Hunting
October 15 & 16 Youth 2 Day Hunt
October 18th archery season ends.
October 24th General Big Game season starts.
Get your tags now don’t wait till the last minute!
Bob Ward’s red tag sale now includes select optics and firearms up to $1000 off!
Bozeman Fishing
Gallatin River
Due to the cloud covered days, look for BWO’s to start showing up. Fishing small Purple Haze patterns in sizes 14 to 16 will work well. The fish are holding in a variety of places, from slow deep holes to six inch riffles. Fishing caddis nymphs and tiny mayflys at the bottom is working well. The entire river has been fishing consistent with the cooler temperatures lately. October Caddis dries in the evenings are a good pattern for a little while longer since the air temps aren’t consistently dropping. These flies are nocturnal so look to use these in the later evening hours.
Fly Suggestions
Dries: Chubby Chernobyl 6-8-10-12, Tilt Wing BWO: 12-16, Thorax BWO: 12-16, Wild Turkey Baetis: 12-16 Caddis Tan: 16-18, Hemmingway Caddis: 16-18-20 Yellow humpy: 10-14
Nymphs: 4-6 Delektable Hurless, 4-6 Mega Prince: 4-6 Mega Hare’s Ear: 6-8 Pheasant Tail; 8-18 Keystone Golden and Brown: 6-8 Rubberlegs Coffee, Goldenstone, Black: 4-6-8 Copper John Blue, Black, Red: 12-14 Lightning Bug Silver, Original, Gold: 12-14-16
Madison River: Upper
Dry fly fishing with a variety of terrestrial patterns such as hoppers and stimulators can still catch fish. Purple Haze and Adams variations will work well this time of year for fishing the mayfly hatches. Once the cooler fall days and nights come back dry fly fishing with BWO’s will be a solid choice. Over the past week we have had an increase in activity with stonefly nymphing. Delektables and Rubberlegs are two good flies for your nymph rigs. Streamer fishing is picking up now that the Browns are nearing full spawn and will continue to improve.
Fly Suggestions
Dries: Parachute Adams: 12-18 Extended Body BWO: 12-18 Thorax BWO: 12-18 Comparadun BWO : 12-18 Wild Turkey Baetis: 12-18 Pulled Over Baetis: 14-18, Tilt Wing BWO: 16-18-20
Nymphs: Rubber Legs 6-12; 14-16 Red Copper John; Purple Lightning Bugs 16; San Juan Worm: 6-8-10 Delektable Purple Hurless: 6-8-10 Mr Rubberlegs Hares Ear: 6-8 Mega Pheasant Tail: 6-8
Madison River: Lower
The Lower has been fishing very well lately. With the cool cloudy weather Blue Winged Olives are out and the dry fly fishing has been good. There are lots of tiny midges and tricos out after breakfast. A hopper dropper rig will work well throughout the middle of the day. An October Caddis nymph will work well this time of year as a dropper. Clouser’s crayfish pattern will work well this time of year in the tan color. Streamer fishing has been good but inconsistent from day to day, some days are great other days are not so keep your options open. Small baitfish patterns and sculpin patterns are working depending on cloud cover successful color and sizes can vary so be ready to experiment and see what’s working.
Fly Suggestions
Dries: October Caddis: 8-10, Hackel Dun BWO: 16-20 Pull Over Baetis: 16-20 BWO Tilt Wing: 12-16 Olive Parachute Adams: 12-16 Comparadun BWO 12-16
Nymphs: Deaddrift Crayfish: 8 Clousers Crayfish: 8-10 Olive Zurddler: 6-8 Copper John Red: 10-12-14 San Juan Worms Pink, Orange, Brown, Tan, Red: 10 Eggs: 10 IED Worm: 10 Floss Worm: 14 Rubberlegs Coffee, Goldenstone, Black, Turd: 4-6
Yellowstone River
Working blue wings and streamers with cloud cover will produce good results. The river is in good shape now that the mud from the rains has settled out. Hoppers can still be heard below Livingston and chubbies are still drawing strikes. Beetle and ant patterns have also been performing consistently. Streamer fishing has become much more consistent, large black streamers swung and twitched slowly and deep through runs are producing some fine browns and rainbows. Don’t overlook small sparsely dressed patterns that will mimic minnows in the shallows. Medium size sculpin patterns will work well this time of year as well.
Fly Suggestions
Dries: Chubby Chernobyl Pink, Red, Tan, Gold, Purple 8-14 Amy’s Ant Red, Green: 8-14 Yeagers 409 Pink, Purple, Black, Tan: 8-16 Hippie Stomper Purple, Red, Black: 10-16 Moorish Hopper Pink, Green, Yellow, Tan: 8-16 V dub Hopper: 10-14 Thunder Thighs Yellow and Pink: 8-14 Hi Vis Grand Hopper:8-14 PMX Yellow, Red, Peacock: 10-16 Para PMD: 12-16 Parachute Adams: 10-18 Humpies Red and Yellow: 12-16 Purple Haze: 12-16
Nymphs: Tungsten G6 Caddis: 14-16, Copper John red, yellow, lime, copper: 12-16, Serendipity, Brassie Red, Black, Purple, Biot Midge Pupa, Rubberlegs Olive, Turd, Black, Rusty Orange, Charcoal: 4-6-8 Delektable Brown Stone: 6-8-10 Mr Rubberlegs Goldenstone: 6-8-10 Mega Prince: 4-6-8 Prince Nymph: 12-16 Pyscho Prince: 12-16 Phesant Tail: 12-18 Hares Ear: 12-18
Missouri River
Fishing has been tough on clear sunny days. For the next couple days there will be some cloud cover to help the fishing but by the weekend the forecast is calling for more sunny days. The early morning hours will produce the best fishing on the Missouri right now. Keep an eye out for the subtle, soft takes. If you are nymphing and are starting to notice fish beginning to feed on the surface, shorten the length between your indicator and your flies. Nymphing has been fishing well and will continue to. Streamer fishing has been consistent on cloudy days. Look to use something flashy but if all else fails go to a black wooly bugger.
Fly Suggestions
Dries: Challenged BWO; 16-18-20, Ex. Body BWO; 16-18-20, Purple Haze; 16-18-20, Parachute Adams; 6-18-20, Hi-Vis Adams; 16-18-20, Comparadun BWO; 16-18-20
Nymphs: Mighty Mo Soft Hackle Pink: 16-18 Micro Mayfly: 18-20 Military Mayfly: 18-20 RS2’s grey, black, olive, light cahill: 16-20 Juju PMD & BWO: 16-20 Red Head Stepchild: 16-20 Indigo Child: 18-20 Rainbow Warrior: 16-20 UV Glass Bead BWO: 16-18
Butte Fishing
Fly fisherman are having success on the Big Hole this past week stripping streamers. Articulated Streamers such as the Love Bunny or Sex Dungeon have worked well. Black and Yellow or Black and White are good colors. Evenings have been fishing better than mornings.
San bugs, San Juan worms, or salmon fly nymphs in size 12-16 have been productive on the Beaverhead River. Streamers such as Sparkle Minnows and Sex Dungeons have produced well.
Browns at Ruby Reservoir and Clark Canyon are in various stages of spawning. Bank fishing has been productive this past week. Rapala’s or bait in various forms produce well.
Georgetown is fishing as usual, producing to most baits and spinners. Worms and marshmallows are always good.
