The last week brought more clouds, a bit of rain, some sunshine and cooler weather overall.  We had a 30 degree morning three days ago! This week looks stable with highs in the 70s & 80s and night time temps in the 30s and 40s.  The precip remains to be seen, but it looks dryer than it has been. Fall has arrived to the Madison River. 

Madison River Flows:

Below Hebgen: 883 cfs

Kirby: 965 cfs

Varney: 1130 cfs 

Between the Lakes

There are mayflies fluttering about, those BWO are around 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, make another cast or three and then keep moving.  You could change a fly and try a few more casts, but don't hold out too long.  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.  Fishing a single fly will help your fly drift with less drag. 

Flies - chubbies in smaller sizes, #18 Iron X Caddis, #18 Jojo's BWO, #18 Sparkle Dun BWO, Baltz's Paranymph #18, Missing Links, 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, Heames Honey 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.  This is also the time of the year where a #10-12 Rubber legs will pick up a few fish as well.  Dead drifting a streamer is never a bad idea either. 

Wade Section

Fish the skinny gravel bars and riffles with dry flies, those fish love to hold in those well oxygenated zones.  Don't forget the pocket if you see a handful of caddis fluttering about. River temps this past week have fluctuated from 55-64 degrees.  Fish are eating dry flies throughout the day - caddis, and Epeorus mayflies are still hatching. Be on the lookout for BWO as well.  It's still August and for the time being terrestrials are in the mix.  Ants, beetles and hoppers. Food for thought - If I had one fly in August and early September 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 (the smaller ones are a good choice), Iron X Caddis, #14 & #16 Jojo's PMD, Baltz's Paranymph #12-18, Center Stage Caddis, Missing Link is various colors from #12-#18, Ginger Chubinator #16, Copenhaver Rusty and or Cream Spinner #14 and #12, Arrick's Ant, Jojo's Honey Ant, Hoovies Ant, Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs, Sweet Dream Hopper, Henneberry Hopper, Dave's Hopper, Heame's Honey Ant and Arricks Ant. 

Short leashing a couple of nymphs or fishing a chubby & a 2ft dropper is a great way to cover the water.  Going deeper, arm's length or so from your bobber to the first fly, is not a bad way to start out the morning - add some weight and get it down.  Flies that we suggest for the wade section are - Hare&Copper, various Serendipities, Shop Vac, #18 Arizona Hares Ear, #18 Jig Pheasant Tail, Red Necks, Hoover Black, Bullet Quills (they all seem to work), Jig Napoleans, Two Bit Hooker, #14-#18 Epoxyback Golden Stonefly, Frenchies or Pheasant Tails, Rubber Legs, Copper Zonker and the TB Ant is sneaky option as well. 

Float Section

Some days have been better than others this past week, but overall, the fishing has been decent in the float stretch.  The river is cooling down now that we have hit the end of August. There are some nice fish sitting in the shallows and eating ants, but they are also picky and watching your fly for drag. That bank water is worth fishing as is the middle of the river, especially on the sunny days.  The tributaries continue to flow and they are injecting cold water into the 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 #10 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, Balts's Iron X Caddis, #14 & #16 Jojo's PMD, Baltz's Paranymph #12-16, Ginger Chubinator #16, Copenhaver Rusty and Cream Spinner #14 and #12, Jojo's Rusty and Cream Spinner #12 or #16, #16 Chubbinator, #8 Pink Morrish Hopper, Thunder Thighs, Jojo's Royal Ant, Arrick's Ant, Hoovies Ant, Sweetdreaam Hopper, Jojo's Honey Ant, Heames Honey 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. You don't need to be that deep when fishing on the run out of the boat. 

August has been nice and cool with a handful of warmer days. We made it through the hottest part of the summer, but we still 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.  
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. 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. 

 
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​.

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