Warmer sunny days have finally arrived but nights are still cold keeping runoff at a steady pace. The West Fork of the Madison has a bit of color but continues to clear and is now another option for anglers on the Madison. Caddis and Blue Winged Olives have started hatching on the Madison in the last few days, while hatches of PMD's and BWO's are reliable between noon and four o'clock on the Firehole. Hebgen Lake is now more than 93 percent full and midges are coming off quite heavily. With so much water this year, hatches may be delayed by a week to 10 days but are expected to be quite heavy. This heavy spring runoff bodes well for the Madison River and most importantly the Greater Yellowstone watershed as a whole.

PMD's and BWO's have been the dominant bug hatch on the Firehole since the opener but expect to see the White Miller caddis (Nectopsyche sp.) hatch heavily with the warm sunny days predicted for the next week. Small Ice Leeches and small peacock buggers have accounted for some of the larger fish caught in the past weeks, but soft hackles have been the most reliable pattern are deadly between periods of surface activity. They are also extremely effective as a dropper off a dry or bugger. Salmonflies hatching in the Firehole Canyon should happen any day, keep your eyes peeled.

Soft Hackles: Pheasant Tails 12-14, Peacock and Partridge 12-14

PMD's: Extended Body, Hackle Wing and Tilt-Wing 14-16

BWO's: Extended Body, CDC biot body and Hi-Vis parachute 18-22, Baetis Paracripple 18

Caddis: Arrick's Foam Tan Caddis and Sedgehammer's 14-16

Scattered hatches of PMD's have been occurring but with the high water they haven't captured the attention of trout more willing to chase streamers or nymphs, still the most productive method day in and out in Yellowstone. While clarity is continuing to improve expect better dry fly opportunities within a week. Shorter heavier leaders (2x) and tippet will turn over heavy nymph rigs and streamers and land fish more quickly.

Streamers: Egg Sucking Sculpins, Sculpin Leeches, Crazy Crystal Buggers

Nymphs: Sili Stones, Lex's Stone, Cone Stone Golden 4-6

Droppers: Holographic Price 14-16, Crown Jewel 12-14, Super Pupa in green or amber 14-16

Still high with squishy banks but clarity is continuing to improve. Look for softer deeper water on the Gibbon, but at this time is only fishing fair. The same streamers and nymphs as listed for the Madison in Yellowstone will also work here. While the Gibbon never receives the angling pressure the Firehole or Madison does it will be a sure bet in the next few weeks.

Very cold and high but greatly improved clarity below the Taylor's Fork makes it now fishable but it's still best to wait for it warm up a bit for better fishing.

This massive alpine lake was a sheet of 87,000 acres of continuous ice just a little over two weeks ago but has since thawed out. This late, cold and dreary spring will keep the Cutthroats and Lake Trout close to the shore for the next several weeks. A very slow retrieve on intermediate sinking lines (preferable over sink tips) or sink tips will be the most effective method for Seal Buggers, Peacock Buggers and Scuds. Concentrate on Pumice Point or Gull Point as these are where Cutts are found on the opener.

Buggers: Rickard's Seal, Peacock Buggers 6-10

Scuds: Epoxy scud in olive or orange 14, Pregnant Scuds 16-18 olive, tan or gray

Opens July 15th. Until then the Yellowstone will be high, cold and dirty.

At nearly 94 percent of capacity, Hebgen will be full very soon - 10 days at best. Midges are now hatching in droves and are becoming more important to cruising trout. Fishing a chironomid under an indicator can be deadly when they're actively feeding on them (or it's too windy to cast). However Seal Buggers, Christmas Trees and Black & Gold Buggers have been some of the more productive patterns according to our lake fishing regulars. During morning and evening hours rainbows have been eating midges on the surface. Chironomid Cripples, Gray Hackle Wings and Arrick's Parachute Chironomid are all equally effective.

Buggers: Rickard's Seal Buggers, Peacock Buggers and Crystal Buggers 6-10.

Chironomids: Red Holo Chironomid, Black Holo Chironomid, V-rib Chrionomid in black, olive or red 12-16

Midge Dries: Gray Hackle Wing, Chironomid Cripple, Parachute Chironomid, Lady McConnell 14-16

PPL Montana has finally reduced the outflow at Hebgen dam to 1700 cfs after more than a week of bumping them up to greater than 2200 cfs. This reduced ouflow will create more stable conditions, the Madison is still green but has almost two feet of visibility and clearing. However wading is still difficult between the Lakes so use caution. It may be best to skip this section and throw streamers or nymphs from the Slide on down. The last few days have really warmed up and runoff from Cabin Creek has increased again but most of this sediment should settle in Quake Lake. Below the Slide scattered hatches of Caddis and BWO's have been seen, but not in enough numbers to satisfy the dry fly angler. Use heavy short leader and tippet, 2X. It turns over heavy nymph rigs and streamers more easily, fish landed more quickly and less flies busted off.

Nymphs: Lex's Black Stone, Sili Stone and Cone Stone 4-6

Streamers: Egg Sucking Sculpin, Crazy Crystal Buggers and Olive Cross-eyed Zonkers 4-6

Droppers: Red Zebra Midges, Red $3 Bridge Dips, B.H. Pheasant Tails 16-18, SJW's Hot Pink or Red

The fishing on Henry's has yet to slow down, we've received favorable reports every few days since the opener. Midges have been hatching heavily and the fish are moving out into deeper water. Sinking lines are a must to fish Henry's Lake effectively. Seal Buggers, Christmas Trees and Peacock Buggers are the must have patterns, while halfbacks and the mity mouse have also accounted for some really heavy fish brought to the net.

Buggers: Rickard's Seal Buggers, Peacock Buggers and Christmas Trees 6-10