Madison River
Fishing the Madison River
© Vertical Media
The Madison River flows from southwest Montana to its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers near Three Forks, Montana. Throughout its journey, it is home to some of the best fishing for rainbow, brown and the occasional westslope cutthroat trout. more info
Madison River Listings: (add your listing)
Big Sky Anglers - Premier Madison River Trips
The finest guided fly fishing trips on the Madison, Yellowstone, Gallatin & Missouri. Enjoy your day with the best - rod, reels, flies, lunch and happiness all-inclusive.
(406) 581-6059
Madison River Outfitters - Madison River trips
West Yellowstone's premier fly fishing outfitter offers guided float and wade-fishing trips to the Madison, and other regional waters including Yellowstone Park.
(800) 646-9644
Madison River Guides - 2008 filling fast!
Who knows how to fish the Madison River best? Those who live & operate along the river everyday. Based near Ennis, we offer exceptional experiences for experts and beginners.
(406) 682-5654
Orvis
Quality fly fishing gear, womens clothing, mens clothing, travel clothing, dog beds, Barbour, men's leather jackets and outerwear, BUZZ OFF and gifts.
Other Related Listings: (add your listing)
Bud Lilly's Trout Shop
West Yellowstone's legendary fly outfitter since 1950, we're experts on all Yellowstone waters like the Madison, Henry's Fork, and Yellowstone rivers.
(800) 854-9559
Firehole Ranch - All Inclusive Guided Fishing Pkgs
Offering historic & elegant accommodations, 5-Star cuisine & guided trips into Yellowstone. Located on Hegben Lake, we fish the Madison daily with the best guides around.
(406) 646-7294
Greater Yellowstone Fly Fishers - Bozeman MT
Guided fly fishing trips on area spring creeks, Yellowstone & Madison Rivers. In Bozeman, we are a full-service shop just 10 mins from the airport.
(406) 585-5321
KBear Cafe & Blue Moon Saloon
Fishing the Madison River? We have the best dining, store & lounge in the region. Stop by for breakfast, on-the-river lunches & drinks afterward.
(406) 682-4612
Wilderness Edge Log Lodges & Rustic Cabins
Near Cliff Lake, just 45 minutes from Yellowstone, offering premium log lodges and rustic cabins, ideal for visiting fishermen and Park Visitors. 10 mins to Madison River.
(877) 753-2535
YD Flies - Fishing Flies at 20% below wholesale!
Planning your fishing trip to Montana? Order your flies today and we'll have them to you before you go! Excellent quality, 20% below wholesale!
(970) 927-7089
In mid-May, snow runoff begins to fill the Madison with higher water and lots of aquatic food. Big browns and rainbows quickly pick-up on this annual phenomenon and become more active and aggressive at larger streamer flies like buggers and sculpin patterns. This also stimulates the natural cycles for caddis, mayfly and stonefly species, most notably the "Salmon fly" hatch which occurs from late-May through early July. This "hatch" generally moves 3-4 miles a day upstream starting around Greycliffe access on the lower river and finishing up in Yellowstone Park just around Independence Day.
When the Madison clears and drops to its summer levels by early July, hatches of PMDs, Caddis and Golden Stones (aka Yellow Sallies) are common. Late summer days are great for terrestrials such as hoppers, flying ants and beetles, with terrific action in late evening hours on egg-laying caddis. The best time for non-stop dry fly fishing is from 8:30-11pm (yes, well after darkness has fallen).
As September rolls around, fish continue to respond to hoppers and terrestrials by day, then begin watching out for sculpin and baitfish patterns again during evening hours. Cooling water temperatures signal an end to the easy food periods of mid summer, and often bring bigger fish out to make their final push for putting on weight before the frigid periods of winter.
Though you can spin fish and use bait on some sections, fly fishing the Madison River is the local's preference. We've seen first hand how easy it could be to fill a cooler with 14-20" brown trout by using nothing but night crawlers in a deep hole. There's no fun to this, and it only depletes this valuable resource we are all trying to conserve. Madison River fly fishing requires patience, stealth, fortitude and an open mind to try new techniques when normal ones aren't working. Don't worry, the trout are always there. By experimenting with a slightly different drift, leader and sinker tactic, or twitch added to your favorite streamer, you'll eventually come away victorious.
The best people to seek advice from for fly fishing the Madison River are the fly shops found in the communities of Ennis, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Three Forks and Manhattan, Montana.
West Yellowstone, MT Weather
Currently Outside 30FChilly. |
Other pages you might find helpful:
Snake River Outfitters / Fishing Guides
Snake River fly fishing outfitters and trip guides.
