Morning snow afternoon sun

Typical spring Montana weather with snow this morning and bright sunny skies in the afternoon.  The fishing around the area continues to be stellar and we are anticipating a 3-4 week runnoff as soon as the air temps heat up. Shorter than last year and with the shape of everything from river structure to snow pack to insect life to healthy trout populations looking great we anticipate one of the best fly fishing seasons in a long time.  Going back to the "Epic Trout Fishing" days of when i was a teenager and memories of fishing the Yellowstone with a enormous hopper and watching big 18" trout move 8'-10' along a shallow apron to attack your fly every 100ft or more.  Those were the moments that clicked in my young mind of why people get so crazed over flicking foam and feathers at salmonids.  Hope you can make it out to Montana this year and see first hand what i'm talking about.

YELLOWSTONE RIVER: 9,050cfs  

The stone has jumped up in flows drastically today going from about 6,300cfs this early morning to over 9,000cfs currently this afternoon.  That is a lot of water coming through so the fishing is probably gonna be pretty tough.  We would look to go some place else if it continues to come up.

GALLATIN RIVER: 1,750cfs  

The Gallatin has come up in flows as well over night and is still fishable but moving fast.  High water bugs and fishing techniques will apply (bright nymphs and streamers down deep in slwer water).  Keep an eye on flows and if you see drastic jumps that will make for tough fishing.

flies:march brown parachute, parachute Adams, bloom's caddis, fast water caddis, rubberlegs, iron sally, red copper john, olive bugger, sparkle minnow-sculpin, bow river bugger, king prince, PT flashback, lil spanker PT, sin city-blue, cdc baetis emerger, knuckle dragger baetis, bloody mary, sparkle worm, sex fly

UPPER MADISON RIVER: 1,550cfs  

One of the more consistent options right now the Upper madison has been fishing pretty good through Macatee bridge to Ennis (Open to floating).  This area has been a little hot and cold but is getting better, still a little off color from tributaries but not too bad.  Between the lakes is a sure bet and fishing great with cool clear water.  If your gonna float pay attention to the softer inside elbows and if you can get out and wade the holes with thorough drifts, sometimes they don't eat it until the fifth time through.

flies: Hares ear, black stoner, tungsten yellow sally, muskrat golden stone, olive rubberlegs, white zonker, olive zonkers, mega prince, lil spanker PT, lil spanker silver, copper john, lightning bug, sparkle worm, ray charles, zebra midge, WD-40, firebead sow bug, para Adams, Q's midge cluster, Griffith's gnat, para baetis

LOWER MADISON RIVER: 1,700cfs  

Fishing has been great on the lower Madison with steady action on subsurface patterns through the buckets and afternoon caddis dry fly.  Most of the dry action has been with podded up fish but have seen a few toad browns making more inconsistent rises in the middle of the river runs.  Streamers are always a funn option this time of year before the weeds get thick in the middle of the summer.  

flies: bloom's para caddis, purple caddis, elk hair peacock, Goddard Caddis, loop wing caddis, snapping craw, chickabou craw, copper zonker, lightning bug, sex fly, zebra midge, grey twinkle, Sparkle caddis olive & bright green, blue spankers, rubberlegs, rock n roller stone, sparkle minnow, JJ's special, para Adams, tilt wing baetis, BWO film critic, cluster midge

MISSOURI RIVER: 5,310cfs