OBROFF: Bonus

Got the "official" word yesterday that the older daughter's boyfriend
had finally proposed on New Years Eve. I knew it was coming as he'd
discussed it with me three months before.
Daughter hooked a good one. Not only is he a computer geek, but in
the bonus round, he has the option package that he's a fly fisherman
from Montana.
We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid

"Frank Reid © 2008" wrote

We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid


That's cool !

I can't remember it you have actively chased the Salmon Flies before? Come
prepared to actually catch most of your fish on caddis and other patterns,
unless you are very lucky. IME, all the 'big name, big bug' hatches tend
to be 89% hype/ social affair and 11% reality as great fishing
opportunities, but June is ( not last year, but most years ) a wonderful
time to be in Greater Yellowstone area chasing trout ... enjoy

On Jan 3, 12:47*pm, "Larry L" wrote:
"Frank Reid © 2008" wrote

We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. *Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid

That's cool !

I can't remember it you have actively chased the Salmon Flies before? * Come
prepared to actually catch most of your fish on caddis and other patterns,
unless you are very lucky. * *IME, all the 'big name, big bug' hatches tend
to be 89% hype/ social affair *and 11% reality as great fishing
opportunities, but June is ( not last year, but most years ) a wonderful
time to be in Greater Yellowstone area chasing trout *... enjoy

Well MY bride mentioned that we had put off our 25th anniversary trip
to Calgary by one month to avoid those tree pollen issues in May so I
may not be available... "but dear! Its the salmonfly ha... uh, its
our future son-in-law's batch... uh, yes dear."
Frank Reid

Larry L wrote:
"Frank Reid © 2008" wrote


We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid



That's cool !

I can't remember it you have actively chased the Salmon Flies before? Come
prepared to actually catch most of your fish on caddis and other patterns,
unless you are very lucky. IME, all the 'big name, big bug' hatches tend
to be 89% hype/ social affair and 11% reality as great fishing
opportunities, but June is ( not last year, but most years ) a wonderful
time to be in Greater Yellowstone area chasing trout ... enjoy




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


jeff

On Jan 3, 2:10*pm, jeff miller wrote:
Larry L wrote:
"Frank Reid © 2008" wrote

We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. *Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid

That's cool !

I can't remember it you have actively chased the Salmon Flies before? * Come
prepared to actually catch most of your fish on caddis and other patterns,
unless you are very lucky. * *IME, all the 'big name, big bug' hatches tend
to be 89% hype/ social affair *and 11% reality as great fishing
opportunities, but June is ( not last year, but most years ) a wonderful
time to be in Greater Yellowstone area chasing trout *... enjoy

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

jeff- Hide quoted text -

Upper Madison is around the 4th of July. Lower Madison in June.
Frank Reid

On Jan 3, 12:05*pm, Frank Reid © 2008 wrote:
Got the "official" word yesterday that the older daughter's boyfriend
had finally proposed on New Years Eve. *I knew it was coming as he'd
discussed it with me three months before.
Daughter hooked a good one. *Not only is he a computer geek, but in
the bonus round, he has the option package that he's a fly fisherman
from Montana.
We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. *Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid


Congrats Frank!
Go rent "Father Of The Bride". Watch it several times.
The movie is true. It happend to me. I now will be unable to retire
for 12 more years.
At least my job takes me near trout waters.
Guy

"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

Frank Reid © 2008 wrote:
On Jan 3, 2:10 pm, jeff miller wrote:

Larry L wrote:

"Frank Reid © 2008" wrote

We've already determined that the batchelor party will be in Montana
in June during the salmonfly hatch on the Madison. Who cares when the
wedding date is, as long as the batchelor party is done right.
Frank Reid

That's cool !

I can't remember it you have actively chased the Salmon Flies before? Come
prepared to actually catch most of your fish on caddis and other patterns,
unless you are very lucky. IME, all the 'big name, big bug' hatches tend
to be 89% hype/ social affair and 11% reality as great fishing
opportunities, but June is ( not last year, but most years ) a wonderful
time to be in Greater Yellowstone area chasing trout ... enjoy

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

jeff- Hide quoted text -


Upper Madison is around the 4th of July. Lower Madison in June.
Frank Reid


Like all salmonfly hatches I'm aware of, it's highly variable, depending
on weather, snowpack, runoff conditions, etc.

So far, it's looking like a good snow year in the northern Rockies. If
it keeps up, we might see very late conditions like last year, when
everything seemed like it was delayed about a month.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On 3-Jan-2009, rw wrote:

So far, it's looking like a good snow year in the northern Rockies. If
it keeps up, we might see very late conditions like last year, when
everything seemed like it was delayed about a month.

I sure hope so
We just got hit w -3 ft of snow

Last year the run-off was great!
We needed it for fire season ... It was lousy though for early season May &
June fly fishing
as the rivers were high and fast thru late June -

Let's hope that this year is the same or better
I like living fire free more than fly fishing

We also need to fill our breeding canal - We need the early spring runoff
Last yearr we added 1100 rainbow fry - Maybe 200-300 survived??
We have honed our techniques - get to the canal and lock up the dogs before
we trap the fish
I expect 3 times that am't this year

and
to
Frank - - Congratulations!

Fred

"rw" wrote


So far, it's looking like a good snow year in the northern Rockies. If it
keeps up, we might see very late conditions like last year, when
everything seemed like it was delayed about a month.

--


I haven't been paying attention, but that is good news. Last year was
definitely 'different' from a FFing POV but a couple years of good water
could really bring some troubled streams back to life in the long run ( fish
do better in water than out ;-).

I may open the season at Picabo again instead of the Firehole, if your
prediction comes true