The Best Lower Madison River Fly Fishing Float Sections

Lower Madison River Fly Fishing Between Warm Springs and Black's Ford

The stretch of the Madison River between Warm Springs and Black’s Ford is beloved by anglers fly fishing in Montana. Stunning scenery, excellent angling opportunities, and convenient proximity to Bozeman make this legendary Montana fishing gem a favorite among local anglers.

Beginning at Warm Springs, floating anglers pass by imposing rock formations, gradually transitioning from the Beartrap Canyon's rugged terrain to the expansive prairie below Black’s Ford.

Despite its shallow depths, the river features deep pockets and substantial weed beds that both serve as prime lower Madison River fly fishing spots. Renowned for its high-quality fishing during spring and fall, the river boasts healthy populations of Rainbow, Brown, and Westslope Cutthroat trout.

The summer months (July – August) tend to be less conducive to angling due to warm water temperatures and increased crowds of float tubers.

During the spring months, prolific insect hatches, including Caddis and Blue-Winged Olives in April and PMDs, Brown Drakes, and Yellow Sallies in June provide ample opportunities for dry fly fishing. Towards late summer and early fall, terrestrial patterns become popular, and anglers often opt for dry-dropper setups to maximize their success.

Prolific Crayfish populations serve an important role for the wild trout in this section of one of the world’s most renowned trout fishing destinations. Nymph fishing under a strike indicator with small, lightly weighted crayfish patterns like the Clouser Crayfish in sizes 6-10 is productive year-round along the weed bed edges between California Corner and Cherry Creek (Damselfly FAS).

Streamer fly fishing with floating or intermediate sink tip fly lines is most productive during the high flows of late spring and then once again when Autumn settles across Montana. Large, lightly weighted patterns in Olive and White or Brown and Yellow are standard selections for many Montana fishing guides when angling the lower Madison River.

This popular stretch of the Madison River offers a diverse Montana fly fishing experience for both novice and skilled anglers alike. An abundance of public access, coupled with relatively gentle currents makes fly fishing the lower Madison River effective for both wade and float anglers.

Boat Ramps:

Warm Springs FAS is a popular, well-maintained fishing access located on BLM land. The large concrete ramp that was just redone in 2023 is easily navigable with a gradual gradient. The access is located at the bottom of Bear Trap Canyon, a popular wade/whitewater section. Black’s Ford FAS, managed by FWP, is a large parking area with a wide concrete ramp that again is gradual and easily navigable.

Fly Fishing the Madison River from Canaday to Greycliffs

The lower Madison River offers a fantastic Montana fishing experience for anglers. From Canaday to Black's Ford, the stretch is home to a healthy population of Rainbow and Westslope Cutthroat Trout, which can be found in shallow ledges, buckets, and mid-river boulders. Although fewer in numbers, there are trophy Brown Trout to be found by skilled anglers fishing this legendary Montana fly fishing river.

Highway 84 runs alongside the river towards the east until it reaches Black's Ford, where the river turns north on its final journey to meet the Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers, forming the Missouri River.

Downstream of Black's Ford, the number of recreational floaters drops drastically, allowing anglers to fly fish in relative solitude. Although trout populations are lower, floating becomes more effective between Black's Ford and Greycliffs where holding water is more spread out, requiring the angler to cover a lot of water to find active trout.

Indicator nymph rigs are a year-round favorite when fly fishing the Madison River in its lower sections. Experienced anglers focus on nymphing deep pockets where trout can find cover and on shallow flats during hatch periods when trout rise along current seams near the banks.

The Big Sky offers beautiful scenery, including rolling hills, grasslands, and the majestic Spanish Peaks of the Madison Range, which can be seen to the south once the angler is downstream of High Bank FAS. The river is at its widest and shallowest through the lower stretches of this section.

For the best Madison River fly fishing near Greycliffs FAS, focus on deep depressions around islands. The Greycliffs FAS offers public access to the river, with good wade fishing opportunities both upstream and downstream of the two boat ramps.

Low trout densities favor experienced anglers who are skilled in reading water. Identifying subtle depth changes and current breaks is key to angling success near Greycliffs on the lower Madison.

The Canaday ramp is better off used as a launch versus that of a takeout since it is made of plastic lumber at a steep angle. Anglers launching boats here are encouraged to have a long winch strap around 30’ to safely launch a boat.

Boat Ramps:

Greycliffs FAS is a large campground area with two boat ramps approximately a mile apart from one another. The first is referred to as Greycliffs South and is a concrete ramp located river right near a large irrigation gate. The second is Greycliffs North, this is a small dirt ramp that is located in a smaller side channel and can be easily missed. There is a sign on river right, about ½ mile downstream of the Greycliffs South ramp, that warns floaters to stay right to make the Greycliffs North Ramp. For floaters that miss this takeout, the next boat ramp is about 15 miles downstream at I-90, so be sure to stay river right after passing the Greycliffs South boat ramp.

Madison River Fly Fishing Between Greycliffs and I-90

Below the Greycliffs FAS, the Madison River undergoes a significant transformation in its characteristics. The flow accelerates, initiating a braiding effect that forms numerous channels. While there isn't any serious whitewater, the swift and unpredictable channel systems require confident navigating.

This section sees significantly less angling and recreational traffic compared to the upstream sections due to the length and access challenges. Along the western bank, towering bluffs cut by the river's flow dominate the landscape, while the eastern bank is lined with cottonwood groves teeming with wildlife.

Trout populations continue to decline notably below Greycliffs due to warm summer water temperatures and habitat degradation. However, deep holes and runs continue to hold good numbers of Rainbow and Brown Trout, with trophy trout exceeding 22” being relatively common.

Covering lots of water is the key to success for anglers fishing the lower Madison on the “Interstate Float.” The best Madison River fly fishing in this section can be found between Greycliffs FAS and the walk-in-only access at Cobblestone FAS. Downstream of Cobblestone, good holding water is sparse and spread across miles and miles of river.

This is streamer fly fishing water for the dedicated angler willing to put in the work for a chance at a trophy trout in the May and September.

Boat Ramps

Greycliffs North ramp is a small dirt ramp that is in a skinny side channel just a couple hundred yards from the main river. Milwaukee ramp is located river left just below the I90 underpass and is a lightly maintained primitive dirt ramp with a moderate gradient often requiring a vehicle with 4WD or AWD to use.