Upper Madison River Fishing Report
Date: 08/24/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Upper Madison River continues to fish well and is still one of the better options around southwest Montana. Cooler weather over the past week has helped water temperatures, and fishing has picked up because of it.
Mornings have been the most consistent, and while there's usually a slower period around midday, anglers are still finding fish before and after it. Hoot owl restrictions remain in effect from Eight Mile downstream to Ennis Reservoir, so plan to be off the water by 2 p.m. in that stretch.
Hopper fishing has been getting better every day. Fish a tan or purple chubby chernobyl, donkey kong hopper, morrish hopper, or water walker with your favorite flavor of perdigon attractor 2–3 feet below it.
The Upper is in good shape heading into the end of August. Expect plenty of company on the popular float stretches, but there are still plenty of fish to be caught if anglers get an early start and keep covering water.
Additional Resources:
- Bozeman Fly Fishing Report | August 2026 Montana Conditions
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Sweetgrass Hopper
Dave's Hopper
Tan Morrish Hopper
Chubby Chernobyl Pteronarcys
Brown/Black Pat's Rubberlegs
Purple Blowtorch
Spanish Bullet Tan
Gold Lightning Bug
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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