With cooler weather here success is picking up on such as Daniels, Chesterfield, Twenty-Four Mile and Springfield reservoirs. Leech patterns in fall colors are working well on all these. So are midge pupa under indicators when the taking depth is found. Don’t overlook damselfly nymph patterns remembering that they are always available for fish. Concentrate on shallower waters.
Flows are still a bit high for best walk-in wade fishing. Float fishers are doing better. Some walk-in places are accessible such as below Gem Lake Dam and below the Shelly I-15 connector. Pitch streamers with evenings being a good time to intercept migrating browns.
Fish are where you find them. The “for sure” place is at the State Park where cutts have congregated along the shoreline. Trouble is so have anglers. So to avoid the biggest crowds, the west side is a good bet, and so is the Duck Creek-Hope Creek area and the north shoreline. Try olive crystals, bead head peacock leeches on an intermediate line. Early AMs and evenings are best times for action.
Water quality has not improved below the Ashton Dam. We have been keeping in contact with a few individuals about this project and will update you as soon as we hear the water quality improves.
Warm River to Ashton stretch is fishing well with Blue Wing Olives, and midge Patterns. There are a few October Caddis out but nymphing seems to be the ticket for getting into large numbers of fish. Zebra Midge patterns and Mayfly bead head seem to be the most effective. Streamers have also been effective on the overcast days.
Flows on the South Fork have remained steady on the river at 4,500cfs. Fishing has really been good this month. There are good Blue Wing Olive hatches, some October Caddis and a few PMD’s still fly around. The streamer fishing has picked up as well. On the bright sunny days you will not have as much success as on the overcast day but don’t let that discourage you from going. Fish late into the evening or brave the chilly mornings. Nymphing is also really good. Any assortment of bead head nymphs and rubberlegs seem to be the ticket for catching fish below an indicator.
Fish Skull has brought out a new product called Sculpin Helmet. We carry the Small and the Large. I recommend the Small size. the Large is really heavy and can not be thrown with a 6 or 7 wt rod very easily. However the large would be awesome on a spinning rod setup.Many possibilities for tying streamers with these little puppies.
Henry’s is fishing about as good as it gets right now. Shallow areas all around the lake are fishing well with basic leech and scud patterns on intermediate lines. Most areas of the lake will produce well this time of year, so there is no reason to crowd others. Give fisherman at least two cast lengths of room to ensure fish will continue to work in the area.
Get up there and take advantage of the great fishing, its not going to last long! Come into the shop and we can show you the best flies to take up with you.
I wanted to feature a new item we have shop that is produced by Patagonia. The R1 fishing Glove.
This is what Patagonia has to say about it.
Cold-weather, formfitting fishing gloves made of smooth-skin neoprene laminated with a plush nylon/polypropylene/spandex lining.
Flows have dropped to 4500 cfs. The fishing is good and bugs are continuing to hatch on the river. Focus you efforts on the riffles and the slow moving water. There are fish sipping Blue Wing Olives in this type of water. October Caddis have also been hatching and the fish are eating them as well. Rubberlegs, beadhead nympyhs have also been producing fish. I would also throw streamers on the cloudy days, on sunny days throw them in the mornings and evenings. The fishing is pretty good right now and the river is not busy at all. This is a great time to fish with little crowds and goo0d fishing.
Migrating browns make for the best streamer fishing here. Best walk-in locations on the Madison River are between from Raynolds Bridge downstream, between Quake and Hebgen lakes, and in the river above Hebgen Lake to the Yellowstone Park boundary. Browns are migrating to spawning areas in the Beaverhead River. Float fishing is the best way to encounter these in the river below Clark Canyon Dam. Wait a few weeks for the peak of brown trout migration into the South Fork of the Madison River.