“I know a morning cup of coffee on the porch with your best friend is a simple and universally small thing. But it is also everything.” Christina Koch, astronaut.
A walk in the park
This time a people park.
Esperanza.
Pride of Barbados.
Texas sage bursting forth.
A day at the park
The dog park.
A budding garden
It looks like an ordinary welcome mat.
But there is something else going on. Zoom in close.
It’s a tiny volunteer garden that popped up after we got rain a week ago and the mat got wet. The mat is in front of the deck stairs, in the shade of the driveway cover. These are just the primary “first leaves” so we can’t I.D. them. We could give the mat a good brushing and dry it out in the sun to save it, but at the risk of sacrificing the mat, we’d rather watch for secondary leaves to appear and figure out who these hardy pioneers are.
We’ll call it a science experiment.
FW: Madison River Outfitters Fishing Report 4/10/2026
It’s that time of year again.
It’s that time of year again.
We’re getting weekly updates from Madison River Outfitters, thinking they can tempt us with flyfishing opportunities in Montana.
From: Madison River Outfitters <trout@madisonriveroutfitters.com>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2026 8:30 AM
To: Steve Taylor <spt@thetaylorcompany.net>
Subject: Madison River Outfitters Fishing Report 4/10/2026
Madison River Fishing Report WeatherView this email in your browser We’re Starting to get Rolling Here in West Yellowstone! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Connor roped this beautiful brown on the Upper Madison this weekend .with Guide Tyler………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Montana Hebgen & Quake Lakes: Not surprisingly, the ice is starting to come off pretty early this year. Both arms of Hebgen are now clear of the hard stuff, and the good majority of the main lake is open too! Quake is on the same page as Hebgen, with a good chunk of it being open, mostly centralized towards the outflow side. Get out there and strip some leeches and chironomids before the lakes flip! Flies We’re Fishing: #14 Black & Red Nugget, #14 O.S. Buzzer, #16 Lake Prince, #8 Black or Olive Simi-Seal Leech, #8 Black Hot Bead Leech, #8 Vegas Booby Leech, #6 Black/Olive Wooly Bugger. Madison Flows: Hebgen Lake Inflow: 778 CFS Hebgen Lake Outflow: 665 CFS Kirby Flows: 770 CFS Cameron Flows: 960 CFS Water Temp @ Kirby: High 49F Low 37F Flows as of 12PM April 9th 2026 ———————————————————————————————–  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. A bottlenosed brute out of the Upper Madison this Weekend for Connnor’s Dad Al …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Upper Madison: The 50 Mile Riffle is fishing great right now. its getting some mid-day green tea color from our early warm days but nothing too bad. Nymphing has been super solid as always, with plenty of fish coming to hand on stoneflies, small mayfly imitations, and smaller midges. The risers are there on days with no wind sipping midges ranging in sizes from 22 all the way to 18. Streamers have been getting them both stripped and swung as well. Flies We’re Fishing: #16 & #18 TBH Red Neck, #18 Olive SH Hare’s Ear, #12 & #14 Black Rubberleg Stone, #16 Firestarter, #16 Sunburst Perdigon, #20 JJ Midge, #16 Bucky’s Midge Cluster, #20 Griffith’s Gnat, #20 Parachute Adams, #8 Black Hot Bead Leech, #10 Black Jig Leech, #6 Mini Sex Dungeon Black or Olive, #8 Kreelex, #6 Copper Zonker ———————————————————————————————–  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. BENT! …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. YNP Madison, Firehole, Gibbon: The Madison from the Wyoming/Montana border to its entrance into Hebgen Lake is open to fishing year round, and beginning this year, the Firehole and Gibbon will be open upon the park’s opening to wheeled vehicles – Friday April 17th. Expect water to be a bit higher and more off color than in years past with the Memorial Day opener, but there should be plenty of early hatches in there! Gallatin: The YNP section of the Gallatin will open as usual with the rest of the parks general fishing season on the Saturday of memorial day, May 23rd. The Montana stretch to big sky is fishing OK but is going to be pretty chalky and opaque downstream of the Taylor Fork. The river is still very cold but we are turning some fish almost exclusively on small nymphs. NE Corner: Everything up in the NE Corner is going to be too high & muddy to bother fishing until June or July. YNP Flows Firehole: 286 CFS Gibbon: 147 CFS Madison: 479 CFS Yellowstone Outlet: 591 CFS Gallatin: 466 CFS Lamar: 1390 CFS Soda Butte: gage is gone!  ———————————————————————————————- Get out there! ~Product of the Week~ Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket  Get prepared early for nasty spring weather with this bulletproof rain shell from Patagonia.Simple and unpretentious, Patagonia’s trusted Torrentshell 3L Jacket uses 3-layer H2No® Performance Standard technology for exceptional waterproof/breathable performance, all-day comfort and long-lasting waterproof durability. Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.  We are now booking trips for the 2026 season and still have some openings for this spring, summer, and fall season. Be sure to make your reservations early to ensure you can book the guide you want. Book Now  Madison River Outfitters Gift Card Free shipping on all domestic orders over $200 Orders typically ship the next business day! MRO Logo Wear – Hats, Fishing Shirts & Gear  Read the MRO fishing blog here If you have a fishing buddy that may enjoy our newsletters please feel free to forward this email to them. Subscribe To Our Newsletter! Be sure to follow us below on Instagram and Facebook to see our daily picture posts.  FacebookInstagramWebsiteEmail Give us a ring at 1.406.646.9644 for the most updated reportsCurrent Shop Hours After 4/15/2026 8:00am-5pm On-line Fly Shop Open 24/7 Our shop address is: 125 Canyon Street West Yellowstone, MT 59758 Our mailing address is: PO Box 398 West Yellowstone, MT 59758  unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Copyright © 2018 Madison River Outfitters, All rights reserved. |
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
A bottlenosed brute out of the Upper Madison this Weekend for Connnor’s Dad Al
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Upper Madison: The 50 Mile Riffle is fishing great right now. its getting some mid-day green tea color from our early warm days but nothing too bad. Nymphing has been super solid as always, with plenty of fish coming to hand on stoneflies, small mayfly imitations, and smaller midges. The risers are there on days with no wind sipping midges ranging in sizes from 22 all the way to 18. Streamers have been getting them both stripped and swung as well.
Flies We’re Fishing: #16 & #18 TBH Red Neck, #18 Olive SH Hare’s Ear, #12 & #14 Black Rubberleg Stone, #16 Firestarter, #16 Sunburst Perdigon, #20 JJ Midge, #16 Bucky’s Midge Cluster, #20 Griffith’s Gnat, #20 Parachute Adams, #8 Black Hot Bead Leech, #10 Black Jig Leech, #6 Mini Sex Dungeon Black or Olive, #8 Kreelex, #6 Copper Zonker
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
BENT!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
YNP
Madison, Firehole, Gibbon: The Madison from the Wyoming/Montana border to its entrance into Hebgen Lake is open to fishing year round, and beginning this year, the Firehole and Gibbon will be open upon the park’s opening to wheeled vehicles – Friday April 17th. Expect water to be a bit higher and more off color than in years past with the Memorial Day opener, but there should be plenty of early hatches in there!
Gallatin: The YNP section of the Gallatin will open as usual with the rest of the parks general fishing season on the Saturday of memorial day, May 23rd. The Montana stretch to big sky is fishing OK but is going to be pretty chalky and opaque downstream of the Taylor Fork. The river is still very cold but we are turning some fish almost exclusively on small nymphs.
NE Corner: Everything up in the NE Corner is going to be too high & muddy to bother fishing until June or July.
YNP Flows
Firehole: 286 CFS
Gibbon: 147 CFS
Madison: 479 CFS
Yellowstone Outlet: 591 CFS
Gallatin: 466 CFS
Lamar: 1390 CFS
Soda Butte: gage is gone!
Get out there!
~Product of the Week~
Patagonia Torrentshell Rain Jacket
Get prepared early for nasty spring weather with this bulletproof rain shell from Patagonia.
Simple and unpretentious, Patagonia’s trusted Torrentshell 3L Jacket uses 3-layer H2No® Performance Standard technology for exceptional waterproof/breathable performance, all-day comfort and long-lasting waterproof durability. Fair Trade Certified™ sewn.
We are now booking trips for the 2026 season and still have some openings for this spring, summer, and fall season. Be sure to make your reservations early to ensure you can book the guide you want.
Book Now
Madison River Outfitters Gift Card
Free shipping on all domestic orders over $200
Orders typically ship the next business day!
MRO Logo Wear – Hats, Fishing Shirts & Gear
Read the MRO fishing blog here
If you have a fishing buddy that may enjoy our newsletters please feel free to forward this email to them.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter!
Be sure to follow us below on Instagram and Facebook to see our daily picture posts.
Website
Give us a ring at 1.406.646.9644 for the most updated reports
Current Shop Hours After 4/15/2026
8:00am-5pm
On-line Fly Shop Open 24/7
Our shop address is:
125 Canyon Street
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 398
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
Copyright © 2018 Madison River Outfitters, All rights reserved.