On The Road: 100 Mile Riffle

The 100-mile riffle of the Madison River: One of Montana's jems boasting prolific insect hatches and some of the biggest-shouldered fish in the state. Friday we rolled out with the whole crew from the Bitterroot and being greeted in Ennis with a sunny sky and no wind (what? no wind on the Madison?) we allowed ourselves a bit more optimism than usual. Anglers are prone to such thinking. The Madison fished well for us, with browns slashing at streamers on most undercut banks and a few looking for dry flies in slow side channel pockets. This river is beginning to grow on me. I need to try to sneak away from guiding to hit it when in its prime.