September 17, 2008 - Steve Hoovler

Two weeks can really scream by this time of year.

Fall weather has entrenched itself in Yellowstone country, and it's remarkably beautiful. Morning lows have been well below freezing and afternoon highs have hit the high 70's. The aspens and willows are turning. Bull elk are bugling, fighting, and otherwise resembling an Alpha Sig brew fest.

Hebgen Dam continues to spew forth at 3100 cfs bringing the lake level down with it to 76%. Each day there's magically a new solution to the problem that for some reason or another doesn't seem to work . 

The Madison is still big and in the willows (that should be the name of a bluegrass band), but has fished very well. I've spent the last two weeks guiding every day, and we've spent most of our time on the Madison. Nymphing has been the name of the game for most of the day with good numbers of fish holding tight to the banks just like they do during Spring run-off. On a couple of cloudy days we saw some good baetis activity and a few fish rising. Hot sunny afternoons have brought on a little hopper action as well. Wade fishing the river around $3 Bridge has been consistent, but floats from Pallisades downstream, despite breakneck speeds, have been good too.

Yesterday, I had the great fortune to fish with one of fly fishing's true gentlemen, Mike Mercer, and one of my greatest clients, Jim Murphy. Mike and Jim have traveled all over the world together chasing trout with a fly, and every year they say this is their favorite trip. We spent the day fishing a small moutain stream in the Madison range with hoppers and attractors. The fishing was fast and furious for beautiful, chuncky rainbows, and the day could not have been prettier. Thanks for an awesome time, guys. It was one of the highlights of my season.