Winter…2018. Mild weather so far…some snow…not bad.
Oct. 22…2018. Cindy B. hooked eight and caught six today on the #14 PMX, including these whopper beauties. We fished the Palisades to Storey Ditch stretch.
Oct. 21…2018. Fished the Top Floor with Cindy B…caught a pure cutthroat and a big bow on #14 Royal PMX. Sunny, 70 degrees…Indian Summer!
Oct. 15…2018. A good day down low with Emilio and Chris and Robert. Several nice fish on the olive/white streamer and the O-Leech. Frosty this morning but the afternoon was a perfect Montana Fall day!
All fish caught today were released alive and swam away unharmed.
Oct. 12…2018. Baetis thick on rocks, East bank below Kelly Br…size 22 gray wing. We fished a single dry, #14 Royal PMX, 5x tippet…hooked six fish…three good ones….broke one off…landed three including a fat, sixteen inch rainbow. South wind was heavy with a bite. Air temps, 39-49 degrees…water temp 47 degrees. Flows are still good, 994cfs at West Fork. Snow in valley coming this weekend, then Indian Summer next week!
Oct…2018. Bear tracks in my back yard headed for the apple trees!
Oct. 6…2018. Nice big brownie for Gene in Channels today. Took the olive/white streamer!
Sept. 28…2018. Big rainbow for Will in Channels today on the olive/white streamer. Released alive. North wind was chilly this morning but we had a nice fishing window from 1-4pm.
Sept. 25…2018. Good day down low with Andy Weir…hopper/dropper/O-Leech…brownies and bows…just right! Sept. baetis late PM.
Sept. 17, 18…2018. Some nice trout for John McKiniry, including this beautiful rainbow caught in the Varney stretch. John and I go way back to good times in the Lower Fla. Keys hooking tarpon on the fly in Bow Channel. The “good ole days” are here!
Permit on the fly…Bill Sachs…Ascension Bay, Mexico…August, 2018.
Sept. 5…2018. Statewide Montana Fishing Report: click here
Sept. 4…2018. Some beauties for Mark Holyfield today. We fished the Lyons to Palisades stretch using the P. Adams and Dave’s Hopper, the RB Bunny and the Sparky fly. Brisk North wind turned on the bite!
Aug. 31…2018. Monster bow for Greg today…biggest I’ve seen this year…took us deep into the backing. Caught on LRF along East bank of Cameron Flats just above Cottonwoods. Released alive.
Aug. 30…2018. Scoopin ’em up in da bushes with my old songwriter pal Wayland Holyfield and son Greg. Hoppers and ants.
Watson hooked up solid in stealth mode
Aug. 26…2018. Me and Watson with a good day down low. Twenty fish at least…many fat rainbows and some other stuff…
I can hook ’em on sparse red rubber hackle
Watson caught a cutty on a dry.
A fat bow caught with a scissors cast!
Aug. 25…2018. Axolotl Society Shaman and Blessed Fly purveyor Jay Hyer on the Flats. Follow his Adventure Journal on Facebook. He is fishing and logging miles and miles all across the USA. “Turn me loose, set me free…”
Headin’ home from the flats
Aug. 23…2018. Late afternoon on Madison Flats.
Aug. 22…2018. Another fat brown trout for Dennis. Caught on East bank below Snag Hole under overhanging bushes on the Little Red Fly. Perfect cast, perfect drift…bingo!
This is a female brown trout. You can see the jaw line does not extend beyond the eye-line. She was released alive to swim away and reproduce her fine Madison River genetics.
Aug.22…2018. Statewide Montana Fishing Report: tricos are happening.
Aug. 18…2018. Big twenty inch buck bow for Louise today in the Channels. Caught on hopper/dropper combo. Dandy fish!
Aug. 17…2018. Really nice rainbow for Dennis today. Caught across river from the Rail Fence Hole on the West bank in the fast water. Released alive.
Aug. 15…2018. Why is this woman smiling?
click here for details
Montana Statewide Fishing Report
Aug. 12…2018. Fun morning with Roome and Jack. Smoke and haze from the fires but lots of rising trout. Caught two nice ones on the O-Leech!…well done.
