Ennis, Montana

Madison River Hatch Report

Updated Apr 24, 2026, 7:00 AM MDT

Fish the inside seams and softer buckets with a two-fly nymph rig early, then watch for blue-winged olives and midges once cloud cover settles in.

Current Conditions
  • Flow: Dam-controlled spring flow that usually stays fishable unless runoff muddies the lower river.
  • Water Temperature: Cold enough to keep the best feeding window from late morning through mid-afternoon.
  • Weather: Cloud cover and wind matter more than raw air temperature here. Overcast tends to improve BWO activity.
  • Overall Rating: 7/10
Today's Read

Madison River is keyed to the bugs that are active in the current light and water conditions. These are the insects that matter right now and the windows when they matter most.

Current Hatch Report
  • Blue-winged olives, size 18-20, late morning through mid-afternoon
  • Midges, size 18-22, morning and again in the soft evening light
  • Skwala stoneflies, size 8-12, afternoons along grassy banks and slower edges
Flies To Match The Hatch
  • Parachute BWO, size 18-20, dry
  • Griffith's Gnat, size 18-20, dry
  • Pheasant Tail, size 16-18, nymph
  • Split Case BWO, size 18-20, nymph
  • Pat's Rubber Legs, size 8-10, nymph
How Fish Respond To This Hatch
  • Late-April Madison fish are usually feeding subsurface through the morning, then sliding toward softer riffle edges and slicks once bugs start moving. Trout are not especially reckless right now, but they will eat if your drift is clean and your flies match the size of the naturals. Rising fish tend to key on small olives and midge clusters, while deeper slots still give up fish on stonefly nymphs and smaller mayfly droppers.
  • Start with an indicator rig: stonefly or heavier jig up top, BWO or midge trailer 12-18 inches behind it.