Madison River Flows:

The last week brought more clouds, a bit of rain, cooler weather at times and some hot sunny days as well.  Depending on where one was on the Madison River, you might have experienced all of these weather patterns in one day!  

Below Hebgen: 883 cfs

Kirby: 976 cfs

Varney: 1140 cfs 

Between the Lakes

Betwix is the most consistent stretch with regards to river temps.  There still are  some mayflies fluttering about, they are smaller PMDs and roughly a size 18 or so. Caddis are still hatching but not in big numbers. Don't forget the terrestrial box; those ants, beetles and hoppers are definitely in play. If a fish refuses your fly one time, it's worth changing to something that is lower profile and sitting in the film, or keep moving along as that fish is likely spooked.  Fishing a single fly will help your fly drift with less drag.  The key darn near everywhere on the Madison is to cover water and keep moving until you start catching a few fish, then slow down and find similar types of water.  Some days that might be the skinny riffles, some days that might be the pocket water. 

Flies - chubbies in smaller sizes, Iron X Caddis, #16 Jojo's PMD, #16 Sparkle Dun PMD, Baltz's Paranymph #18, Last Chance PMD Cripple, Missing Link, Ginger Chubinator #16, Copenhaver Rusty Spinner #16, #8-12 Morrish hopper in various colors, Thunder thighs in pink and tan, Mimic Hopper, Sweat Dream Hopper, Arrick's Ant, Jojo's Honey Ant, Hoovie's Ant. 

For those wanting to nymph, try smaller nymphs like BH Shop Vacs, Bullet Quill style Jigs, BH Serendipities, Roza's Pink Hare's Ear, Bead Head PT, standard Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, AZ Hare's Ear, PTs, Serendipites and the like.  

Wade Section

Fish the skinny gravel bars and riffles, those fish love to hold in those well oxygenated zones.  Don't forget the pocket if you see a handful of caddis around. River temps this past week have fluctuated from 57-68 degrees.  Fish are eating dry flies throughout the day - caddis, and Epeorus mayflies are hatching.  Look for those big Epeorus Spinners down there as well, they trickle off during the day and then come morning, they spin in solid numbers.  It's August folks -  and on the warmer days, terrestrials are in the mix.  Ants, beetles and hoppers. Food for thought - If I had one fly in August to fish it would be ants.  When the hoppers are clicking, the trout will likely eat them, fish 2x to those hoppers because they really don't care about the diameter of your tippet. 

Flies - chubbies of all sizes, Iron X Caddis, #14 & #16 Jojo's PMD, #14 Sparkle Dun PMD, Baltz's Paranymph #12-14, Last Chance PMD Cripple, Center Stage Caddis, Missing Link is various colors from #12-#16, Ginger Chubinator #16, Copenhaver Rusty Spinner #14 and #12, #14 PMD Film Critic, Arrick's Ant, Jojo's Honey Ant, Hoovies Ant, Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs, Sweet Dream Hopper, Henneberry Hopper, Dave's Hopper. 

Short leashing a couple of nymphs or fishing a chubby and 2ft dropper is a great way to cover the water.  Nymphs that we suggest for the wade section are - Hare&Copper, Serendipities, Shop Vac, Arizona Hares Ear, Jig Pheasant Tail, Red Neck, Hoover Black, Bullet Quills, Jig Napoleans, two bit hooker, #14-#18 Epoxyback Golden Stonefly, Frenchies or Pheasant Tails, the TB Ant is sneaky. 

Float Section

Some days have been better than others this past week.  Some sections have fished better than others, so it goes on the Madison River in late August.   I float guided from Ruby to Varney on Monday, we had a pretty solid bite from 11:30 to 2:30. After 2:30pm, the bite went downhill fast as the water temps climbed fast. I managed to slide over most of the exposed rocks in the skinny parts of the river, but there are lots of painted rocks now that the flows have come down.  Some banks aren't quite a nice as they were, but there are still some fish to be found on them. The middle of the river is not to be overlooked, especially on the sunny days.  The tributaries continue to shrink but they are injecting cold water into the river.  Indian Creek is no longer flowing into the river.  It sure would be nice to have tributary make it all the way to river. 

