Bozeman Fishing report 12/14/16
Gallatin river-200cfs- As the temperature gets lower and lower the fish become more and more lethargic. Your best bet right now is throwing a nymph rig with a worm, stonefly, or pheasant tail of some sort. This weekend is gearing up to be cold so dress accordingly. As the temp gets colder and colder more and more ice shelves begin to appear. Fish love to hold underneath these shelves so try jigging a streamer or large nymph on the edge of shelf.
Flies; hot head power worm # 8 Pheasant Tail: 14-18, #10-14 Pat’s Rubber Leg (brown or black), Copper bob Blue, Black: 14-18, Lightning Bug Silver 14-18 BH Black Bugger: 2-4-6 Dungeon Black, White, Yellow: 2, zebra midge olives/blk #18-22, Lighting bug pink #14-18, bh rainbow Czech nymph #14-18, Pink scud #12-16, Hot head ray charles #14-18

Lower Madison-921cfs- The winter is really beginning to show on the lower Madison. The middle of the river is still flowing consistently but towards the edge ice shelves and slush begin to pop up here and there. Lower down on the Madison (towards three forks) the fishing is a lot slower, the river temperature is lower so the fish are less likely to want to go out of their way to eat. However, higher up on the Madison, in bear trap, the fishing is much more productive seeing as how it is in fact a tail water thus the temperature is higher. Your best bet is still going to be nymphing. Try throwing a worm, egg, stonefly, or even a prince nymph. Some streamers might also elicit a strong reaction from some fish.

Flies; blood egg #10 hot head power Worm Red #12 Zirdle Bug #6 Egg Pattern #14 bh bugger black #4 white meal ticket, Pats rubber leg #10-14, zebra midge #18-22, prince nymph, #10-14, pheasant tail #10-14, Lighting bug pink #14-18, bh rainbow Czech nymph #14-18, Pink scud #12-16, Hot head ray charles #14-18

Upper Madison-915cfs- The upper Madison is suffering from the cold, the fish are not very active at all and most have moved into their winter spots. Ice will be forming along the edges of the river so try and find fast current where there is no ice, this is where the fish will be sitting. Try throwing a nymph rig with a worm and a stone fly. Try heavier flies or add lots of split shot because the fish are going to be holding as deep as possible for the foreseeable future. The steamer bite is all but gone at this point but hucking some meat always has the possibility of brining a large trout to hand.

Flies; blood egg #10 Sparkle Worm #10 McCunes Sculpin #6 Circus Peanut Olive/Natural #4, pheasant tail #10-14, Stonefly #10-14, copper bob #12-16, peach egg #8-12, rainbow warrior #12-16, Lighting bug pink #14-18, bh rainbow Czech nymph #14-18, Pink scud #12-16, Hot head ray charles #14-18

Yellowstone-1240cfs-the river has and flows are decreased so nymphing has started to get better. This drop in flows also has its drawbacks, slower parts of the river are starting to freeze, lots of shelf ice can be seen on the banks and floating down the river. Your best bet is going to be nymphing the deep holes to hopefully turn some heads at your fly. Try nymphing a red or purple worm with a zebra midge and a black or brow stone fly. (these patters are known to work all year round).

Flies; blood egg #10 hot head power Worm #8 Sparkle Minnow #4 Leech #4 Pheasant Tail #16, Purple silver bellied worm #10-14, Pats rubber leg brown/blk #8-12, Zebra midge olive/blk #18-22, pheasant tail #10-14, rainbow warrior #14-18, Lighting bug pink #14-18, bh rainbow Czech nymph #14-18, Pink scud #12-16, Hot head ray charles #14-18