Hatching Like Crazy on the Beaverhead: Butte and Bozeman Outdoor Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: June 30, 2012

Hi, friends, Angie here from Bob Ward & Sons, with a pre-4th of July celebration of where to “Go Fish” in the BUTTE/BOZEMAN areas!

Might want to go subsurface on the BIG HOLE, now that the salmon flies are done, at least until the fish recover from gorging on them! Try some Beaded Stones in Brown, size 6, or a Gold Lightning Bug in a 12, or strip a few Streamers in Yellows or Olive, like a sz 4 Flash Fry…the JEFFERSON likes the color YELLOW & the solid Streamer action as well, but you can go with a 2 for size here…we like a Yellow/Brown Space Invader! Stick to the pools and pockets…evenings might bring a few Brown Drakes for a little dry fly activity. The BEAVERHEAD (shown above) is proving to be a sensational option at the moment, with Yellow Sallies, PMDs & Caddis still hatching like crazy…& if the BEAVERHEAD’s good, so will CLARK CANYON be! It’s still “anything goes” here: Spinners, Spoons, weighted line rigs w/flies, juicy worms with a garlic mallow back or Red/Orange Powerbait from shore! GEORGETOWN LAKE is humming along well… Rapallas or Panther Martins are producing, & fish are still going for Leech Patterns or an ugly Wooly Bugger!

BOZEMAN’s got it going GOOD on the UPPER MADDY…between Palisades & Varney, expect Salmonflies, Caddis, PMDs & Goldenstones, plenty of choice for Any Fly Box! We’d stick with an Orange Mutant Stone in a 4 or a smaller Chubby Sally (about a 16). Stay clear of the LOWER MADDY this weekend..in fact, “thru the 9th” of July, as it is closed due to a FIRE set by fireworks…Stones, Sallies & Salmonflies are rampant on the YELLOWSTONE thru the Valley, which is seeing its best fishing of the season so far…Rust/Orange Rubberlegs or Pearl Lightning Bugs for nymphing are highly recommended, too. The GALLATIN is green & good as ever too, with some fair Goldenstone activity & a decent Salmonfly hatch going on, especially near Deer Creek and up into the Canyon. HYALITE RESERVOIR is a perfect “cool of the evening” choice, get out your Silver spoons on the water, or pick ‘em off from the shore with Yellow/Orange Powerbait…other than the LOWER MADDY, sadly, it’s going to be a GREAT weekend on any of the Bozeman waters!

Come visit us in the BUTTE or BOZEMAN Bob Wards & see what delights we have for you during our 4th Of July Sale…get yourself some amazing Summer Gear while it lasts, & head on out! Best of holiday weekends to you & as always, you’ll hear from ME again next week! Stay safe on the roads & in the country, friends.

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