How To Fish It
- Fish slow, deep runs and shelf edges where trout congregate in cold water.
- Use Euro nymph rig with a heavy point fly and a small trailing emerger.
- Favor Densely weighted, compact profiles, natural olive and brown tones.
Bugs & Best Matches
What's active
Fish this
Midges, size 18-22, Afternoon (2:00 PM–6:00 PM)
Zebra Midge, size 18-22, nymph; Disco Midge, size 18-22; Top Secret Midge, size 18-22
BWOs, size 16-20, Afternoon (2:00 PM–6:00 PM)
Pheasant Tail, size 16-20, nymph; RS2, size 16-20, emerger; Sparkle Dun, size 16-20, dry
Caddis, size 14-18, Midday (10:00 AM–2:00 PM)
Cased Caddis, size 14-18; Elk Hair Caddis, size 14-18, dry; Caddis Pupa, size 14-18, nymph
Stoneflies, size 8-12, Afternoon (2:00 PM–6:00 PM)
No matching fly supplied
Scuds, size 14-18, Evening (6:00 PM–10:00 PM)
No matching fly supplied
Current Conditions
Flow926 cfs and falling
Water Temp39°F
WeatherClear Night
Rating7/10 · Good
Today's Feeding Pattern
Water temperatures near 39 degrees push trout into slower, deeper water where they feed primarily on subsurface nymphs and midges. A technical nymphing approach keeps your flies in the strike zone near the bottom.
Forecast Location
Related Rivers
Read the conditions: USGS flow charts, trout water temperature, and the seasonal hatch reference.
About The Madison River
The Madison runs out of Yellowstone National Park, through Quake Lake and the famed fifty-mile riffle water between Lyon Bridge and Ennis. It is one of the most consistent trout rivers in Montana because dam influence and broad insect diversity keep fish feeding through a wide range of spring conditions.
Most of the river's reputation is built on wild rainbow and brown trout, with strong dry-fly fishing when BWOs, caddis, and stoneflies line up. It is also a river where nymphing covers a lot of water efficiently, especially before the better surface windows show.