Cooler August Weather Ends

The wet cool weather that has prevailed most of August this season is about to end. We should experience dry, warm tempertures for the next week. This should mean more consistent dry fly fishing on those rivers that have not produced the normal hopper or attractor dry fly fishing to which we are accustomed.

Currently:

The Big Hole has flows that are much better than those we have seen for many years in mid August. Fishing is very good on the lower river with hopper imitations. The middle part of the river around Melrose is good with attractor dry flies and on the upper river you are beginning to see tricos and some spruce moth activity. If things are slow on the surface drop small bead head nymphs off the back of your attractor patterns and hoppers.

The Beaverhead is flowing about 500 cfs at Barrett's Diversion and continues to be very good with small nymphs. For those anglers who are patient and willing to work hard with the dries you can take fish on Caddis and hopper patterns on the surface.

The Madison is a bit lower now and offers anglers a mixed bag of dry fly and nymph fishing. If you work the banks affectively with hoppers you can move some fish. Try deep nymphing or even dead drift a sculpin pattern for larger fish.

The Ruby is very good with hopper patterns. Be sure to respect the private property rights of the ranchers if you access the river at county bridges. Otherwise use the public fishing access sites near the Ruby Reservoir.

Clark Canyon Reservoir from late morning through the afternoon if the wind does not come up, has fished exceptionally well. Stripping streamers or fishing midges off an idicator are the best techniques.

Enjoy your time on the water and be safe and courteous.