Aug. 11…2018. Big lunker male brown trout for Dr. Bell today. Caught just above Ennis CG on the Little Red Fly.
This great fish was released alive to swim away and pass along his impressive genes to future generations of Madison River brown trout.
Aug.7…2018. Awesome rainbow for Elly…just a titch under 20″. Caught along the grass under a cut bank.
Aug. 6…2018. Hit the trico hatch with Elly Holder, Bill and Raney Sachs. Many risers and sippers/slurpers. Caught some really nice trout on the size 20 Griffiths Gnat. Perfect flows and weather.
floating masses of expired tricos…Madison Flats
Aug. 3…2018. With Jim Ferrin on the Flats…we went 6 for 8 during the midge hatch. Overcast, slick calm…many risers.
Well done Fuzzy!
Caught three browns…one 17″ fish in fine shape and two 14-16″ fish in very skinny condition.
Aug. 1, 2…2018. Great times fishing with the Murray family for so many years. 20 fish day on dry flies with some real beauties!
with Nancy and John Murray Johnny with a nice bow on Purple Haze
Arin caught a nice bow on a hopper fly
Mitch is hooked up!
A fine Madison brown on a hopper.
July 30, 31…2018. Several nice bows like this one for James and Bobby the last two days. We fished wets in the morning and dries in the afternoon. Weather and flows have been perfect!
July 25…2018. Went three for six this morning on the Flats. All three fish landed were browns. All three brown trout were snakes and did not look healthy. I am still scratching my head regarding the brown trout situation on the Flats. Not sure what to think but they are scarce and many of the ones that have been caught are skinny. Midge hatch was not as heavy today…water temps: 64 degrees south end, 70 degrees north end.
July 24…2018. Great mid-summertime flows for the Madison. Hebgen release – 1330cfs, West Fork – 1450, Varney – 1700, Bear Trap – 1480. With the afternoon air temps in the high 80’s, low 90’s, these flow numbers are good news for the fish and for the anglers!
July 23…2018. Whopper bow for Ike today. Big, dark, beautiful four pound fish caught on LRF and released alive just below Ruby Ck. campground.
July 20, 21…2018. Massive chironomid midge hatch continues. Heaviest action between 8-10am. Caught 8 in a row first hour yesterday, then went 5 for 7 today…all rainbows 14-16″ and two browns. All fish caught on my PTC midge #16. Water temps 64 degrees south end, 70 north end. Used Winston IM6 9’5wt, Ross Cimarron Two reel, Rio Gold WF5F line, 4x tippet.
July 18…2018. Madison Flats report: chironomid midge hatch this morning…light gray size 20 duns. You could see the little rascals wiggling up to the surface and popping their husks. Quite a few risers. Hooked five, broke off two, caught three…all rainbows. Fished till noon. Perfect weather.
July 16…2018. Caught some nice ones with Harold and Pete this morning on a half day float. We covered the McAtee to Varney stretch. Overcast sure helped!
July 14…2018. Beauty of a rainbow for Cindy B. today… caught below Palisades on The Little Red Fly!
July 13…2018. Looking for some shade.
July 12…2018. Some nice bows for Jackie today. We ran the Windy Pt.- Storey Ditch stretch. The Little Red Fly was workin! Perfect weather…sunny, 80 degrees, light winds.
July 10…2018. Wild geranium below the Kelly Bridge today.
July 8…2018. Good times on the river with these guys. Several nice fish on dries and runnin’ the bunny. Thank you Circle Valley Produce, Markon and PCA.
July 4…2018. Happy 4th of July from Ennis, Montana!
June 30…2018. Bad day at Black Rock. Floaters in front of me got sideways in the Walsh ditch take-out below McAtee bridge and couldn’t get out. No injuries except fiberglass.
June 28…2018. Giant slab of a hen brown trout on the sofa pillow today. Heavy salmon fly hatch between McAtee and Cameron Flats. Awesome day on dries.
June 26…2018. River is dropping fast.
Hebgen- 989cfs
West Fork – 1310
Varney – 2000
Bear Trap – 2280
Water temp mid-morning at big rock below geysers: 56 degrees.
