Pre-Runoff Fishing in the Rockies

By: Michael Leach
Angler's West guide 

For those of us who have endured yet another winter under the Big Sky, thoughts of the oversized brown and acrobatic rainbow trout taken on streamers last November seem a distant memory. Now, while sitting at our tying desks--watching the snow steadily melt as the mercury rises on the outdoor thermometer—we turn our thoughts toward the much anticipated 2007 fly fishing season here in Southwestern Montana.

Each summer anglers from all over the country descend upon our corner of the state to experience some of the most fabled trout waters in the world. And while no one questions why anglers flock to rivers like the Madison and Yellowstone in the summer and fall, it is the spring—the pre-runoff period—that keeps many locals awake at night.

The brachycentrus occidentalis hatch--better known as the Mother's Day Caddis hatch--may not be the only hatch to occur each spring on the waters surrounding the Bozeman/Livingston area, but it's certainly the most renowned. While anglers from all over North America herald the legendary Salmonfly hatch, for locals it is the Mother’s Day Caddis that capture our hearts and imaginations. While it can be fairly unpredictable when this hatch reaches its climax, there is no greater spectacle on any river anywhere in the country. Every dedicated fly fisherman owes it to him- or herself to experience this hatch at least once. And should that angler catch it at the right time, he or she will surely be back.

The hatch usually begins sometime around the last week of April and lasts for roughly two weeks coinciding with its namesake, Mother’s Day. During a warm spring this can coincide with the start of spring runoff. That’s partially what makes this hatch so alluring. It demands that as an angler, you must remain both vigilant to its arrival, but also flexible to its quirks. On its best day, there will be so many bugs present that if there’s only 10 inches of visibility to the water, it doesn’t matter. Every fish in the Yellowstone will be on the surface slashing and charging and generally making a pig of themselves.

When fishing the Yellowstone River during the annual caddis hatch, the wind and weather may definitely be a factor. Anglers will want to look for the warm spring days with high pressure systems present. On these bluebird days, the best dry fly fishing often occurs during the later parts of the afternoon, from around 2 or 3 until 6 or even 7 p.m. Later in the hatch’s progression (it can often be a 2 week occurrence), the emergence of the pupa swimming to the river surface rather than the adult caddis dries may become the more important stage in order to find the maximum number of trout vs. uncle whitey. This is also why it’s fairly important to be flexible and to move upstream with the hatch as the hatch matures. After feeding recklessly on the millions (yes, I said millions) of caddis for several days, it’s not hard to understand why the fish become so bloated full that they are forcing themselves to stuff more down their gullets and that the actual frenzied feeding from several days earlier becomes more subdued and shortened in length each day.

The caddis fly you will encounter ranges in size from a #14 to a #16. The female is a size larger than the male. These large bugs are mottled brown to very dark gray, with an olive abdomen. Any number of caddis patterns can work to fool the fish, who seem to anticipate this hatch as much as we humans do. Patterns such as a standard elk hair caddis, Goddard caddis, and x-caddis are very effective. Because of the huge congregations of caddis--often thick enough to form mats on the water--a highly visible pattern is necessary in order to detect whether that nose took your pattern instead of one of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of naturals dancing around it can be invaluable. I find it productive to fish any of these fly patterns in a slightly larger size than the naturals so that your bug will stand out. And sometimes fishing a general attractor pattern--a large humpy, Trude, or Coachman can be more effective than any caddis pattern in your box. One of the absolute favorites the past couple of years has been the parachute Madam X and Bugmeister patterns in a size 10 or even an 8! These flies are tied with a large parachute post and because of their relative size, they are easily distinguished from the naturals. Trout must see their silhouette on the water as a cluster of caddis and being gluttons, find the large pattern to be irresistible.

For the wade fisherman, quality access and good holes can be found around Carter’s Bridge, above the Pine Creek Bridge and Mayor’s Landing right in the town of Livingston. Some of my favorite late afternoon floats are from Carbella to Point of Rocks, Loch Leven to Pine Creek and through town from Carter’s Bridge to the aforementioned Mayor’s Landing.

When fishing any of the hatches this spring, look for risers in the large foam eddies. Huge congregations of caddis often converge in these locations, which seem to create somewhat of a vacuum effect. You will certainly want to focus your efforts at the heads and tail-outs of riffles and along the seams and edges; but don’t overlook the softer water that you would rarely fish come summer time. Remember: some of the biggest fish taken each spring come out of some of the most inconspicuous water. And don’t forget about streamers. If things are slow, throw something big and black, or perhaps a JJ Special. I know many anglers who bypass the caddis emergence and go straight for the big hogs that will chase something meaty.

Madison:

The Mighty Madison! We mustn't forget about the 50-mile riffle in our spring fishing discussion. While much of the information you have already read can be used on the Madison, be aware of the differences that make this river unique.

Anglers can fish from McAtee down to the lake with success throughout the spring, but the caddis emergence will be more productive on the lower river. Beartrap Canyon has always been a favorite among local anglers for chasing the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch. The further you are willing to walk, the better your chances of putting a fly in front of a nose that hasn’t seen too many artificial flies yet.

Like the Yellowstone, you are looking for warmer temperatures; but on the lower Madison, if there is a high pressure system, you will probably need to nymph. A warm and slightly overcast day can lead to fishing bliss. Angler’s West guide Craig Boyd put it best when he described the caddis hatch on the lower Maddy: “If it's on, it is incredible…it's a cyclical thing, but when that hatch gets going, it is gangbusters.”

Boyd believes that contrasting your flies can be vital. He likes to fish two different dries, a large dark green Goddard with an olive or dark brown caddis trailing. But he will be the first to tell you not to ignore nymphing with caddis pupae, and getting down and dirty with crayfish patterns, and big stones like Yuk and Girdle bugs.

Paradise Valley Spring Creeks

The beautiful thing about taking a chance on catching the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch on the unpredictable Yellowstone, or the more predictable lower Madison, is the fact that just six miles south of Livingston flow three of the most famous spring creeks in the country. DePuy’s, Nelson’s and Armstrong’s offer some of the most challenging and fulfilling fly fishing opportunities to be found anywhere in the world. Noted outfitter and friend of Angler’s West, Lee Kinsey, calls them, “the graduate school of trout fishing.”

There is perhaps no finer, and certainly no more exclusive fly fishing experience than fishing these spring creeks of the Paradise Valley. Standing amongst the swaying grasses, peering into the tranquil and consistent waters, immersed in the bountiful beauty of the Absaroka and Gallatin mountain ranges is an experience one will never forget.

The creeks located at the bottom of the valley are the first to experience spring each year. March brings the height of the spawning run of rainbow trout that move up the creeks from the Yellowstone. While it is critical to avoid walking on any of the spawning redds, it is also an ideal time to be nymphing the creeks. As March fades into April, the fun really begins. The first brachycentrus occidentalis emerge out of one world and into another, the midge fishing continues, and the baetis hatch continues with strong emergences on the not so bright and sunny afternoons.

While the Yellowstone blows out in early May, and the Madison later in the month, the spring creeks remain a viable option for those who simply can’t wait for the mid June/early July salmon fly hatch summer’s start.

We at Angler’s West would love the opportunity to showcase these fishing opportunities for you. We are extremely excited about sharing another eventful season with those anglers who help make us a success.