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green40 said:
More details!
Looks like did did a float trip?
Hire a guide?
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apprently i was out there at the absolute worst time so far this summer.... and it was still great!

here is a link to most of the photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7944845@N03/collections/72157602048453055/

so, the first 2 days i fished in the rain. nymphing mostly... a streamer followed by an attractive beadhead. i had some fish, two broke the line upon striking as i was stripping... i have a feeling they were f-ing huge!

then the sun came out... i spent the afternoon on the 3rd day tossing terrestrials, specifically hoppers at the banks with no luck.

i then decided it was guide/float trip time. i booked through the Madison River Fishing Company. GREAT guys. a link to their site is here:
http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverMontanaFishing/Default.aspx

the first day i was with a guide named doug, we floated, it is really the BEST way to fish the river... he was young and enthusiastic and we caught fish, but he really didnt know the river that well. that is the hard part about getting a first time guide right? ugh.

the next day, my last day we had sun again so i hired another guide to float the river. sean this time and he had been guiding the river for over 20 years. it was amazing, he knew every boulder, seam, dropoff... we caught fish. prolly a 20 fish day. started the morning nymphing and finished with a tarantella dry with a spider streamer.

i thought a 20 fish day was good... my cousin to be who lives out there called me a week later (last week) and they had two 55+ consecutive days!

there are over 3500 fish per mile in the madison river.
 
I've been using nymphs and streamers. fishing has been poor because of low water. A buddy went to a favorite spot last week and took one 13" Brown, I hit the same spot Sunday morning, caught nothing but really enjoyed watching the Otter swim around, he looked well fed!
Moved to another spot and got a little brookie on a streamer.

Lane
 
[i then decided it was guide/float trip time. i booked through the Madison River Fishing Company. GREAT guys. a link to their site is here:

I have bought many a leader and fly from them over the years...definitely a good shop and with the best flow/report data around.

the first day i was with a guide named doug, we floated, it is really the BEST way to fish the river

I am gonna contest you on that one, Peeps. It is certainly a great way to catch fish, but for me not the best way...I really need to be in the river, working it carefully instead of blowing down it. That said, much of the Madison is really hard to fish on foot. If I had known you were going there, I would have sent you for a day on the Valley Garden section below Ennis. Absolutely the best wade fishing on the Madison, and a great counterbalance to a day in a float boat.


i thought a 20 fish day was good... my cousin to be who lives out there called me a week later (last week) and they had two 55+ consecutive days!

Hey, 20 is a great day, no matter what your cousin does. I had a 60+ day on dries in the Valley Garden last year, and it blew my mind, but I certainly haven't come to expect it.

You were out there at a tough time this year. Think about joining us in the early summer in '08.

Dave
 
i am there early summer next year.... count me in. i hit valley garden hard for 1.5 days. that is where i had some decent days and yes wading is good there and manageable...

wade downstream of 3 dollar bridge? damn, that is heavy water! definitely not for the inexperienced like me!

so, given the time of year when the drys arent really hitting, floating worked well. like i said... i am in next time you go.
 
Anyone been out yet?
I've been twice now and haven't had a bite.
My buddy caught a 21" rainbow in one of the local lakes last week.
They have been dumping brood stock in the lakes lately.
Really haven't had the drive for fishing this year.
 
I've had plenty of drive, but no time. I spent a few minutes out a few weekends ago and picked up a few bluegill here on the Charles. Dying for it to be June so I can be in Montana.

D
 
My whole family is encouraging me to get back on the water this summer so I'm hoping to make time., I did the math and it's been a solid decade since I was regularly fly fishing.

I have a few great rivers close by, I have no excuse not to. I would love to set up the piggy as my fishing mobile, put in a rack for my waders in the back, mount my rod tube along the ceiling, etc.
 
natickdave said:
I've had plenty of drive, but no time. I spent a few minutes out a few weekends ago and picked up a few bluegill here on the Charles. Dying for it to be June so I can be in Montana.

D
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where are you headed? i just had the discussion with the wife that i NEED to get back there. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
 
Got out on opening day, to do some stockers with streamers. Got a limit but had to work harder than normal. I haven't had time to do any real fly fishing yet, it's turkey season now and I only got out once, and I'm still waiting for my cruiser's motor get finished. It's only been 3 months, am I impatient?:bang:
Well at least I can finally spend some quality time landscaping and mowing my f'ing lawn, woohoo!
If any of you guys want come down and hit the Housatonic let me know:). The hendricksons should be working right about now, and the sulfurs should be happening soon! I actually have soft top sitting in Boston that I need to get from a member so that could work really well for me if someone came down!:D
 
I've wanted to live in Montana since I was in high school.

I'll be doing some fishing in Maine later this month for a couple days. I need to get my new 8-wt. fly rod set up. I might be sidetracked by turkey season up there, though.
 
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JJS said:
I've wanted to live in Montana since I was in high school.

I'll be doing some fishing in Maine later this month for a couple days. I need to get my new 8-wt. fly rod set up. I might be sidetracked by turkey season up there, though.
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Where in Maine are you heading?
 
JJS said:
Northwest of Bangor, near Corinna. It's out in BFE. The good fishing out there is up further north in July-August, around the Allagash.
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This is where I go.

Fly Fishing In Maine

My Father is building a log cabin just South of the Middle Dam. It should be done sometime in August.
 
Peep,

I am flying to Bozemen on June 19, return on the 24th. Picked this time frame because the snowpack is above average this year, hope that our target rivers (Madison above the lake, Ruby, Beaverhead) will be in good shape by then. My dad is concerned that the levels will be too high, and asked if I can delay, but my schedule is too tight and I had to commit to those dates. So we may bust a move and drive south the the Henry's Fork if we need to.

You are invited to join us, but only if you can tolerate lots of wading, lots of politics and lots of bourbon.

Dave

peepers said:
where are you headed? i just had the discussion with the wife that i NEED to get back there. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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Dave...

Just checked... American Airlines does not fly there which means no "free" trip for me. You wade the Rudy? Nice work. I have a cousin that guides up there, been there for 10 years now but he works out of this lodge: Ruby Springs Lodge. If you want his contact info let me know but it sounds like you guys go at it on your own. FWIW, I saw him at a wedding a month or so ago and they were already having 50 fish days.

Where is home base for you guys when you are there? Chicks motel in Alder (I think that is where the Ruby is) was pretty decent and then when on the Madison I stayed at that Rainbow Inn which was nice but just camped the rest.

As badly as I want to go to MT this year I think I am going to have to resort to Sunvalley ID (to meet up with the family).
 
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