The Remedy

Dan Curtis' Elk Hair October Caddis

Ok, I'm all fired up because it's late August and there's already fresh snow on the mountains and the weather forecasters are calling for frost. All I can think about are fall hatches and that includes the October caddis. You'll find that bug on lots of Rocky Mountain streams from now into November with a major presence happening in late September and through October.

In my mind, the bastion of the fall caddis is in Idaho's northern panhandle where the St. Joe, Kelly Creek, the Coeur d' Alene and the North Fork Clearwater beckon. Take a pile of Dan Curtis' Elk Hair October Caddis to that region in September and prepare to slay—those wild, native westslope cutthraots crush this pattern.

Notes: The elk-hair caddis was created by Al Troth of Dillon, Mont., but this October variation was created by Dan Curtis of Rathdrum, Idaho, to match caddis that emerge on northern Idaho's wonderful cutthroat and rainbow trout streams during fall.

According to Curtis, the best time to fish this pattern is when adult female caddis return to the river to deposit eggs. Typically, anglers findegg-laing females most abundant in the afternoon and evening.

You can fish the Elk Hair October Caddis in riffled water, but it may be more effective when danced across slick glides and tailouts to simulate the actual insect. Expect violent strikes.

Madison River, MT: The Madison is a little funky right now with few fish eating general attractors, at least on the upper river where Kelly Galloup runs Slide Inn. Not to worry, however, those who are running straight nymphs are stacking up numbers and the dry fly fishing should improve over the weekend and into next week as grasshoppers and spruce flies start to hit the water in numbers.

“It’s kind of a peculiar dry-fly bite,” Galloup said. “It’s not red-hot for those who are searching. Ants will do ok, and they’ll eat a dry sally pretty good. Underneath they’ll pound size-16 sunk spinners and red, crystally stuff. It’s best to run two nymphs and not go with a hopper/dropper setup.

“We’re still seeing that last hour or two at night being really good with lots of caddis and some spinners, which I think are March browns,” Galloup added. “A size-16 Rusty spinner is all you need.

“A couple other options are streamers, which are working pretty well, but nobody is fishing them,” Galloup noted, “and craneflies. The guys who are skating them and twitching them are getting takes. I think we’re going to see better fishing next week because the hopper-chomper is going to start and we’re also seeing a few spruce flies. Right now, for significant numbers it’s full-on nymphing.”

Missouri River, MT: The Missouri has enjoyed high flows this year and it’s still running strong, but an anticipated hopper bite hasn’t really happened yet and all eyes are on when that will happen. Basically, the dry-fly fishing has been described in less than admiring words, but something happened a week ago and the fishing has turned on; the average size of those Missouri River browns and rainbows is off the charts and adept fishermen who can throw a dry fly well have plenty of heads to target. That’s the word from John Arnold at Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig.

“It’s techy, dry-fly fishing on the upper river with the fish eating lots of spinners, emergers and spent caddis,” Arnold noted. “Really, for someone who can fish dry flies well, the fishing is really good with lots of 20 to 23-inch fish.

“We’re taking fish on a variety of patterns including Rusty Spinners, Bloom’s Ants and Harrop’s Paraspinner and Translucent Emergers, size 16 and 18. We also use the Buzzball, which is an old Gary LaFontaine pattern that looks like something dead, which is what the fish want right now. Spent caddis and pmd emergers are solid, but you won’t get much rolling with something like a parachute PMD.”

You’ll want to stick to the upper river for dry flies; if you fish the middle or lower reaches go with nymphs, such as the Military Mayfly, the Grape Slushie, and Sylvie’s Beadhead Pupa, all in sizes 16 and 18 under and indicator. Arnold suggests drifting those in five-to six-feet deep water.

Silver Creek and the Big Wood, ID: It’s now-time for Tricos on Silver Creek and the spinnerfalls should only build on the Conservancy and lower sections, such as Point of Rocks, through the weekend and next week. If you haven’t challenged yourself on Silver Creek Tricos you ought to get in the rig and drive there now and see where you rank as an angler.

According to Andy Ziemba at Ketchum on The Fly, the Trico and Callibaetis action is nice on the Conservancy now and the hopper bite should roll around by next week.

