madison-river

Madison River is a river in Montana.

It ranks #1 among the 17 waters of Montana in the registry, and is of national prominence.

Also called The Madison.

Fished for trout (inferred from the species listed).

Species: rainbow trout, brown trout and mountain whitefish.

USGS GNIS record: 801119.

It shares a watercourse with Madison River (Yellowstone National Park), Wyoming and Firehole River, Wyoming.

Stretches: Bear Trap Canyon, Between the Lakes, Lyons Bridge to McAtee Bridge, McAtee Bridge to Varney Bridge, Quake Lake to Lyons Bridge, The Channels, Varney Bridge to Ennis, Lower Madison and Upper Madison.

Access points: Eight Mile Ford, Ennis Bridge, Lyons Bridge, McAtee Bridge, Palisades, Raynolds Pass, Ruby Creek, Three Dollar Bridge, Valley Garden, Varney Bridge and Windy Point.

Confluences: Three Forks and Cabin Creek.

Holes: Burnt Tree Hole.

Features: Slide Inn, Hebgen Dam and Ennis Lake.

Baker's Hole (hole). It is fishable. Listed with the Barns Pools, Beaver Meadows, Grasshopper Bank and Cable Car Run in a Fly Anglers Online Yellowstone-area thread. Baker's Hole is on the Madison upstream of Hebgen (Gallatin National Forest near West Yellowstone), not inside the Park; single forum source.

Black's Ford (access). It is fishable and launchable. Usual float endpoint on the Lower Madison. Also called Blacks Ford.

It is upstream of Greycliff.

It is downstream of Warm Springs.

Greycliff (access). It is fishable and launchable. Other usual float endpoint on the Lower Madison (Montana Angler uses 'Greycliff'). Not to be confused with Greycliff on the Yellowstone. Also called Grey Cliff.

It is upstream of Three Forks.

It is downstream of Black's Ford.

Warm Springs (access). It is fishable and launchable. Start of the Lower Madison; usual put-in. Also called Warm Springs access.

It is upstream of Black's Ford.

It is downstream of Ennis Lake.

Cameron Flats (feature). It is fishable. Named by Big Sky Anglers ('enough water to get through Cameron Flats' on a McAtee to 8 Mile float). Position within the float is not stated; no ordering asserted.

Pine Butte (access). It is fishable and launchable. Listed between Raynolds and Lyon's in Slide Inn's ramp status list. Montana Angler also names Pine Butte as the lower end of the winter-fishing reach below Quake Lake.

It is upstream of Lyons Bridge.

It is downstream of Raynolds Pass.

Storey Ditch (access). It is launchable. Slide Inn ramp list between McAtee and Varney; spelled 'Storey Ditch' (ramp list) and 'Story Ditch' (other report). Also called Story Ditch.

It is upstream of Varney Bridge.

It is downstream of McAtee Bridge.

West Fork Madison (confluence). It is fishable. Enters just above Lyons Bridge and can bring sediment at runoff (Montana Angler). Also called West Fork of the Madison.

It is upstream of Lyons Bridge.

It is downstream of Raynolds Pass.

Float: Lyons to Windy, from Lyons Bridge to Windy Point.

Float: Lyons Bridge to Palisades, from Lyons Bridge to Palisades.

Float: Varney Bridge to Ennis, from Varney Bridge to Ennis Bridge.

Float: Windy Point to McAtee Bridge, from Windy Point to McAtee Bridge.

Float: Palisades to Ruby Creek, from Palisades to Ruby Creek.

Float: Mac to 8 Mile, from McAtee Bridge to Eight Mile Ford.

Float: Varney to 8 Mile, from Varney Bridge to Eight Mile Ford.

Float: McAtee to Varney, from McAtee Bridge to Varney Bridge.

Sourced from 4 independent fly sites.

Sources: fireholeranch.com (retrieved 2026-10-20), Fly Anglers Online, Montana Angler (retrieved 2026-10-20), mrfc.com, outsidebozeman.com, Slide Inn, Slide Inn (2), Slide Inn (3), Slide Inn (4), Slide Inn (5) and wp.bigskyanglers.com.

Hatches

Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis, late summer)

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug hatching, peak
  9. Sep hatching, peak
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: August 20 - September 20

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Terrestrials

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug hatching, peak
  9. Sep hatching, peak
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: August 1 - September 20

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

March Brown

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Late April to mid-May on both Upper and Lower; size 10-14, mostly 12; said to be on the rise in recent years.

