A Gray Morning in Madison Valley

It is shaping up to be a perfect day for midge fishing here in the valley. Overcast and calm with forecasted temps to reach 34 degrees at the West Fork. I've been up since 6am tying a few of our new Soft Hackle Midge Emergers and Skittering Zelon Midges. Both have been deadly while fishing the river this week. Looking ahead at this week's weather forecast it looks like we are in for a great week of midge action. I hope to fish the Gallatin and Yellowstone later in the week so stay tuned here. 

Yesterday afternoon even though the high temp only reached 30 degrees fish rose for a solid hour. The key is calm conditions, if the wind howls it becomes strictly a nymphing proposition. When calm I've witnessed heads coming to midges in all likely spots along the river from as early 9am and still coming up as late as 3pm. The fish might rise to midges emerging in waves with the first wave coming early, as long as the wind doesn't blow. It is not unusual to have the first wave come at 9, the second a short time later then a lull until noon. Just when you think it is safe to sit on the bank and have a sandwich another wave of midges come off and trout rise.....

I especially like to fish my Tenkara rod in the winter months. With no guides to ice up and casting a fix length line I can get into position quickly and present a pin-point accurate cast from my kneeling approach. Once hooked most fish come in easily, without the long runs we are accustom to in summer months. Cool water temps take much of the fight out of winter fish, and it slows their rises to slow head and tails which bring us midge enthusiasts back time and again! There is nothing like fishing the slow motion-like head and tail riseforms of winter with no one on the river but you, the trout and an occasional bald eagle flying by! I'll get you a few midge reports this week.