Salmonflies spotted on Lower Madison
I just took a run out the Lower Madison this morning. The water is high and off color, which is to be expected this time of year. Flows out of Ennis Lake topped out at 5,500 cubic feet per second on Saturday. They have since dipped to 2,800cfs earlier this morning.
There weren’t many anglers on the water, just a few cruising by on drift boats at Mach speed and a lone fisherman plying the banks half a mile below Warm Springs. I dropped down the bank to say hi and notice, to my delight, that the first few salmonflies of the season have begun to emerge.
The big bugs looked to have just started their migration from nymphs to winged adults. I spotted about 15 of them clinging to reeds along the bank. A couple were flying out over the river.
The angler, Chris Bellitt of Belgrade, said he first noticed the big bugs on Saturday. He said he fished big black nymphs that day without much success and was back to try his luck with dry flies, hoping the falling flows and warm weather would conspire in his favor.
So far this season I haven’t heard of salmonflies showing up on any of the area’s major rivers, but with this sighting on Monday keep your eyes on the Madison and Big Hole for the earliest salmonfly hatches of the summer.
I also saw a ton of yellow sallies buzzing about the water. Make sure to carry a couple suitable patterns in the event that the trout are not yet keyed in on salmonflies.
See you on the river …
Related posts:
- Year of the worm? San Juan strikes first trout of season on Lower Madison River
- Madison River Foundation receives grant from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Fishing report: Spring midge hatch on the Madison River has trout looking up
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