Fishing Report:

As an FYI, the Upper Madison is closed from Quake Lake to McAtee Bridge and then from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake, so don't go fishing those areas this spring! Also, the Valley Garden access just re-opened today.

We have a couple of guides up there today, so we are still waiting to hear back from them. River clarity remains in good shape - fishing reports however are hit or miss - my best guess is that this stays fishable for another week or so - it's staying plenty cold to keep runoff at bay for the time being, but it's mother nature, who knows when that is going to change.

We have been scattered reports on the Upper mostly because the number of floats is limited as you can't fish above McAtee or below Ennis. The best place that we have heard to be fishing, is up between the lakes has been fishing about as well as anything, midge larvae, worms, assorted mayfly nymphs (red copper johns cough cough), that's really been the story up there - it's a bit of a drive, but it's always ice free and afternoons when it warms up the fishing can be good

Quite a few of the reports have been from people fishing Varney down - just a quick side note: the Ennis ramp is unusable so if you're heading to town you'll have to keep floating down all the way to the lake as Valley Gardens is still closed. Fly wise it's a good idea to be throwing up ruber legged stonefly imitations this time of year, trailed by a smaller beadhead off the back - worms, and eggs can be good too.

Fly pattern suggestions:
Dries: CDC Smoke Jumper Black & Red: 16-18 Kingreys Foam Rider Midge Black & Grey: 16-18 Double Cluster Hi Vis Gnat: 16-18 Hi Vis Emerger BWO: 16-18 CDC Emerger BWO: 16-18 Lipstick Butt BWO: 16-18

Nymphs: Little Bit of E: 16-18-20 S&M Nymph Olive: 16-18 Purple Lightning Bugs 16; San Juan Worm: 6-8-10 Delektable Purple Hurless: 6-8-10 Mr Rubberlegs Hares Ear: 6-8 Mega Pheasant Tail: 6-8 Turds: 6-8-10 Copper Johnson Red: 16-18-20 Mustang Sally: 16-18. Griddle Bugs 6-8

Streamers: Hairy Sculpin Brown & Olive: 2-4 Bow River Bugger Whiteface Blackie: 4-6 Rag Sculpin: 4-6 McCunes Sculpin Olive: 2-6