Butte/Bozeman Recreation Report by Bob Ward and Sons – 5.3.13
By angelamontana

Posted: May 3, 2013
(photo courtesy of bozemannet.com)
 

Butte

Delmoe Reservoir was good fishing this past week from the bank. Orange Garlic marshmallow and night crawlers worked well on the cutthroat trout. Spinners were working well on the north shoreline near the stream entrance.

The Ruby Reservoir has been good to excellent fishing for small rainbow trout using night crawlers and crank baits. Browns and Rainbows are being caught below the spillway.

The Beaverhead River has been excellent fishing on sunny warm days for the fly fisherman. Blue Winged Olive emergers or dries have been working well. Crank baits like jointed Rapalas or Salmo Bullheads are working well.

A small stonefly hatch on the Upper Wise River brought the trout to the surface this past week for a feeding frenzy lasting several days. Helgramite or Dark Stone Emergers were a good nymph combination.

The Big Hole has been fair fishing near the Salmon Fly Bridge at Melrose for a few Brown Trout. San Juan Worms and Flashback Nymphs are good choices.

Bozeman

photo: wildlife.site88.net

photo: wildlife.site88.net

The Upper Madison is fishing well. Nymphing the deeper water with stonefly-beadhead droppers or worms and eggs will get you some.

If you’re hitting the Lower Madison, dead drifting crayfish with a worm or a lightning bug is a good option. If the clarity gets worse, throwing brighter stuff with hot beads can do well for you. Streamers are also an option, try black, yellow or white when the river gets some color to it.

On the Yellowstone streamer fishing has been decent at best. Nymphing has been the same with less than stellar action, but has been a little more reliable than the streamer fishing. With nymphs try some stonefly patterns followed by some Baetis or caddis patterns. The dark and natural like olive, black, and brown, have been the best streamer colors.

The Gallatin is good right now. Nymphing is again your best bet with the regular stonefly-beadhead attractor dropper stuff. On overcast days some BWOs and a few March Browns have been out, and you can usually find some fish eating on top.

(Reports by Ryan Corwin – Bob Ward and Sons)
 
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