Lower Madison River Fishing Report
Date: 11/07/2024
Posted by: Toby Swank
Cold water temperatures from recent storms have pushed most of the feeding trout into the buckets and deeper runs. There are plenty of brown trout on redds right now in shallow water - so watch where you step when wading the weed beds.
Nice weather in the immediate forecast should make for a few hours of good nymph fishing over the coming weekend. A variety of nymphs will work well right now; the key to success is to have enough weight on your rig to ensure that your flies are getting down deep quickly. The wire worm is reliable. Tandem nymph rigs that consist of two, small perdigon-style nymphs are standard setups for fishing the buckets and up in Beartrap Canyon.
Some dry fly fishing can be found during the low light afternoons and on cloudy days, around mid-day when the blue-winged olive mayflies hatch. These hatches will be tapering off as the weather becomes increasingly cold.
Swing a streamer through the deep runs with a heavy, sinking line when the light is low or on cloudy days for the best results. If floating, stick to a floating or slow-sinking line while covering the edges and buckets along the weed beds between warm Springs and Greycliffs FAS.
Click to enlarge
Flows
1350 CFS
On 2024-11-7
Pink Lite Brite Perdigon
Frenchie
Red San Juan Worm
Olive Micro May
Montana fly fishing trips on the lower Madison River with the Bozeman fly fishing guides of Fins and Feathers are terrific experiences for both advanced and novice anglers. We have been guiding anglers fishing the lower Madison River for over two decades.
Early season highlights for the experienced angler fishing near Bozeman include afternoon dry fly fishing and all-day nymph fishing. Don’t miss the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch in late April or the Brown Drake hatch in mid-June.
Novice and first-time anglers do well on the lower Madison River in early summer and fall when fish activity is at its best.
- $695 for 1 or 2 Anglers Per Guide
- Float Trips With Wading Opportunities
- Use of All Fishing Equipment Is Included
- Single And Multi-Day Trip Bookings Available
- Meet In Bozeman
- Book Online or Contact Us To Learn More
Lower Madison River Fishing
The lower Madison River has diverse wild-trout habitats from Ennis Lake to Three Forks. Beartrap Canyon has raging whitewater through boulder fields and narrow gorges. The river flows through a rugged valley before joining with the Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers. Fish species include Rainbow, Westslope Cutthroat, and Brown Trout. Both novice and advanced anglers can find ample opportunities to fish.
Read the "Lower Madison River Fishing Guide" for a comprehensive introduction to fly fishing in Montana on the lower Madison River from the Bozeman fly fishing guides with Fins and Feathers.