As of yesterday, Squaw Ck. and Indian Ck. were still running mud. West Fork, Standard Ck. and Horse Ck. were clear. Salmon flies scattered from Cameron Flats to Town. Heavy caddis hatch all up and down the river. Sunny, hot the next couple of days…cooler Friday.
June 23…2018. Mark found some good ones today…pre-salmon fly…fishing dark rubber…Pat’s stone and Chez fly…Hardy Zenith Sintrix 590-4 rod.Big flys are right around the corner…river is still high but should be dropping in the next few days. Water temp at Rail Fence Hole 1:30pm, 58 degrees. Night time temp of 55 degrees triggers nymph-crawling to banks. Flow chart at Varney 3pm – 3410 cfs. River is heavy. Wade fishing is treacherous.
June 20…2018. Latest Fishing Report for the entire state of Montana:
Upper Madison River: A solid week of rain has upped the flow chart.
Hebgen Dam release: 2630cfs
West Fork: 2930
Varney: 3580
Bear Trap: 4070
June 9…2018.Upper Madison Report: flows both into and out of Hebgen Lake are decreasing. Flushing is completed and river has peaked. Clarity is improving.
Hebgen – 1500cfs
West Fork – 2200
Varney – 3430
Bear Trap – 4170
June 6…2018. Fishing Report for entire state of Montana and Madison River streamflow report:
Flows remain high and off color on Upper Madison. Levels are down a bit after flushing.
Hebgen Dam release: 2010cfs
West Fork: 2860 running mud.
Varney: 4330 roily
Bear Trap: 4820
May 26…2018. Madison streamflow report:
Hebgen 2450cfs
West Fork 3550
Varney 5730
Bear Trap 4350
Upper river is muddy…Lower is off but fishable (barely).
May 15…2018. Coach Bob Knight. American legend. 902 victories, three NCAA Championships, good times on the river and some really nice trout!
River Flow Report.
May 9…2018. Rivers in Montana are rising statewide. The Madison is high but still fishable although it is tough sledding. Caddis and BWOs are hatching on the Lower Maddy but boat traffic from Bozeman is heav
Big Hole: 5900 cfs @ Glen
Jefferson: 7020 cfs @ Twin Bridges
Madison: 3260 cfs @ Varney
Hebgen Dam: 1650 cfs
Missouri: 12,400 cfs below Holter Dam
Bighorn: 7630 cfs @ St. Xavier
The ouflow from Hebgen Dam has been reduced but runoff from feeder streams has swollen the Upper Madison. We have some cooler weather coming this weekend so flows may slow a bit.
Early May Fishing Report…Rivers, Lakes and Streams for the Entire State of Montana:
April 29…2018. Madison flow charts: Hebgen Dam release-1750cfs…West Fork-2030cfs…Varney-2440cfs…water temps-low to mid 40s. Weather forecast for SW Montana calling for cooler temps with rain mixed with snow the next few days which will retard run-off a bit. Beaverhead and Big Hole already high and off color.
April 19…2018. Me and Watson walkin’ and stalkin’ down low today. The fish had no chance.
River Report for midnight, April 13…2018.
April 10…2018. Tracking them down low. Cloudy, windy, 44 degree water temp…cranes, pelicans, geese, mallards, curlews…where’s the fish?
Mar. 21…2018. March of the penguins down low today. Cold, windy, cloudy…36 degree water temp. Great day if you’re a harp seal or an igloo salesman.
Mar. 5…2018. Let it snow! We have plenty of it in the hills. Way above average statewide. Good news? Well, mostly:
Feb.19….2018. High Run-Off Predicted for Bighorn River.
Afterbay Dam…Bighorn River near Ft. Smith, Mt.
Most of Montana just got another dump of snow in the high country. Still early, but I am guessing most rivers on both sides of the Divide will be “high and mighty” this Spring.
Feb…2018. More good news! Montana snowpack above average statewide. Madison Valley 121% of normal.
Jan…2018.
Snowpack report for Madison Valley: 112% of normal, 140% of last year…looking good!
click here to view article: Snowpack
Jan…2018. Northern birds are in.
30-20 Club…Washington state angler lands 30″ rainbow on size 20 fly using fiberglass Winston rod.