Southwestern Montana Fishing Report: The Gallatin, Upper Madison, Lower Madison, and Firehole Rivers

Over the course of the summer I have been writing a weekly fishing report for the Big Sky newspaper, The Big Sky Weekly.  Here is this weeks edition, which serves as a general fishing report for up to date information on the area's rivers.........

Faithful Anglers,
The days of proverbial "milk and honey" are upon us and the season has finally begun.  If you are at your wits end from staring intently at yarn or cork, your prayers have been answered as visions of sippers and gulpers have begun to materialize.  Over the past month, fishing has not been easy; if anything it has been a process of trial and error, often of frustration and confusion.  I myself, am easily caught up in the expectation of catching fish, as when fishing is tough, you may see me on the banks pouting like a petulant child.  It is during times like these, when we must all sit back, take a deep breath, and regain a sense of reality.  Why are we here?  Are we really here to catch fish or are we here TO fish?  Here we sit in one of the most epically magnificent landscapes, and yet in our highly credentialized, overtly competitive society, we often quickly lose sight of the finer things which are intrinsically tied to, and essentially make up the sport itself.  Said best by Henry David Thoreau, "Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not the fish they are after."  This week, I ask us all to focus on relationship congealing between water and angler; find the peace, experience the transgression between human and nature, live the dream and enjoy the abstraction of life into general specifics…happiness, love, and the emotive life present.
The Gallatin has transformed; from its stubborn muddy water to a calming shot of green tea.  Tuesday running around 3,000 CFS, the river should drop well below that mark by the weekend and with water clarity improving by the day and hour, fish will begin looking to the heavens in search of river surfing insects.  In addition, with the long awaited and much needed scrubbing of the river bottom, a wave of entomological activity will run its course down the river, incurring a frenzy of activity in the war between trout and bug.  Over the past five days, Salmon Flies have consistently been seen in the Canyon, however, not yet working their way up past the Conoco.  Caddis and Yellow Sallies are making their presence felt mainly in the evenings but beginning by mid-afternoon. 
On the Upper Madison, Salmon Flies have worked their way up from Ruby to McAtee Bridge and have sporadically appeared around Palisades.  By the end of the weekend, you should see them buzzing around Three Dollar and Reynolds.  Pictured here is Jimmy "Loosewraps" Armijo, holding a beautiful Madison Brown and bearing the fruits of a fine day on the Upper.  Trout on the Upper have begun keying in on Salmon Flies and Golden Stones during the day, while by evening, feeding on plentiful Caddis falls.
The Lower Madison has fished extremely well over the past five days.  Though dry fly opportunities have been few and far between, it should improve with each passing day.  Zonkers, Huz-Ur-Daddies, Clauser Crayfish, and Soft Hackle Lightning Bugs have been the flies of choice.
The Firehole is still fishing well, with heavy Caddis hatches and intermittent PMD activity trout are actively feeding off the surface.  The water above Firehole Falls has been most productive, and fishing during the early morning and late afternoon has proven most successful.    
Good fishing and fair tidings anglers, cheers.   

-Kevney