Ennis Montana
- This topic has 18 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated Jun 16, 2011 at 8:41 pm by
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If you are going anytime soon you may want to check and see if it is underwater.
Seriously, I am going to the Glacier area toward the end of July and was wondering about the area myself.
Can anyone give me a heads up on the fishing in and around ennis montana?
That’s the 50-mile riffle area of the Madison.
plenty of good guides in that town. if you are going before July 1st, the bighole or beaverhead will be good options. if you go after july 1st, the madison will be a solid choice and is in your backyard. my buddy told me last summer that he lost more big fish last summer on the beaverhead than any other river and he guides for 5RL. there is always the jefferson, or if you can get on, the ruby which are great options. timing is everything out there so find a good guide and follow his reccomendations for your timeframe. i think joel thompson is somewhere out there, get ahold of him.
Bob, glacier is a solid days drive so unless you have lots of winshield time to kill you might want to look closer in. if you do have time, the drive is beautiful.
You need to plan on floating most of the water in that area, and it’d be a good time to hire a guide.
I wasn’t planning to go to Ennis, I was just wondering about the flooding problems in Montana in general and if they would likely have an effect in the Glacier area.
We are actually flying into Kalispell and driving through Glacier and up into the Banff area.
sorry for the confusion Bob, i have heard lake trout fishing can be good on Flathead. you should have a scenic trip, watch out for bears!
We are staying at all of the old lodges in Glacier National Park. I understand the fishing is not good, but I thought I would give it a shot anyway.
Bob,
Glacier’s certainly not up to Yellowstone standards but some fish can be found.
Going to be a killer mosquito year year here so stock up on feet if you are heading this way!
Joel
Joel,
Think you meant stocking up on “Deet” not “feet”, yes? 🙂
Regards,
ScottGoing to be a killer mosquito year year here so stock up on feet if you are heading this way!
Joel
Joel,
Think you meant stocking up on “Deet” not “feet”, yes? 🙂
Regards,
ScottGotta love spell check sometimes… 🙂 Yep, I meant to say Deet.
Joel
Maybe Ron will loan me his feet if I make it up there this year Joel. ;D
Feet aren’t easy, but…
You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude.
Maybe Ron will loan me his feet if I make it up there this year Joel. ;D
Mike those feet are old and worn out…I will see if I can find you a newer pair if you come!
The West is still in BIG runoff. My son guides in Missoula and doesn’t expect to be back to good fishing until July this year. Everthing is dropping but still far to high to safely wade. They will likely lose the entire floating season on Rock Creek. That said they will have epic fishing in July August and September.
The Beaverhead may still be muddy below High Bridge so call Frontier Anglers in Dillon and see.
The Madison will pretty much unwadeable until very late this summer – perhaps as late as August. Ennis is the lower Madison and isn;t wader friendly until August or September anyway. For a change, trying floating Ennis Lake for gulpers – big rainbows eating Callibaetis all morning. Try calling Brian Kimmel (http://www.briankimmelflyfishing.com/) He is a good guide with a special boat for Ennis Lake, member of US Fly Fishing team, and if you want to learn ti Czech nymph….
For Floating the Madison you can also call Jon Heames (http://jonathanheamesflyfishing.com/contact_me.htm). I’ve fished with him here and in Chile where he and his wife run a lodge.
To wade the Madison, stay high – up around Three Dollar Bridge. Better yet go into YSNP and fish the rivers there. They will have lots of water and the Firehole may still be open.
And, you can always drive under and hour to the Henry’s Fork. It will be very wadeable and fishing like crazy. You could still hit Green and Brown Drakes and will certainly have PMD,s. Mike Lawson and Trouthunter are both worldclass fly shops in Last Chance and will always pont you in the right direction.
Be safe and have fun!
Fishing to gulpers on Ennis Lake is allot of fun…..youll do better if your patient and pick your shots…constant casting puts them down. Wade fishing down in the Bear Trap can be fun too…kinda snakey though. Cheers.
Wade fishing down in the Bear Trap can be fun too…kinda snakey though. Cheers.
I’d think the water would be a bit warm by late July since Ennis Lake’s a big thermal sink, but with the precip this year all bets are off. What’s a buzzworm or two anyway?
Regards,
Scottps – read over on the Kingfisher site that Montana FWP may extend the float season on Rock Creek:
http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/fishing/nr_0587.html
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