This is cow country these are cowboys here
Not quite rodeo season yet but in a few weeks they will be popping up all over the west. One of my favorite parts of summer is the Livingston rodeo and fireworks after a good sunny day floating the Yellowstone. For the mean time the fishing has been pretty awesome around the area lately. Some are high and muddy but the others are steady and fishing great! So many smaller creeks are running cool and clear due to little low elevation snow and are just dying for you to fish them on Saturday May 19th when they open for the season.
YELLOWSTONE RIVER: 7,710cfs
Has been dropping the last day or so but is still fast and dirty. I would probably wait untill it clears a bit more unless your just interested in a pleasure cruise and some heavy long leader nymphing for whitefish.
GALLATIN RIVER: 1,770cfs
Cool and green colored water the Gallatin is fishing pretty good in the valley and decent in the canyon later in the day. Mostly subsurface nymphing but a few caddis, march browns, and baetis have been flying around so maybe if your lucky you can hit the hatch, better spend all day on the river just in case. That is my excuse to be on the water is long as possible, just waiting for the hatch.
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: 1,420cfs
Fishing awesome with Stonefly, caddis, and baetis the upper is pretty clear yet cold water. Mostly subsurface but there are top water oppertunities to be had. 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: 2,080cfs
The levels spiked a bit but have been fairly steady for the past 24 hours and should be awesome fishing. The Lower has been so good lately it's hard to go someplace else and since i don't fish it much in the heat of the Summer i take my spring floats from Warm Springs to Black's Ford when i can. Lot's of great Mother's day caddis coming off mostly in the late afternoon but you should see a few all throughout the day. Throw something big and ugly in black, olive, white, or yellow and target the big healthy browns hungry for sculpins.
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, Silvey's sculpin, JJ's special, para Adams, tilt wing baetis, BWO film critic, cluster midge
MISSOURI RIVER: 4,820cfs
Low water levels and great insect hatches have provided an excellent window of oppertunity for great fishing on the MO. 4,820cfs is an awesome level for wade fishing around islands and doing some serious stealthy head hunting in the riflles. Lot's of baetis, drakes, caddis, and midges for a good excercise with your favorite four weight. Excellent choice right now.
flies: Para March Brown, tilt wing baetis, BWO film critic, para baetis, Bloom's para Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis peacock, Q's cluster midge, griffith's gnat, Para Adams, BWO squeezer, Zebra midge, ray charles-tan, pink, or grey, Sparkle minnow, Sculpzilla, Flesh Eating Sculpin, Copper Zonker, small royal wulff, stillborn midge
THE BIG HOLE: 2,510cfs
Some awesome days have been had recently on Montana's unique tea colored waterway. The Big Hole has been fishing great, not a lot of bugs up top but steady nymphing and lot's of streamer chasers. Black sculpins are my favorite over there at the moment but had some great days with yellow and rust colors. Good brookie and grayling populations up high and amazing scenery through the canyon. Cool nights in the Big Hole valley have kept the water clarity about 4ft. visibility.
flies: olive hares ear, drake nymph, king prince, knuckle dragger baetis, shop vac, sex fly, lightning bug, tungsten yellow sally, muskrat golden stone, rubberlegs, white zonkers, JJ's special, yellow yummy, Silveys sculpin, dream catcher sculpin, sculpzilla, elk hair caddis, para Adams