Upper Madison River Fishing Report

Upper Madison River Fishing Report

3/12/2025

Be sure you've purchased your 2025 fishing license before heading out on the water! You can get a new license  here.

Walk Wade Stretch (Between the Lakes, Upriver of Lyon's Bridge, Downriver of Ennis):

We enjoyed a couple weeks of nice and warm weather but the forecast for the next few days is showing that snow and cooler temps are likely. This won't slow the fishing down unless you're a fairweather fisherman, if the wind stays down we will probably see some really good midge activity as well as some early season Baetis. Water temps are hitting the low 40s most days and unless we see some hard freezes should continue staying in their current range.

We wouldn't rely on any Baetis hatches being consistent enough to base your day off of and suggest you focus on nymphing boulder pocket, deep runs, and slow moving water. Don't forget to fish the tailouts! There will always be some fish happy to eat a rubber legs or a midge sitting in the tailout of most runs.

We are getting close to spawning season so be aware when wading that you don't walk across any early season redds. Look out for your fishy friends and make sure you don't keep them from making our future generations of trout!

Float Stretch(Downriver of Lyon's Bridge to Ennis):

Flows are very low right now, so be cautious if you decide to break the boat out for some early season floating. Most ramps are accessible, Ennis has the most snow and will need more time to thaw out so don't plan on taking out or putting in here.

Take your time when fishing the float stretch of the Upper Madison, focus on deeper runs and heavy structure to find the best action. Anchoring up or even hopping out and wade fishing runs with increase your fish numbers a lot when the bite has slowed down. Stripping streamers while you are on the move has been fun and pretty productive when you find the right size/color combination.

If you are not seeing those smaller bugs emerge, using midge and caddis larvae and mayfly nymphs will get plenty of attention. We have been liking a worm, leech, or rubber legs as our second fly to a smaller nymph. Using mayfly patterns like a Psycho May, Little Green Machine, or olive hotspot perdigon have produced great results all day. With the current water levels the fish have not been challenging to find, just float where the most water is and you will find some trout no matter what section of the float stretch you are in.

Dry fly opportunity can be pretty limited this time of year but our fish are always pretty happy to rise for a dry fly. While what you need to throw is awfully small this time of year, it can be a fun change up to target some risers with small dries and really makes for a good day.

Dries:  Harrop's CDC Cluster Midge #16-18, Buzzball #18-20, Guide Winna Spinna Trico #20, Brook's Sprout Baetis #18-22, Guide Winna Spinna BWO #18, Captive Dun BWO #18-20

Nymphs:$3 Dip(Black, Red, Copper) #16-20, Frenchdipity(Peacock, Rust, Black)#16-18, Crystal Dip(Black, Olive) #18-20, Olive or Pearl Perdigon #16-18, Olive Hotspot Perdigon #16-18, Lightning Bugs #16-20, Lite Brite Perdigon (Green) #14-18, Pat's Rubber Legs #10-14

Streamers:Sex Dungeons, Barely Legal, Sparkle Minnows and Zonkers will move fish for you. Play with color and profile every day. Skinny vs. big heads, dark vs. light, etc. Don't be afraid to throw a streamer under your indicator and dead drift it!

New to the Madison?  We have guides with 25 plus years of experience fishing the Madison ready to share their knowledge with you. We offer full-day float and walk-wade trips on the Madison River. Don’t need a guide? We have the flies and info to help you be successful on a DIY mission. 

Our Fly Fishing Guide School has helped lots of anglers achieve their dream of being a fishing guide.With schools throughout the spring and fall, there is likely a week of fishing that will fit your schedule. Check out our Montana Fishing Guide School to become a more rounded fisherperson or to jump-start your career in this amazing industry. 

Even the NY Times has caught wind of the growth of women in the fly fishing industry.Gain the skills to fish confidently on your own in our Montana Women’s Fly Fishing School. 

Thanks for checking out our Madison River Fishing Report brought to you from Big Sky, MT.