A Ripping Blue Norther Arrives in Yellowstone country

A north wind and cold temperatures has put an end to our string of midge fishing days here in the Madison Valley. The frigid temperatures and brisk winds arrived around noon yesterday. Today temps could not break the single digits and the north wind continues.
For 5 days last week experienced fine midge fishing conditions. Calm winds, highs in the 30’s and partly cloudy skies brought on incredible midge emergences along with mating clumps of midges. This coupled with perfect weather furnished some of the finest January midge fishing we had in years.
Phil fished 4 days from noon to 4pm and I was able to get out 2 days. 

I was able to fish our new Soft Hackle Midge Emerger on 2 different occasions when the sun shined brightly and the fish were skittish and keying on emerging midges just under the surface. Pleased with my results I will tie more on this pattern tonight. Dave McKee a talented fly tier and author from Bozeman ties ours’ at the shop and his are flawless and the fish loved them. I hope I can tie mine as well as Dave ties the shop’s!
Yesterday on a stretch of the Madison downstream of Lyon Bridge I arrived before noon, just as the norther was arriving with winds switching from south to north. I came on a couple nice browns cruising the shallows with tails and backs breaking the surface as they took emerging midge pupae in the slow-shallow drift. I’d knotted on one of McKee’s Soft Hackle Midge Emegers before I left home. I remembered a time last February on this same stretch of river when I could not raise a fish to my dry offering but did OK with a greased $3 Dip. A flock of golden eye ducks lifted off the side channel as I approached and I cussed them thinking the fish-egg eating ducks most likely spooked any and all trout nearby. When I got to the spot I saw heads and tails and the 2 big browns cruising. I presented my fly off to the side of the nearest brown and he came quickly to the tiny soft hackle emerger. As he turned my way to take my offering his mouth opened and with that wink of white I raised my rod and hooked the fish. The second brown came to the fly pretty much the same way but jumped 3 times and pulled loose before I could net him. As the air temperatures dropped and the wind picked up I headed home happy with the 2 good browns, both coming to our new fly pattern.
The weather forecast calls for a warm-up later this week, back into the 40’s from the low teens the next 2 days. I’ll be back on the river with some fresh Soft Hackle Midge Emergers. Stay tuned here for reports. In the meantime make sure you watch our videos of midge action near Raynolds Bridge which we will post on our free weekly email newsletter….if you don’t get our news go to our web site and sign in, you will enjoy our stories and videos and weekly fly tying series. Until then....