By Craig Mathews

At 4a.m. the skies are clear and bright in the Madison Valley after several lightening and thunderstorms passed last night. My rain gage shows just over .50" of moisture and friends north of here report over an inch. We will take it. The valley is still green and wildflowers can still be found blooming in the high country.

This morning I'm learning about fencing, both smooth and hot wire, and wildlife friendly. Cattle will be stung by the electric fence yet elk and deer will not due to their hollow hair. Todd and I head up the mountain to fence off a spring where our water collection box is as well as a short pipeline bringing cool spring water to our young west slope cutthroat fry in the tiny hatchery. A couple days ago cattle broke into the fenced off area and trampled the spring and riparian area that needs to be protected to provide quality water to our young fish.

Last night I was on the river in nasty thunder and lightening, hail and downpours. Rainbows developed from the West Fork of the Madison to the Henry's Lake Mountains when bright sunshine would peak through between blasts. Several lightening bolts drilled Sheep Point and the mountains above Raynolds Pass. Epeorus mayflies came off and trout took my cripple and dun patterns from 6 to 8pm. I came home early not bothering to stay late for caddis knowing I had to get up early and write this report. This morning I had a report from my fishing friend who said he had poor late evening caddis fishing due to the storm that came through just before dark near Uline Bench.

The night before Terry and I laughed as we had double hook-ups several times from 8-10p.m. That night it was all caddis and I know Terry landed over 15 good trout on Iris Caddis.

Another friend stopped by the shop last Monday during the Madison River Foundation's annual BRF/Madison River Foundation Day and said this has been the "best summer of evening fishing on the Madison since 1994". Dick has fished the river since the late 1940's and keeps a good journal. I too feel this has been a very strong season on the Madison but I go back to late winter, and spring, and our summer season to date and can say the same. The hatches have been phenomenal, the fish in great shape and their populations strong. Our winter midge times were the best in 30 years and spring midge and Baetis times were the best in recent memory. This summer's stone fly, caddis and mayfly activity has been incredible and with all the tiny grasshopper in the meadows along the river we should be set up for great terrestrial times in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned here and we will keep you posted.

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 spring and summer 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.