Madison river

Madison River Guide

One of the most well known rivers in the area, the Madison attracts fishermen from around the world to cast a fly into its waters. Originating in Yellowstone National Park, it makes it way north until it meets up with the Gallatin and Jefferson to form the Missouri. The Madison can be broken up into two different sections. The first stretch is above the town of Ennis commonly called the 60-mile riffle. Many books and articles have been written on fishing this section, and rightly so. Like classic freestone rivers, the Madison has an abundance of aquatic life. One of the hatches that this river is well known for is the famed Salmon fly hatch occurring early in the summer. These 2 ½ inch insects are not only easy for the angler to see, but the trout are not bashful about exploding to the surface. As the summer progresses there are plenty of caddis, mayflies, stoneflies, and assorted terrestrials to tantalize the trout.
Below the town of Ennis resides the section known as the lower Madison. It’s characteristics are opposite of the river upstream. It can be classified as a tail water fishery, with slow moving currents, weed beds, and varying aquatic life. If you are looking for a shot at a trophy trout this is the stretch for you. The area does not hold a large population of trout, but its quality over quantity here. We tend to fish the 20 miles of the river from where it spills over the top of Ennis dam downstream. Below this area the access gets very limited and the numbers of fish drops off significantly.
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