Madison River Facts

Location:

The Madison River is formed by the confluence of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers below Madison Campground.  The Madison flows westward for 23 miles before exiting Yellowstone National Park.  Access is easy due to the proximity of the West Entrance Road for most of the river’s journey. 

Features:

The Madison River is one of the most famous and recognizable names in western trout fishing.  Thousands of anglers from all over the world flock to the Madison to fish its hallowed waters.  Trout in the Madison consist mainly of rainbows and browns running in the 10-16 inch range.  In the fall, monster brown trout move out of nearby Hebgen Lake to spawn.  This is perhaps your best chance to catch huge brown trout.  The Madison also contains impressive numbers of mountain whitefish. 

Fish on the Madison are notoriously picky and hard to catch.  Wading the Madison can be difficult on several stretches.  The water may look shallow, but often it is deeper than it appears.  The water here runs fast and powerful; don’t get yourself into a dangerous situation.  The bottom of the Madison between Seven Mile Bridge and Nine Mile Hole is deep silt, making wading dangerous. 

The Madison is home to some of the most famous stretches of water in the west: The Barns and Beaver Meadows.  When fishing Beaver Meadows, keep an eye out for channels the beavers have dug in the river bank.  Many anglers wind up with a leg down one.

Seasonal Strategies:

Spring runoff usually dies down by late June, but often runs later after a big snow year.  A sporadic stonefly hatch starts the dry fly season in late June and early July.  Baetis, PMDs and Green Drakes also hatch about this time.  Caddis begin hatching in June and continue to hatch in strong numbers until late fall. 

The Madison is at its best on overcast and rainy days.  Fish early and late for the best results.  Tricos show up in August and September, hatching on the quiet stretches of water.  Terrestrials such as low-profile hopper patterns work well from July until October. 

September sees the arrival of the spawning brown trout.  This run fishes best in cold, wet weather.  Streamers like Wooly Buggers and Zonkers work well.  Big, weighted nymphs like a Beadhead Prince will produce fish.  The spawning browns can be caught until the season’s end after the first Saturday in November.

Special Regulations:

Catch and release all grayling, cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish.  The Madison is fly-fishing only.  Check the Yellowstone fishing regulations for more information regarding the Madison River.

Access:

The West Entrance Road and an abundance of pullouts makes access to the Madison River easy.  The road follows the river from its confluence for about 10 miles.  Access to the river is then restricted to several gravel roads.  It is also possible to hike into the Madison River.  The section of river from Seven Mile Bridge and Nine Mile Hole may be closed to protect nesting trumpeter swans.

Special Cautions:

As always, be alert for animals while fishing the Madison.  They may seem harmless, but they are wild animals.  Treat them with respect and keep you distance. 

Grizzly Bears are common in this area, observe all the usual precautions when traveling and camping in bear country.