One of the famous “Three Forks” with the Madison and Gallatin. The Jefferson originates in the town of Twin Bridges, MT. Some locals say this is their favorite streamer river with plentiful populations of aggressive brown trout. Check the Jefferson reports frequently as it sometimes gets low with irrigation pressure in the summer months.
Best Fly: med. sized streamer
Water Conditions: marginal
Weather Conditions: warm
Floated or Waded: floated
Section of Water Fished: High
Water has cleared up from the earlier rains. Surface fishing is a dud, the only equation I have had luck with is dead drifting streamers and double nymph rigs. A few hoppers are making it to the banks but not many yet. Hoppers will be the go to shortly.
Best Fly: Prince nymph
Water Conditions: good
Weather Conditions: hot and lots of sun
Floated or Waded: floated
Section of Water Fished:
We were lucky and hit the Jef on a good day. Fish were busy filling their guts. Mainly feeding on nymphs. Dry action was pretty dead. Did alot of dropping a prince nymph off a neon bellied attractor. Only once did I have a strike at the attractor, but they loved the prince nymph.
Best Fly: Streamers and nymphs
Water Conditions: decent
Weather Conditions: sunny with clouds
Floated or Waded: floated
Section of Water Fished:
We had a very interesting day, could not pattern the fish at all. Dries were very slow, but did take a couple of fish. More fish were caught by stripping streamers and nymphs.
Best Fly: various nymphs
Water Conditions: approx 1200 cfs, high
Weather Conditions: sunny
Floated or Waded: floated
Section of Water Fished:
I took Diana’s advice and went subsurface. We did ok, maybe 8 or 9 fish in 2 hours between my son and I. Nymphs primarilary, and which nymph they liked varried. Most popular was the plain old copper john. Sam also threw a couple of different streamers. Had a couple of hits but that was all. Headed up to Hylite this evening.
Best Fly: #14 stimulator
Water Conditions: Around 1500 cfs, pretty high
Weather Conditions: nice
Floated or Waded: floated
Section of Water Fished:
Not the best fishing today. Had a report yesterday that it was killer but that was not our experience. We stayed dry, so maybe that was our issue. I think it you throw streamers or drop something subsurface you would catch some more fish. We pulled maybe 7 or 8 fish the entire day. All on smaller stimulators in the riffles. We did see a few hoppers on the banks but not enough to have the fish in a frenzy. Hopper season is approaching soon!