Yellowstone rod?
We are once again planning our annual Yellowstone trip. Not that we go once a year, I've never been. But we plan to go "next" year about every year at this time. Being ummm financially embarrassed planning is all we've ever been able to do.I have a 9 ft 5 wt rod that I adore. Would this rod be ok for fishing the Madison? Especially where at its confluence? I've seen pictures and that's the one place I want to fish more than any other. Thanks in advance,hNt
"If we lie to the government, it's called a felony, when they lie to us, it's called politics." Bill Murray
That's the perfect rod for your Madison trip. Planning is half the fun.
Jason;
herefishy is right that was my go to rod when Kaboom1 and I were there.
Early to mid September would be a good time to go.
Sure, you can use a nine foot five weight rod on the Madison River at any time of the year. In fact, I most often use a 9 foot four weight rod myself most of the time in the Yellowstone area. Two points to consider, however, is that the weather can become quite cold there on some days at this time of the year, and much of the best fishing there at this time of the year in the Madison River is for run up Browns coming out of Hebgen Lake, and/or fishing with large streamers. If you plan on doing much of that fishing, you might also want to consider having a heavier outfit to complement the five weight.
If you are hoping to fish stonefly nymphs or streamers (aka for run-up fish), you are seriously undergunned. A 9-10' 6-7 is much better.
In my opinion, the two most common mistakes people make when they come here are not bringing a 6-weight and defaulting to leaders that are too long and too light. I've yet to use 5X on the Yellowstone this year, for example.
Agree with Walter and John. If you do the Barns Hole thing (I'm not much of a nymph fisherman, but it is cool), you'll want something heavier. We fished stonefly nymphs, big hare's ears, spaghetti & meatballs and neaded a bit of non-tox shot to get them down where the fish were.
Regards,
Scott
hNt,
You are some sound advice here for fishing some of the larger western rivers. The 9 foot 5 and 6 weight rods are the mainstay of fly fishing out here. One weight difference doesn't seem like much but when casting either very large dry flies in a stiff wind or chucking out heavy nymphing rigs, the 6 weight can really help you out over the 5 weight. I use both weights when fishing but I set the 5 weight aside when it really gets to blowing. Casting is much easier then with the 6 weight.
Also please note the suggestion about using a longer rod when nymphing. Personally I use 11 foot 6 weight rods for that purpose. Most people go with the 10 foot rods. The longer rods offer a huge advantage when casting, both in giving you a great reach cast and in a mend cast when the line first hits the water. When nymphing the whole idea is to get the flies to sink down to the bottom along a certain seam or place in the river. That requires a drag free drift and big mends really help out by giving the fly time to sink to the bottom, and then drift drag free for as long as possible. Sure, you can cast the same with a 9 foot rod but you are really going to be using your whole upper body and wearing out your casting arm in a hurry compared to an easy flick of the wrist and lower arm. Also, the 10 or 11 foot rods act as a great shock absorber when fighting a fish. The rod makes it a whole lot easier to control the fish. The fish ends up fighting the rod rather than you having to let out more line, so you tend to get the fish to the boat quicker which means less stress on the fish and on you.
Someday you will make it out west to our great rivers. Just make sure you are armed with the proper arsenal of rods.
Larry ---sagefisher---
The 9' 5wt is my mainstay fly rod. Do use an eight footer in tighter places. Also, I have a 7wt that I tote along in the truck - call it my "windy river rod".
I've fished the Madison for over 20 years and have NEVER used a 6 weight. My go-to fly rod is a 10 ft 5wt GLX. If you are going to use large streamers, then take a 6/7 weight but for nymphing and for dries, even during the salmon fly hatch, I use a 5 wt.
I go with a friend and he takes a 5 and a 4 wt. I take a 10 ft 5 wt, a 9 ft 5 wt and a 9 ft 4 wt.
By the "confluence" of the Madison, are you referring to Madison Junction in Yellowstone Park where the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers join to form the Madison River? The Madison is a smaller river at Madison Junction than it is outside the park at $3 Bridge, for example. It is also a slower flowing river at the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole; and during fall, the flows will be lower. For these reasons, I think a 9 ft 5 wt will be sufficient.
If you have a 6 wt take it as a "backup" but I would not buy a 6 wt just for this trip.
Regards,
Silver
"Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"..........Szent-Gyorgy
I was wondering the same thing. I understood the original post to ask about the confluence on the Madison. Not sure why the focus became the Barns Pools which are a long ways from Madison Junction.
I realize that the Barns Pools are popular in the fall and have fished there myself at that time of year, but there are other, less crowded places, to fish the Madison and a 5 wt. would be fine for the majority of the Madison (excepting the Barns Pools).
If you want to fish the Barns Pools with a heavier line for a day or so, you will be just a few miles from West Yellowstone and Jacklin's Fly Shop where you could rent one by the day.
One of the more popular rivers in Yellowstone wI'll be the Firehole. Though smaller water, with smaller fish, the 5 wt will work out OK there too.
Last edited by Byron haugh; 10-12-2014 at 08:53 PM.
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