on the Maddy. Tough fishing, what with the wind and all, but we did find fish that weren't already gorged on Salmonflies. Fished morning until dark until we figured out some things. We fished nymphs upstream of the hatch, big dries in the hatch, and anything else we could think of. Lots of clients and guides sort of frustrated.
Salmonflies moved through Varney bridge last week, and were coming off thick at McAtee on Sunday. You couldn't walk streamside without crunching a bunch. Pulled half a dozen off the willows at the Palisades Campground. These are the bugs that have flown upstream, no hatching there yet. I suspect the head of the hatch is at Wolf Creek or Ruby Creek between McAtee and Palisades.
The normal mile per day movement is not happening, it's a lot slower for some reason. People estimate it will be at the West Fork by the fourth, but I doubt it. It's not sporadic either like the Bighole has been, it's rolling. My advice is to fish a few days behind the hatch.
We had our best days at and below Varney on Sofa Pillows, sizes 6 and 4. This is 4 or 5 days behind the head. Fished McSalomons, Jacklyns, Kaufmanns, no dice. Caught lots of BIG fish starting at 3:00 pm on, getting better towards dark.The Salmonflies fly back and forth across the river there (along with twice as many Goldens!!!) and are ending up in the water.
If your going to camp, Palisades was almost empty last night. West Fork Campground is full, but anything below there should have sites available. I think everyone is over wasting time on the Drakes that didn't come off the Henry's Fork???? Anyone else fishing the Madison lately, let's compare notes please.
Now just GO!! Good Luck!!- Clete
Just walked in the door after spending three days on the Maddy. Tough fishing, what with the wind and all, but we did find fish that weren't already gorged on Salmonflies. Fished morning until dark until we figured out some things. We fished nymphs upstream of the hatch, big dries in the hatch, and anything else we could think of. Lots of clients and guides sort of frustrated.
Salmonflies moved through Varney bridge last week, and were coming off thick at McAtee on Sunday. You couldn't walk streamside without crunching a bunch. Pulled half a dozen off the willows at the Palisades Campground. These are the bugs that have flown upstream, no hatching there yet. I suspect the head of the hatch is at Wolf Creek or Ruby Creek between McAtee and Palisades.
The normal mile per day movement is not happening, it's a lot slower for some reason. People estimate it will be at the West Fork by the fourth, but I doubt it. It's not sporadic either like the Bighole has been, it's rolling. My advice is to fish a few days behind the hatch.
We had our best days at and below Varney on Sofa Pillows, sizes 6 and 4. This is 4 or 5 days behind the head. Fished McSalomons, Jacklyns, Kaufmanns, no dice. Caught lots of BIG fish starting at 3:00 pm on, getting better towards dark.The Salmonflies fly back and forth across the river there (along with twice as many Goldens!!!) and are ending up in the water.
If your going to camp, Palisades was almost empty last night. West Fork Campground is full, but anything below there should have sites available. I think everyone is over wasting time on the Drakes that didn't come off the Henry's Fork???? Anyone else fishing the Madison lately, let's compare notes please.
Now just GO!! Good Luck!!- Clete