News from Blue Ribbon Flies

What's New
What's Happening in Yellowstone Country

Well the boys are getting geared up and it's time once again to start off the 2013 season. Like we have every year we start off the season with the Spring Road Trips and this year Cam and Geoff are leading the "Cadman" crew to several different rivers. This trip starts on April 2nd so just a few days from now. Where the heck did winter go? It seems as just yesterday we wrapped up the fall season. Whatever the case the boys are jacked up and ready to go.

The Madison Recreation Committee has finished with it's work and will present its recommendations to the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission in Helena on April 11th.

Here are the major recommendations the CAC will present to the FWP Commission:

Open the Madison to year-around fishing from Lyon Bridge downstream to Ennis. Presently the river is closed above McAtee Bridge to Quake Lake from the end of February to the third Saturday in May. FWP biologists say opening this section will not harm spring spawning rainbows and will help relieve some of the fishing pressure below McAtee.
The CAC suggests FWP collect more and better information about the numbers and types of users before taking further management actions. To this end the CAC recommends installing "iron rangers" at every fishing access site. Anyone using the site would be asked to voluntarily fill out a short form and deposit it in the iron ranger. FWP would collect such information for three years before considering further actions.
Move the boat launch ramp at the Lyon Bridge FAS to the south end of the site. This would help relieve congestion on the busiest days at the busiest access site on the Madison.
Leave unchanged the existing "row v. wade" regulations from Raynolds Pass to Lyon Bridge. The CAC was unable to come up with an acceptable compromise on this pesky issue, so it recommends keeping the status quo: no fishing from boats in this section, wade angling only, but allow "float to fish" as pictured above.
Ban all glass containers on the lower river from the Warm Springs FAS downstream, the section of the river heavily used by recreational floaters in the summer months, the so-called "splash & giggle" set.

The FWP Commission will weigh these recommendations and accept, amend or reject any or all of them. It will then instruct the department to draft a Madison Recreation Management Plan that would be submitted to the public for comment prior to it being implemented. The meeting of the FWP Commission April 11 is open to the public.

Bucky, Cam, John, Jackie and I look forward to seeing you soon in Yellowstone. Remember that lodging is booking up for the season so call today for ideas on where to stay, when to come and where to fish this season! Give us a call today too for fly tying ideas, help and tips, or ideas on gear and everything fly-fishing. We fish, we are open all year and we love to hear from you!

As usual in the rest of this issue, you'll find fishing news from Yellowstone Country in the weekly Fishing Report. You can see what's hot off the vise in the Fly of the Week, get a sneak peek at some of the best materials on our tying bench in the Fly Tying Material of the Week, and stay up to date with the guide staff and their trips in the Guide Trip of the Week.

You'll be seeing a new email newsletter most every week throughout the summer and fall to keep you tuned in to all things fly fishing and fly tying in the greater Yellowstone area and beyond. Throughout the seasons, we'll keep sending you news of hatches and fishing holes around West Yellowstone. So without further delay, go ahead and jump right into the newsletter. And as always, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email if you have any questions, or if you just want a little fish talk.