Cooler Temps Keep the Color Out of Some Area Rivers in the Butte and Bozeman Outdoor Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: April 28, 2012

Hi, it’s ANGIE from Bob Ward & Sons…don’t let this COOLER weather get you down, it’s just nature’s way of keeping the COLOR out of the water where YOU want to fish in the Butte & Bozeman areas!

Streamers are continuing to play a BIG part on BUTTE area rivers…the JEFFERSON (at the Waterloo Access, shown in the photo above) has picked up again in the last week, so get some YELLOW, WHITE & BROWN in the Streamer mix here (a yellow-brown Home Invader or a tan-copper Zonker in a 0 to 2 should do the trick!), or try a Mayfly Imitation for a good Dry Fly…spincasters, get yourself some Rapallas, brown or gold Spinners, or just a nice big Nightcrawler…the JEFF’S been producing for everyone! Try DK GREEN or BROWN on the BEAVERHEAD, like an Olive Bugger or a Conehead Muddler Minnow…The RUBY’S been active in the past week, take along your Swedish Pimples in a sz 6, or anything you can find in the Blue/Zinc color range…the rainbows are eating them up! The BIG HOLE is just FAIR this week, with a definite clarity problem, but the colder weather will check this, and create great conditions again during the week. Take along your Stone Fly Nymphs here! Spincasters are choosing gold or black Panther Martins or Rapallas for the BIG HOLE. Get the Leeches going from the shoreline of CLARK CANYON, or try some dark-colored Buggers here too—or fish Maggots about a foot off the bottom, we’re hearing of some decent success with these ugly bugs!

Your best BOZEMAN bet’s gonna be the LOWER MADISON this week…Midges & Baetis are the big choices here (we’re even seeing a few March Browns), or go with a Clousers Crayfish or a Black Egg Head Stone in a size 8—stay away from Cherry Creek where the mud’s coming in, tho! The GALLATIN (especially near Manhattan) & theYELLOWSTONE are not the waters of choice for the weekend, but with the chillier weather, this may change by the early part of next week! The YELLOWSTONE, particularly, is pretty muddy just about everywhere except near Gardiner…if you’re in that area, March Browns have been sighted, & the Baetis are out as well! The BOULDER RIVER’S been fishing well if you want to take a break from the YELLOWSTONE…water’s on the rise, and Stone Fly Nymphs are the go-to for the moment! Go UPSTREAM to get the clearest water…things are WICKED HOT right now on the SPRING CREEKS for Dries…start with your Midges at mid-morning, move on to Baetis in the afternoon into early evening, & cath plenty of rainbows—just stay off the Redds, the spawn is just now ending!

Get your LIVE leeches, crawlers and maggots from Bob Wards, & while you’re in, check out the Spincast Combo sale, or get yourself into some good WADERS or WADE SHOES for all this great shoreline fishing going on right now! Ask our in-house anglers for the lastest fishing advice, and conditions…& we’ll meet you on the water! More next week!

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