The best time to fly fish this section is during late spring and again in the fall. The wide open Madison Valley, combined with snow-capped peaks lining the sky line, make any day spent on the Madison River, whether it be fishing or just floating, worthwhile and thoroughly memorable. This section mixes a few Class III-IV rapids with the notorious Kitchen Sink Rapid, that becomes a Class V at higher water. Below Varvey Bridge, the Madison begins to form a character of its own. Large dry flies, in various Salmon Fly imitations, are the flies of choice during the hatch on the Madison River. Floating can begin just outside West Yellowstone. Yellowstone Lake Map. Using your boat as transport will allow you to cherry-pick the best riffles and effectively fish this section. Multiple side channels, deep undercut banks, and long slow runs are favorite two-handed rod anglers. This section of the Madison is best floated with a raft, canoe, or kayak. Successful wade fishing can be had in the channel and off the island in between the channels. Below Lyons Bridge, fishing from a boat is permitted. Popular fishing areas along the Madison. The town favorite. Tough (almost impossible) to fish in high water, we recommend fishing this section once flows are below 1,400 CFC (Below 1300 CFS is ideal). This is where the float fishing begins and it's a fairly popular launch site. Quake Lake was created in August of1959 when a 7.1 earthquake caused a massive rock slide that completely blocked the Madison River at the west end of Madison Canyon, creating a lake behind the slide. This will bring every fish in the river up and feed on these bugs. Stop by one of the local fly shops and pick the brains of some local experts, then proceed south on Hwy. The river also boasts a large population of crayfish that the fish are keyed in all year. However, summer pressure is a constant, and youll rarely have the river to yourself especially in the middle of the day. Below Quake Lake, the river flows for an additional four miles before reaching Raynolds Pass Fishing Access Site (FAS). . Ennis to Ennis Lake (The Channels) During the middle of the summer, the water temperature can creep to high temperatures, hampering feeding activity. Streamer fishing can provide for solid action for brown trout, while attractor patterns such as Wolly Buggers work well for rainbow trout. Whiting Dry Fly Cape - Bronze Grade Cree #010. Featuring locally sourced ingredients and focusing on Montana cuisine, youll leave the table full each night and the open bar is ready to provide you with a nightcap before retiring to your room. Due to the fast current, the fish on this section have little time to make up their mind about a particular fly, giving an angler some room for error in their presentations. In the mornings they tend to be deeper with the fish eating on near top in the afternoons. While float fishing is allowed downstream from Varney Bridge, this section of the river is an excellent place for the wade angler due to the reduced float traffic. This section of the Madison flows through the Bear Trap Wilderness Area in a narrow gorge characterized by some serious whitewater and difficult access. The last section of the Madison before its confluence with the Missouri River is what locals call The Lower. Providing a shoulder season fishery, The Lower gets too warm in the summer months to safely and ethically fish for trout. Current estimates put the number of rainbow trout in this section that are ten inches or greater over 1500-2000 fish per mile. The Madison River, perhaps the most famous of all the rivers in Montana, begins in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Firehole River and Gibbon River. Following the Salmon Fly hatch, this stretch of the Madison River provides some of the best dry fly fishing in the state. The technique used during the fall to catch these fish is the same as during the summer, fishing streamers right along the banks and in the holes. Additionally, the Madison River takes on more of a characteristic trout stream look, with vegetation along the banks, some holes and undercut banks. We offer both full and half-day guided fly fishing trips on the Lower Madison. All of Montanas trout streams are wild trout fisheries in that their populations are fully self-sustaining. Unfortunately, high, cloudy water can severely hamper dry fly fishing during the hatch on the Madison River. The bulk of the fly fishing pressure on this stretch occurs during the Salmon Fly hatch. https://mapstore.avenza.com/public/417078/ Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Gallatin River Lodge Located just 10 minutes west of Bozeman, Montana sits the Gallatin River Lodge. The Madison runs right past the town of Ennis, making for a convenient take out point before Ennis Lake and the slow water downstream to the lake. This time of the year is a very good time to fly fish the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, as the vast bulk of the crowds are gone. Flowing out of Quake lake, the Madison begins flowing at a steep and boulder-strewn pitch. The river will typically be in pretty poor shape for 2-3 weeks each year in late May and early June but still remains fishable to some degree. Stay away from this section if you are seeking solitude or dont want to have to deal with numerous and noisy rafts floating by. Our expert staff is supported by a fully-stocked fly shop. When the timing is just right, there can be a week or two of fantastic dry fly fishing with big dries fished close to the banks. Learn more about these dedicated fishing rafts. You can find some of the largest and feistiest fish of the year during March and April. Over the course of a Montana . The Madison River begins in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers. Still part of the wade only section, boats are permitted here, but fishing from the boat is not allowed. Trout in the Madison consist mainly of rainbows and browns running in the 10-16 inch range. Through Beartrap Canyon, the Madison River is hemmed in by towering canyon walls and has almost constant whitewater. Access to this stretch of the Madison River is difficult. This is the time of year when water temperatures are ideal for keeping the fish feeding throughout the day, water levels keep the larger fish spread out throughout the river, and the weeds are not an issue. There have been periods of good dry fly fishing, streamer fishing, and nymph fishing but it has been