Just checked this thread -- the list I posted and which is copied above is the list of bugs I see and flies I use on the Henry's Fork at that time of year -- not the Madison. The top water (and I refer here to the upper 6 inches or so) fishing starts a tad earlier on the Henry's Fork.

Eric

Guess I'm a "throwback," as I still use a standard clinch knot for attaching the fly. I've been using it for over 50 years with few complaints, and best of all I can tie it blindfolded. My knot failures have almost always been pilot error in the tying, not the fault of the knot itself. I f...

Agree on the 4-weight comments for the Henry's Fork (Ranch water), Hebgen Lake and anything in the Park except perhaps the Yellowstone Canyon waters. A 4 can be a tad light IMO for the Madison between the lakes and below Quake as well -- not for casting or for fly size but because a big fish can rai...

I must admit to never using a dropper system any more. Seems to lead to all kinds of tangles and hassles for me. Twists from casting (that could just be my mediocre casting prowess), current twists, twists and tangles when playing a fish on either fly and tangles in the net webbing if you use one. ...

I've had some good luck with it, even in places where I wouldn't have thought it would work. I've always viewed it as a basic "design," and I've tied it in colors that are closer to an imitative pattern. In a size 18 tied with a kind of "pukey" chartreuse body and a dun colored &...

Nice flies. You'd hate to see my variety for PMDs. It goes on forever from floating nymph to flymph to cripple to dun. Even I don't know how many variations I have in the box!!

Eric

I've found counter-wrapped mono tippet material works well where you want a rib for strength but not for appearance. Even 7X holds up quite well.

Eric

Jim's Mauler uses the same hackle as you do, Ron. His abdomen IIRC is the Catskill Hendrickson "urine burned vixen fox fur" with a touch of pink added. He spins it using the Leisenring method on Pearsall's Primrose Gossamer. Tail is three fibers from the hackle feather. He wraps the hackle...

Your fly is pretty close to Jim's Madison Mauler, Ron. I think you could get away with fishing that in his backyard there on the Madison without having him take potshots at you. :-) I suspect the stretch Jim is on is the best big fish water on the Madison, and the amazing thing is that those big fis...

That second shot looks awfully good to the bumblers like me, Lance. Lovely design, and I am sure it will be very effective.

Eric