Fish are looking for ants, beetles and hoppers.  Caddis, Epeorus Spinners and BWOs on cloudy days are all on the menu.  If you want to nymph, drop a BH off that #8 dry fly and run it.  The banks, the slicks in the middle, the riffles around the gravel bars all have fish hanging around them. I personally like to fish with a single dry fly these days when targeting rising fish - your drift is just better off, especially in that north wind.  

Flies - chubbies of all colors and sizes, Riffle Riser PMD cripple, Balts's Iron X Caddis, #14 & #16 Jojo's PMD, #14 Sparkle Dun PMD, Baltz's Paranymph #12-14, Last Chance PMD Cripple, Ginger Chubinator #16, Copenhaver Rusty and Cream Spinner #14 and #12, #14 PMD Film Critic, Jojo's Rusty and Cream Spinner, #16 Chubbinator, #8 Pink Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs, Jojo's Royal Ant, Arrick's Ant, Hoovies Ant. 

Nymph fishing under a bobber with smaller bead heads like a AZ Hare's Ear, Red Neck, Hare&Copper, Shopvac, Epoxyback Golden Stones, soft hackle Hare's Ear, various Perdigons, Serendipities, Perdigons/Jigs will produce some good fishing. 

August so far has been nice and cool with a handful of warmer days. Checkthe weather and on the hot days we need to do our part and treat the fish with respect. 

1. Pull over and release those fish on the banks. Release them in slow current. 
2. KEEP THEM WET. Do you really need another picture holding a trout?  Get creative with your photos.  Leave those fish in the net to take pics, or keep them as wet as possible.  Take a slow mo video of releasing your prize back to the river. 
3. If your trout swallowed the fly, cut the tippet and leave it in there, no need to jab those hemos down it's throat and make it bleed. 
4. Fish barbless, you don't need that thing if you keep tension on the line.  
5. Fish heavier tippet whenever possible. 2x to a hopper has been my standard rig and the fish don't care. 

Treat those on the river with kindness and respect, you will actually catch more fish if you do. When you pull off the bank, give plenty of room to the boats up stream working their way down.  The Madison is moving fast and most folks who are newer to rowing a boat don't realize that 100 yards is NOT enough space.  Give other boats plenty of room and be cool.  When putting your boat in and taking it out, be efficient, get things done and exit the ramp area.  Anchor your boat on the bank. 

LOWER MADISON RIVER - Hoot owl restrictions (2:00 p.m. to midnight) are in effect for the Madison River ​​from Warm Springs FAS to confluence with the Jefferson River​ beginning July 10.  This stretch of river is on the LOWER MADISON RIVER. 

​​Flows are measured below Ennis Reservoir at USGS gage 06041000 and water temperatures are measured at the Sloan gage that is operated by Northwestern Energy, which is near the Blacks Ford FAS.​ 

​​Water temperatures exceeded 73 degrees in this reach of the Madison River for three consecutive days starting on July 7.​ 

​​Air temperatures over 90 F are anticipated for the foreseeable future with several days approaching 100 F this week. The lower Madison River receives high angling pressure and hundreds of recreational floaters a day during the summer months.​ 

Hoot owl restrictions (2:00 p.m. to midnight) are in effect for the Madison River ​​​​Hebgen Reservoir to Yellowstone National Park boundary​​ beginning July 10

​​Flows and water temperatures are measured at USGS gage 06037500 near West Yellowstone​.

​​Water temperatures exceeded 73 degrees in this reach of the Madison River for three consecutive days starting on July 7.

​​Air temperatures in the upper 80s to 90s are anticipated for the foreseeable future. This is the first time a hoot owl restriction has been placed on this section of the Madison River. After receiving feedback from the public and in anticipation of instituting restrictions, this section was included in the designated hoot owl restrictions table for the Madison River  drainage section of the Statewide Management Plan. The recommended closure is limited to the single section of river between Hebgen and the first location upstream that the river crosses the YNP boundary. Difficulty enforcing restrictions in the short sections adjacent to the YNP upstream would be difficult. ​ ​ 

click here for the most up to date restrictions for the State Of Montana.