Hello, Angie here from Bob Ward & Sons…here’s this week’s fall fishin’ at its finest near BUTTE & BOZEMAN!
Out & about in BUTTE, the BIG HOLE is producing BWO swarms in the afternoons, get your Attractor Dries out! Looks like Golds, Yellows & Coppers are the Nymphing colors of choice, like a Coppertone Delektible or a Golden Rubberlegs…the JEFFERSON has a BWO hatch happening too, or get out your streamers here…Sculpins, Krystal Buggers or Fatheads are good, with a Crayfish trailer! For BIG Browns, Elk Hair Caddis are also a go-to, in the 14-16 range, or Beadhead Princes for subsurface! The BEAVERHEAD is still sporting a decent Baetis hatch, with a few BWOs in the afternoons…try your Scuds or Hackles here, too! GEORGETOWN LAKE is still SUWEET at Denton’s, using Powerbait or Crawlers near the bottom. CLARK CANYON is great using Black Wooly Buggers or your favorite Leech Pattern with a SLOW retrieve…or go with Rapala rigs, & the Nightcrawlers or Powerbait!
Around BOZEMAN town, it’s all about the streamers, just about everywhere…the UPPER MADISON below Hebgen is on fire & in a GOOD way! Olive Hairy Sculpins, Bow River Buggers in Black, JJ Specials & Olive Circus Peanuts in 2-4 will do the trick for you…trail a Beadhead Nymph or a Caddis for even better results! The LOWER MADISON has been producing Browns when the weather is overcast, go with Natural colors like Yellows, Tans or Olives in streamers (a Gold Bling or Marabou Minnow, or a Yellow/Brown Flash Fry, maybe?) or be on the lookout for the October Caddis, try dunking your orange stimulators in expectation! The good old GALLATIN is giving up fish with dead-drifted Sculpins & Blue Winged Olives…we’re about to see the October Caddis HERE, too, so a nice Caddis Pupa ought to work well! The river’s low below Logan for now, so wade on in! The YELLOWSTONE produces just about all over now & your Whitefish Imitation Streamers should lure in what you’re looking for, which is the bigger fish…otherwise, think Nymphs, like a Clousers Crayfish or a Rubberlegs Goldenstone…HYALITE is open for business with Leech Patterns (like the Hot Head Leech), & you can trail a Nymph dropper behind for even better effect.
General Rifle Hunting starts Oct 20th, so while you’re waiting for this important weekend, beat the wind and water with a new pair of waterproof waders, wade shoes or a new jacket…we’ve stocked up just for your fishing pleasure! Come in & ask us where we’ve been fishing & what’s best to use…our anglers get out whenever they can, cuz you can’t keep a fall fisherman down! I’ll catch you up again next week!
