The Gibbon River’s status has improved measurably for the first time in quite a while - flows are still scraping the bottom of the barrel, but it’s definitely getting better. 

Flows remain quite low, today’s flow reading near Madison Junction was 71 cfs at 0600, with today’s average flow 94 cfs.  Flows have climbed out the record low range due to the rain and snow over the weekend, though flow peak from the rain has already occurred early yesterday.

Water temps on the lower Gibbon have finally cooled off, and shouldn’t be an issue from this point on out - it’s been a long, hot season, hasn’t it?

One of the more notable changes now is some BWO coming off both the lower and upper, as well as some caddis (small and dark).  There have already been a few fish in the lower river moving up from the Madison - we saw with our own eyes a plump 18 inch brown caught on the lower Gibbon Sunday as were talking to some old friends from Wyoming yesterday - not a lot of fall run fish up there yet, but at least this guy made it….

If we were going to work the Gibbon today - we’d probably drag a small olive, brown, or even black woolly bugger through the deeper runs - you’ll need to walk a bit, but it should work. 

We had a buddy report a very fun day working the pocket water above the falls - you have to be smart and read water pretty well, but there’s some decent, opportunistic fish in there.

Terrestrials are about done - this is probably the last week you’ll see them given the temps of late.

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Flies to have in the box:

Dries:  baetis - BWO, Blue Dun, Olive Sparkle Dun, Para-adams; Caddis - EHC, X Caddis, Electric Caddis - tan, olive, black;  Wulffs, assorted; your attractor package

Nymphs:  Lightning Bugs, green, gold, silver; PT- BH, FB; Copper John - original, red; San Juan worms, red, brown, olive, black; Soft Hackles, various; Rubberlegs, black, brown

Terrestials: Hoppers - Grand, Whit, Dave’s, Carnage, Kicking, Hoppinator; Beetles- Fire, Foam, HiVis, Sam’s;  Ants - Chernobyl, ParaAnt, black and cinnamon, CDC Flying ant, black, brown, cinnamon; Epoxy, same colors

Streamers:  Wooly Buggers, olive, brown, black; Sparkle Buggers, olive, brown, black; PT Bugger; Girdle Bugs

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