"jeff miller" wrote



my experience has been that the hatch around the madison begins in july...
no?


jeff


Well yes, sorta G

June is a time of great transition in that area and it's 30 days long ..

Early June USUALLY has snowy days still and late June can already be "too
damn hot" in some years

I'm NOT a Salmon Fly enthusiast ( I also mostly avoid the HFork at Green
Drake time .. too much hype, too many people, fish therefore too pounded ...
but lots of tailgate parties and drinking for that set :-) .... so take my
statements in that context.

But I am usually in the area and keeping my
ear to the ground. Down below Ennis the SFs start in mid-June (
average, usual, all other disclaimers ). Up at the wade water it often
ends well into July ( again all disclaimers apply)
....... Madison in the PARK usually has a week or so of SFs early in
June .. well before the rest of the river.

The "best" chance of hitting good SF action on the Madison therefore
probably is late June/ early July and from a drift boat in the above Ennis
below NF section. It is a long section and drifting covers lots of water,
so your chances of finding a primetime spot are greatly raised.

Wade fishing, you'd have to be damn lucky to hit a section where the fish
are truly looking for adult patterns, yesterday or tomorrow they won't be in
the same location. ( maybe a given spot has couple days, but the best is
constantly moving )

Add the fact that some years the hatch is weak, others great accelerated,
yet others it's drug out over time but never really hits anything near
frenzy level. Then add the fact that mentioning the words "Salmon Flies"
automatically increases angler presence by a factor of 10 fold and I,
personally, think of good SF fishing as icing on the cake, not the main
course to pursue.

PMDs, baetis, two caddis types and even the smaller stones will produce more
fish, many more days of the mid-June to mid-July time frame than Salmon
Flies ( IME ) Note: I don't fish the lower Madison much, mainly because
of physical limitations caused by a bad kneeklehip ... I adore the river in
the Park down to Hebgen