Upper Madison River Fishing Report
Date: 07/22/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Upper Madison River is fishing well again and should only keep improving as we move through the week.
There are plenty of bugs around, but there's no need to make things complicated. A chubby with a spanish bullet or flashy perdigon underneath is hard to beat. If you're not getting into fish, add weight before you start switching flies.
There have been fish looking up throughout the day, especially where caddis are active. If you find steady risers, cut the nymph off and fish a single dry. Otherwise, stick with the dry-dropper and keep covering water.
Most of the better fish have been coming from the riffles, buckets, and other broken water. Don't spend the whole day working the banks. Keep moving, make a few good casts, and go find the next piece of water.
The Upper is right where it should be for this time of year. Get an early start, keep your fly selection simple, and cover plenty of water.
Additional Resources:
- The Best Bozeman Fly Fishing in July
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Gold Lightning Bug
Purple Blowtorch
Salmonfly Supafly Stone
Brown Pat's Rubberleg
Chubby Chernobyl Pteronarcys
Brown/Black Pat's Rubberlegs
Spanish Bullet Tan
White Peanut Envy
Upper Madison River Fishing
The Fins and Feathers "Upper Madison River Fishing Guide" features a comprehensive overview of the river stretches and seasonal highlights with Madison River fishing tips from our Bozeman fly fishing guide staff.
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