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From fly fishing reports and forecasts to news about what's going on in the area, our newsletter will let you know what to expect this year. If you'd like to receive our newsletter via email, you can be added to our mailing list.
SPRING 2012 NEWSLETTER
Fishing Report 2012
This promises to be one of the best fishing seasons ever. Due to a record setting runoff in 2011 that lasted until the middle of July, the fish had nearly half the summer off last year. They will be ready this season and so will we.
June - June is usually the month of muddy waters with the runoff in full swing. However, the runoff usually lasts only 2 to 3 weeks and clears up as fast as it starts. Fishing this time of the year is done with big stone fly nymphs, and lots of weighted nymphs. With the salmon fly hatch just around the corner and the fish looking for the big nymphs to crawl towards the banks the fishing can be very productive. Fishing in Yellowstone National Park and at the various nearby lakes provide a great change of pace to the Madison.
July - The famous salmon flies appear on the upper Madison now. They usually arrive on the lower Madison in June, and a fun trip is to float downstream towards Bozeman and hunt for them. The Madison is clearing up, the temperatures are rising and the hatches are in full swing. Salmon flies, PMD=s, caddis, flavs, golden stones, and little stones are all making a showing and provide great surface and subsurface action. This is usually the busiest month of the year with fabulous hatches occurring with intensity and the fish are particularly active and hungry.
August - If July is the month of the salmon fly, then August is the month of the caddis with spectacular hatches and clouds of bugs lasting into the late afternoon and evening. Some of our guests fish after dinner until it gets dark and walk out of the water using flashlights—sometimes the last hour can be the best of the whole day. Because the days are warm and the nights short, the bug activity in early to mid August is at its peak with almost everything trying to hatch and mate on calm evenings. Even the grass hoppers have started and can produce terrific dry fly action with big hits. This is the time for ants and beatles also.
September - There's still good dry fly fishing, although it starts tapering off through the month. The baetis now appear and provide great dry fly action, the hoppers are still in play, and the nymphing gets even better as the month progresses. This is the best time of the summer to try your skills with the streamer which can bring on big hits from the famous Madison Browns. Although the action is not as hot as other times of the summer, the fish are larger.
Fishing the Madison is simply the best and The Old Kirby Place is only a fly cast away!
Calendar of Events for 2012
| June – September | Wild West Rodeo in West Yellowstone every Wednesday through Saturday |
| June 9 | Yellowstone National Park Fee Free Day |
| June 11 | Train Days – commemorate the first arrival of trains in West Yellowstone in 1908 |
| July – September | Free fly-casting clinic in West Yellowstone every Sunday evening |
| July 3-4 | Ennis Rodeo, Parade and BBQ; |
| July 3-4 | West Yellowstone Rodeo, Parade, Music in the Park, Fireworks |
| July 20-22 | Farmageddon Records Music Festival – Hebgen Lake |
| July 21 | Cowboy Poetry Night – Cameron |
| August 3-12 | Annual Mountain Man Rendezvous - West Yellowstone |
| August 11 | Madison Valley Arts Festival - Ennis |
| August 18 | Shedhorn Sports Annual Hunters Rendezvous featuring over 1500 firearms and representatives from 50 sporting companies - Ennis |
| August 18-19 | Annual Hebgen Cup Sailboat Races – Hebgen Lake |
| August 19 | Annual Trout Cook Off - Kirkwood Resort & Marina, Hebgen Lake |
| August 31 | Tenth Annual Madison Fly Fishing Festival in Ennis |
| September 29 | Yellowstone National Park Fee Free Day |
| September 29 | Pine Needle Stampede 5k/10k/half marathon – West Yellowstone |
Visit us this summer to enjoy the Madison River and The Old Kirby Place.
Tight lines,
Bruce Alverson
Links to previous newsletters:
Spring 2011 Newsletter
Spring 2010 Newsletter
Spring 2009 Newsletter
Fall 2008 Newsletter
Spring 2008 Newsletter
Winter 2007 Newsletter
Spring 2007 Newsletter
Winter 2006 Newsletter
Spring 2006 Newsletter
Spring 2005 Newsletter