Sources: Montana Angler

Grasshoppers, ants and beetles

Stage: adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching, peak
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: mid/late July onset

Common by mid to late July. Lately smaller hoppers (14-16) and black or brown ants and beetles (16-18) are favored. Hopper fishing can last into early October on sunny days.

Sources: Montana Angler

Spruce Moth

Stage: adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

River above Ruby Creek; size 14-16. A terrestrial moth, not an aquatic hatch.

Sources: Montana Angler

Rhyacophila caddis (spelled Rhycophilla by source)

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug hatching, peak
  9. Sep hatching, peak
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: August 20 - September 20

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Arctopsyche Caddis (spotted caddis) (Arctopsyche)

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching, peak
  7. Jul hatching, peak
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: June 20 - July 15

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: emerger, nymph. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar hatching
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Spring emergence runs late March to May, any day. On the Lower Madison overcast days fish best; on the Upper, sun and cloud are about equal. Size 14-16 in spring, 16-22 in fall; emergers in late spring, nymphs in fall. The main source gives no fall months; a templated chart (low confidence) lists September-November.

Sources: The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place, Montana Angler, The Fly Fishing Place

Salmonfly

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching, peak
  7. Jul hatching, peak
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: June 20 - July 10

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Salmonfly

Stage: nymph, adult. Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Reported starts differ: mid-June on the Lower Madison and working upstream into July on one page; late June or early July after runoff on another. Size 4-8; any one spot sees it for only a few days; the Bear Trap hatch often falls during high water.

Sources: Montana Angler

Mother's Day Caddis

Stage: adult. Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching, peak
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: around Mother's Day (mid-May)

Start differs between pages: late April, usually around Mother's Day, on one; mid-May on another. Bulk on the Lower Madison. Size 14-16 most prevalent (12-20 range).

Sources: Montana Angler

Yellow Sally

Stage: nymph, adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Nymphs active from early June; adults from mid-June to early August. Nymphs run size 8-16, mostly 10 and 12, and are eaten daily; adults fly erratically and trout seldom target them. Upper and Lower.

Sources: Montana Angler

Eperous mayfly (spelling as published; likely Epeorus)

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching, peak
  8. Aug hatching, peak
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: July 10 - August 20

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Golden Stonefly

Stage: nymph, adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Follows the salmonfly; size 8-12.

Sources: Montana Angler

Pale Morning Dun

Stage: nymph, dun. Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
  • Jun, Jul, per Montana Angler
  • Jun, Jul, Aug, per The Fly Fishing Place

Begins late June, through July; size 14-16, mostly 16. The Upper Madison and the 50-Mile Riffle above Ennis are noted for exceptional hatches. Nymphs available year-round. A templated chart (low confidence) extends the hatch into August.

Sources: Montana Angler

Hydropsyche Caddis (Hydropsyche)

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun hatching, peak
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching, peak
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: June 20 - August 10

Reach: Quake Lake to Lyon's Bridge/Ennis.

Sources: fireholeranch.com

Caddis (Upper Madison, general)

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

July and early August mornings can still bring good hatches.

Sources: Montana Angler

October Caddis

Single or templated source.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Size 8-12. Templated chart only; treat as generic regional, not water-specific.

Sources: The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place

Midge

Stage: larva. Single or templated source.

  1. Jan hatching
  2. Feb hatching
  3. Mar hatching
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Size 18-22. A templated chart has January-March as primary and October-November as secondary; the river page points to small mayfly nymphs or midge larvae in winter. The template is shared across several rivers; treat as generic regional, not water-specific.

Sources: The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place, Montana Angler, The Fly Fishing Place

Mahogany Dun

Stage: dun. Single or templated source.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Templated chart only: primary September-October; size 14-16; on overcast afternoons. The template is shared across several rivers; treat as generic regional, not water-specific.

Sources: The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place

Trico

Stage: spinner. Single or templated source.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Templated chart only: begins July, primary August; size 20-22; spinner falls in early morning. The template is shared across several rivers; treat as generic regional, not water-specific. The river page mentions Tricos only for Hebgen and Ennis lakes.

Sources: The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place, The Fly Fishing Place

Made for Madison River

Access, closures and rules change; check with the state agency before you go.