July 2026

UPDATED 7/1/2026

A week straight of cold weather with on and off showers has left us with a new set of conditions to consider while fishing. The thunderstorms are over for the most part, with around a 50% chance of showers until this weekend. The rain has left Hebgen lake almost completely replenished. This means consistent and healthy flows for the upper Madison for the foreseeable future. 

Starting on Saturday, things really start to open up and get back to typical on and off Montana summer weather. The salmonflies are still pushing upstream, working their way through the wade section and reaching 3 Dollar Bridge. Hatching alongside them, the golden stoneflies are a fan favorite among the trout. For sammys, the Henry’s Fork Salmonfly, Fools Gold Salmonfly, Waterwalker, and Fluttering Stone are our favorites. For goldens, the same patterns apply, but in the green and gold colorway. Don't be afraid to size down when throwing that golden bug if fish aren't moving to it. 

As far as nymphs go, the normal suspects continue to work well this time of year.  The Pat’s Rubber Legs size #4 - #8 in black and coffee, Jig Prince, worm patterns, lightning bugs, and Frenchie Jig in multiple colors are all producing fish throughout the river. There are caddis and PMD hatches popping up all around, even throughout the course of this most recent storm.  All forms of these bugs are working. If you aren’t seeing many bugs, throw a jig prince or pheasant tail. If you're seeing a few bugs start to pop up, put on an emerging pattern. For caddis I like the Zylon Emerger and RIO’s Edible Emerger. For PMDs use a fly like Elden’s CDC PMD Emerger. If bugs are in the air, and the hatch is in full swing, the Finfetcher Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Sparkle Dunn, and Purple Haze are my favorite imitations this time of year. 

The streamer bite is on and off, but has had some very successful moments recently. With flows rising slowly to a consistent summer level, streamers can be a very effective tactic for moving these big fish. In the sunshine, I would throw olive, white, and yellow. Dual colored flies are my preference, so find a two-colored fly that you feel confident with. I like Galloup’s Laser Legal in olive and white, the Mini Boogieman in black, the Mini Dolly Llama in olive and white, and a white and gold Goldy. While the streamer fishing may not be as consistent as some of the other options, if your streamer ends up in front of a hungry fish, you have a good chance of getting him to react to it.

The weather looks like it's getting better in the next few days. Stop into MRFC or Trout Stalkers to get the daily river report and fly advice. Get out there! Rain or shine, the fish still need to eat

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Hot Flies:

Dry Flies: Elk Hair Caddis Olive, Finfetcher Caddis, Oikawa's Caddis Tan, Missing Link Caddis.

Streamers: Mini Dungeon Black & Olive, Dungeon Yellow, Woolly Bugger Black, Sparring Partner Brown Trout.

Nymphs: BH Pheasant Tail, Spanish Bullet French, Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch, Pat's Rubber Legs Black, Three Dollar Dip Brown.

- MRFC Guide Jesse Dittmer