Fishing the Upper Madison

Last year I decided to take a year off with the wife and dogs to travel the country in our camper to hike, bike, and camp our way from Boston to Alaska! Fast forward to May, subtract one wife and two dogs (don’t worry I got the good one), and add healthy dose of fishing and you’ve got yourself one good old fashioned “Early Midlife Crisis”.

We start our journey on A typical mid may fishing trip to the upper Madison full of wind, rain, trout, and runoff, lots of runoff. Nala and I met my friend Jacob, his girlfriend Mackie, and their pup Nova. Knowing that there would be a lot of dirty water due to an early heat wave in Montana, we focused on sub surface, mostly nymphing. The rubber legs, baetis nymphs, prince nymphs, and big white streamers were on fire!

We had the most success close to the banks in the slower deeper holes, naturally, the water was too cold and dirty for dry flies. The Best spots were the inside seem between the riffles and the bank, the slower and deeper the better. Depth was massively important, fish in colder water need to get smacked in the face, they don’t wanna move and expend needed calories quite yet.

Overall, We had five really good days of fishing and some incredible views, and as always some excellent company. I can’t recommend the upper Madison enough, especially the wade only sections! Keep ’em tight, and I’ll see ya in a camper down by the river!

Zac

Aka
https://www.instagram.com/the_early_midlife_crisis