Madison River last fall

[CI_Seawolf]

Sorry this report is late, we had to cut this trip short due to a plumbing emergency back home.  I am finally getting caught up on a few things around here.

I booked a guide with Madison River outfitters in West Yellowstone.  The morning of the trip, it rained for a short while which was good as it had been very hot the week prior to my visit in late September.  My guide suggested that we do a wade walk trip, the section of the Madison River below Hebgen Lake gets a lot of pressure.  I fished it once several years ago and it was pretty tough, takes were quick, and you missed a lot of fish.  We started out fishing a seam where some fast water had slow eddies near the sides of the main channel of river.  My instructions were, try to keep the fish on the softer water on the side and don't let them get out in the channel.  We drifted a nymph under an indicator, I had brought my Fly Shop Redding CA 5wt outfit.
After a few takes and working the bugs out of my roll cast, I did hook into a bigger trout that took me out in the faster water and popped me off.  I was encouraged, but hoped the day would be better than that.  We still had the drift boat on the back of the truck so the guide decided to check another area after discussing our options.  We drove a short distance to an area above the lake.  A guide he knew was just leaving, after taking his clients for a float through that area.  We had another idea, use the boat to cross the river, and pick our way down some runs that the guide knew might hold some better grade fish.  We had lunch in the boat after we crossed the river.  One of the first runs after lunch, had a lot of softer water in it and I saw the indicator drop quickly.  When I lifted, I could tell this was a pretty good fish.  The fish took line and we had a tug of war for several minutes, I moved gently down and upstream, switching angles on the rod to tire the fish.  My guide got a look at it and said "Nice Brown" .  When I heard that I got a little nervous but was gaining line and still playing the fish good in the soft water.  The guide got down below me and we were able to gently slide the fish into the net.  My guide and I were both shaking when we saw the 21" Brown in the net.  After some high fives and a few quick pictures, we got the fish back in the river safely and with a bit of reviving, the beautiful brown swam away strongly.  I didn't think it would get much better than that that afternoon.  We continued downstream, and got to where we were going to turn around.  My guide saw a nice 16" rainbow holding under a fallen tree.  We both watched that fish for a while and strategized how we would try to catch it.  Plan # 1 was to indian up and try a dry fly over the top of the fish.  As the fallen tree was in the way, I couldn't get a decent cast in there so I snuck up and dapped the fly over the fish, being very careful not to put it down.  After two tries dapping and no takes, it was time for plan # 2.  Plan # 2 was to get upstream and drift a streamer down past the fish, gently stripping to see if it would take.  We were not real sure that would work, but my guide knotted on a pretty olive streamer.  I crawled up above the fish and paid out line.  lowered my rod tip and on the second strip, the fish took the streamer!  After a short tussle, the nice rainbow was in the net.  More high fives and laughs, a quick picture and back in the river it went.  We tried for the trifecta on the way back to the boat,  I hadn't caught one on a dry yet, so we found a pool with a decent trout in it and I got my cast going, a 40' cast, nice drift, and I missed on the take.  So much for the trifecta.  We continued upstream, catching more fish all the way back to the boat.  It had been a great day on the Madison for me!

[CI_Seawolf]

My pictures   

[alantani]

nice!  we're headed to yellowstone next week, after my daughter's graduation.  too bad i won't have time for fishing!!!

[CI_Seawolf]

Hi Alan, it is very early in the season too.  I'm hoping some more water opens up soon in the eastern Sierras ,   I am missing my trout fishing.

[Gfish]

Cool! Great narrative.
I'm familiar with the Madison, from the fork that creates it in the Park, to the area below Quake Lake.
2-favorite areas; in the Park a little ways down from the fork, where it widens out to nice meadow area with plenty of sometimes scary Buffalo that like to stare you down(dry flies), and the area where the river just starts to enter Quake Lake(great late evening streamer fishin).

Great lookin wild fish. September, indeed! We're the Elk-a-bugling?
I worked 2-Summers next to West Yellowstone at Forest Service Service compound. Madison River Outfitters, great company.

[CI_Seawolf]

We were by Quake lake area.  Would love to go back but my schedule is pretty full this year.

[JasonGotaProblem]

nice!  we're headed to yellowstone next week, after my daughter's graduation.  too bad i won't have time for fishing!!!

Alan make sure if you or your family take any medications, don't bring just enough for the trip. Bring the bottle. It was this time last year i got stranded at yellowstone (in Gardiner) by flooding. There was a fun thread on it at the time. Great place. Despite my insane experience I'd still go again.

[Donnyboat]

They are nice pictures, nice to see a good smile , thanks for posting, cheers Don.

[CI_Seawolf]

Thank you Don, my mom says I light up when I fish.  I did enjoy that day very much.  I'm very grateful to be able do trips like this once in a while.