“The Callibaetis are coming off around Kilpatrick (Bridge) and in the Slough. The Tricos were pretty strong around the S-Turns the other day. So, the lower part of the Conservancy is best.

“The spinnerfall happens around 8:30 a.m. and I assume in the next few days we’re going to be seeing those Tricos everywhere,” Ziemba added. “We match those Tricos with a Bett’s Trico Spinner in size 20 and with a Harrop Trico Spinner in size 20, too. A lot of people tippet down to 7X but I go with 6X because it doesn’t matter if your fishing 7X if you can’t make a good cast. You have to put the fly to the fish first, and not the tippet, or a fish isn’t going to eat.”

If the Silver Creek hatch-matching game isn’t your gig, hit the Big Wood, above or below Ketchum and stick some healthy rainbows on dry flies. According to Ziemba, the water has dropped some and general attractors, such as Royal Stimis and size-14 and 16 Elk Hair and Goddard caddis raise good fish.

Over the hill and Trail Creek Pass in Mackay, you’re advised to skip a death-defying wade on the Big Lost and wait for flows to drop.

Snake River, WY: The Snake is still flowing fast but it’s in great shape and the hopper bite is just starting and will get better this weekend and next week. That according to Baker Salisbury at Westbank Anglers in Wilson.

“The fishing is fantastic right now,” Salisbury said. “We’re getting a lot of eight-to 14-inch cutthroat, but we’re seeing some 14-to 18-inch cutthroat, too, and the fish are eating hoppers, but they are just coming out and the fish will really get on them soon.”

If you plan to float the Snake right now you better plan to be on the sticks, meaning you should be a proficient oarsman to take on this river. There are plenty of snags and logjams in the river, Salisbury warned, and the river is especially fast in the park sections.

“It’s a great float right now but you need some experience to do it,” he added. “And wading is good, too, but you may find tough wade access if you don’t know where you’re going. The guys wanting to wade may want to hit the tribs, like the Hoback and Gros Ventre. Any type of big Chernobyl foam ant with a big parachute post should work.”The Chubby Chernobyl. A productive late July/early August assasin.

Regarding the Gros Ventre, Salisbury suggests hitting the 40 or so miles above Slide Lake.

Flat Creek: The buzz this week in Jackson Hole is pointed toward Flat Creek, the valley’s killer, cutthroat-filled spring creek that rests just outside city limits. That fishery offers big cutthroats that can be taken on meaty attractor patterns the first few days of the season. After that they are tucked under the banks and must be teased out with specific insect imitations. When the creek opens Sunday carry some attractors but also pack some specific mayfly patterns in case you find a snout that isn’t eating the sick stuff.

“Water flows are great on Flat Creek and it should be a bonanza for the first couple days,” Salisbury said. “There will be some guys out there at 4 a.m. and it’s a religious thing for them. Try not to walk on the trails next to the

Brownzilla

If you've had your head in the sand you may not have seen what recently came out of the Yellowstone River— a massive 27-inch brown. The fish was taken on a white sculpin, which is a pattern and a color that takes most of the Yellowstone's largest trout.Monster, yo

This fish isn't a fluke. The Yellowstone boots out fish like this all year long, but it seems to me—admittedly I'm not an expert on the Yellowstone—that more large fish are landed during late winter and early spring than any other time. And that's your prompt. If you can, hit the Yellowstone now as it's on the drop and before it blows out during the next spell of warm weather you've got a good chance to take fish ranging between 18 and 24 inches. It's snowing in southwest Montana right now and the weather is expected to be cool for the next four or five days. The caddis hatch has started on the Yellowstone and any day might offer really good dry fly opportunity. But, if it doesn't, just pick up your streamer rod and get those sculpins down deep. One big fish a day should keep you happy. A fish like the one in these photos could make your life.

Fall Tactics for Pigs

IGalloup with a big fall brown.f you’ve thought about chasing the Madison River’s largest brown trout, at once envisioning yourself in a photo hoisting a five-pound-plus hookjawed male, now is the time to do so—air temperatures in southwest Montana are expected to creep into the mid-to high sixties this week and the Madison’s brown trout are concentrated in some easily accessible places.