Hi, it’s Angie here from Bob Ward & Sons! Cooler weather is making EVERONE happy, including the fish! Here’s the Fishin Haps in BUTTE & BOZEMAN!
BUTTE sez, head for the BIG HOLE, where Caddis or Spruce Moths with Beadhead Droppers are doin’ the trick…or for you spin guys, spotted Panther Martins or Mepps have been hitting some home runs! Grey Drakes have been enticing the trout on the BEAVERHEAD at Poindexter Slough, or if you go below Barretts, Brown Bear Blacks in a 10-12 have been the trout’s choice! West of Waterloo on the JEFFERSON, the sz 6 Panther Martin with the yellow spots on black have been especially successful…the JEFF is finally cooled down enough to fish, so get on over! Virtually all the Butte-area fires, as well as the ones in the GALLATIN VALLEY, are 80-90% contained at this point, tho there’s some lingering smoke from the ID fires in some valleys, but it doesn’t appear to be affecting the rivers. CLARK CANYON has the Algae Blues going on, we hear, but fish are still responding to Rapala Countdown Rigs…reports from GEORGETOWN are mixed for both Trout & Salmon, but Crawler & Marshmallow rigs fished a foot off the bottom are still landing a few hybrid Rainbows!
BOZEMAN likes the GALLATIN these days…the Canyon is clear, & Yellow Dries have been working well! Nymph your Rubberlegs, Lightning Bugs, Psycho Prince Nymphs or Pheasant Tails up here as well. The LOWER MADISON is much better in the cool of the morning, both for fishing & for avoidance of Tubers, while these warm weekends last, anyway. Keep your terrestrials active on the LOWER for a week or so yet…Hoppers & Beetles have been fair choices! The UPPER MADISON has been a bit sporadic, but try your sz 16-20 Mayfly or Caddis Patterns, or an Attractor Pattern of choice…these have seen the best success! Stoneflies, Sculpins, ants or smallish Hoppers have also worked well. AVOID HYALITE again this weekend…the smoke is thick & road closure is always a possibility! Once everything is pronounced CLEAR up there, the fall fishing should be outstanding, so be ready! The YELLOWSTONE is smoky on the lower river…but still fishing well with Ants mostly, & small Attractor Dries. Hoppers are about done for at this point, tho some are still fishing em, but results aren’t particularly excellent. Fall hatches should take off here in the next couple weeks, so keep your chin up!
Head into our BUTTE or BOZEMAN stores to check out the new Fall merchandise…load up on Flies, Waders, waterproof Raingear, Lures & other bait supplies, & ask us about our latest River adventures! We’re sure to have some sound advice for you—there’s lots to anticipate in the Fall fishing season, & I’ll be right here to keep you informed as well. MORE next week!