all over the place for the most part. Our pristine "wade only" section of river is renowned for its excellent fly fishing. Large, dark, and articulated streamers fished on an intermediate sinking line can bring you the fish of the year. A 3-day license costs $18, 7-days $25, and . Caddisflies . Below Varney Bridge, the river still runs quickly up until Ennis, where it begins to slow substantially until reaching Ennis Lake. 406-223-2488 BOOK ONLINE. The crowds are generally sparser, and the landscape becomes alive as the leaves begin to change colors. From its origin, it flows for more than 140 miles through exceptionally beautiful scenery before it reaches the Missouri River near the town of Three Forks, Montana. Copyright 2002 - 2022 Big Sky Fishing.Com, Detailed Fly Fishing Information for the Madison River, Photographs of the Madison River & Madison Valley, Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, Fishing the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, Detailed scientific studies about the Madison River and Yellowstone Area, Raynolds Pass Fishing Access Site (FAS): 97.7, Highway 84 Bridge (end Beartrap Canyon): 31. Mid-summer fishing has steadily been improving the last few years and we are expecting this trend to continue with the repairs to Hebgen Dam now complete. Below the bridge, and for the next eight miles up to Lyons Bridge, the Madison River has an extremely fast flow with quite a few pockets of Class II whitewater, along with some large waves. Fishing is seasonal in nature, with the best fly fishing being during early summer and again in the fall. The Redington Strike Fly Rod is designed for Euro Nymph fly fishing, delivering precise accuracy and excellent power. A map of the upper Madison River is a helpful reference when planning your trip to Montana. Take your time here and remember that fish are lethargic and will not move far for food, and keep in mind once you find one trout, the odds are high, youll find many more. The river is formed in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole rivers, just outside of West Yellowstone, Montana. Beginning in late July (or once the water has cleared and the air temperature has warmed) and lasting for the remainder of the summer, grasshopper patterns work very well on the Madison River. West Madison - 4 miles down. A quiet trout town on the banks of the Madison River, Ennis is positioned within two hours of eight of our nation's . Toulouse, the Pink City. A bad cast, unless it is a really bad one, usually will not spook a feeding trout. Fishing hopper patterns is an excellent way to take large trout during the summer. Once it leaves the park it flows into a huge reservoir named Hebgen lake. Wading in spots can be pretty precarious, and sturdy wading boots with studs and wading staffs are recommended. No section on this river should pose any problem to floating. Well be looking primarily for big Browns in the 20-25 range this time that are looking for slow-moving crayfish and sculpin patterns fished under an indicator. This upper section is like a giant spring creek. Check out the rates and availability. The Madison River is fly fishing only in Yellowstone National Park. Listed below are river miles between selected access points. Its always tough to time just right, but we usually have a pretty good idea of when to expect the hatch by early May every year. Below you'll find a link to download our Madison River map. Precise casts and careful approaches are required to avoid spooking the fish. Be prepared for all four seasons when in the Madison valley during the fall. Salmon flies steal the show on the Madison in late June or early July (water temp dependent) bringing the largest fish in the river to eat your dry fly. You can take a boat through the river but cannot fish out of it. The Madison river fishing is divided into the upper stretch and lower stretch each of which seems to be completely different waters. Euro nymphing tactics with large stonefly patterns and small flashy nymphs are productive year-round, and streamer fisherman finds success on a variety of sculpin patterns fished behind the boulders. Madison River fishing is great in Yellowstone National Park. High water rarely slows this section down, and water clarity stays consistent enough to fish when most area rivers are blown out and unfishable. For this reason, wade fishing below Hebgen Dam and again downstream from Quake Lake is quite popular. The area around this rockslide has been preserved as the 38,000 acre Madison River Canyon Earthquake Area. As a result, late spring and the fall are the best times to fish on this section. Popular flies include the Emergent Sparkle Pupa, Elk Hair Caddis, Sparkle Dun, Pale Morning Dun, Parachute Adams and the Green Drake, all in sizes 12-16. The Madison River is the most famous fly fishing river in the West and remains the gold standard by which all other western rivers are judged. The dry fly fishing can be excellent on the lower Madison during the hatch, but the best fishing is typically had on warm, cloudy days and during the last few hours of daylight. 287, which conveniently parallels the Madison its entire length. Many of the big Browns seem to disappear once the heat of the summer gets here but are found once again as the days get shorter and the nights cooler. This section is prime brown trout territory, and youll find the largest browns of the river system here. This is a quality over quantity stretch well suited to streamer fly fishing. With its ability to cater to anglers of all skills and knowledge levels, trout in ample numbers are to be had. If you're looking to catch monster brown trout, check out the section from Varney Bridge to Ennis. Iconic to Southwest Montana, the Madison River originates in Yellowstone National Park where the Firehole and Gibbon come together. The relatively low fishing pressure combined with the prohibition on float fishing makes this an ideal place for the wade angler who is in search of large brown trout. Once you learn where the fish are, however, youll begin to pick this section apart very effectively. Take your time here and remember that fish are lethargic and will not move far for food, and keep in mind once you find one trout, the odds are high, youll find many more. 1-406-586-2188 View Cart () View Cart . Were happy to help provide a list of things to do and the team at GRL will assist as well. 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