The legendary Madison River has always been an outstanding spring fishery, and this year does not disappoint! The gorge ice has melted, and fishing conditions are safe for wading and floating. Most of the FAS boat ramps are open, except for the Ennis boat ramp, which will remain closed due to ice damage until FWP can finish repairing the site again.
The fishing is currently outstanding with water levels at about 1150 cfs and visibility perfectly clear. The evening temps have remained cool enough to keep the big runoff from starting yet, but you may find the water off color if we get a good downpour. This will typically clear back up in a day, but this is the time to throw streamers. We’re seeing BWO’s and some Skwala’s in the lower stretches. Of course, the famed Mother’s Day Caddis is right around the corner, and we can’t wait!
Right now, nymphing and streamers have been the most productive methods. We like a fairly short leash leader set-up, but will add length to the tippet and weight above the fly when necessary. A good general rule is to place your indicator about 12″ from the end of your fly line. Tie your tippet knot to the first fly 4-5′ from your indicator. Add 12-15″ of tippet to your first fly then tie your second fly off the bend of the hook to your second fly 15-18″ from that. The fish aren’t leader-shy, so use 2X. You’ll land fish faster and save money on break-offs. The streamer bite has been pretty good, depending on the day. Clouds, of course, will improve your odds of seeing more streamer eaters. A short type II or III sink tip line for the deeper runs is good, but a floating line will work too. You may need to pinch a split shot in front of your fly so it gets down deep and fast. I actually like a floating line in many situations because you can impart more action into your fly. Again, cable up your streamers and use 1X or 0X.
Finding fish isn’t difficult. Find the dark blue-green water and you’ll find fish. Small buckets produce big fish, especially this time of year. Inside edges, rocks, and current seams will also hold trout, so don’t neglect to hit those as well. The fun part is finding last year’s spots filled in with gravel and new ones carved out by the ice. Enjoy the Madison River Fishing experience.
NYMPHS:
- Pats Rubber leg stone black, brown, or mocha latte size #8-6
- San Juan Worm in red, burgundy, or pink size #16-10
- Psycho May size #14-18 olive
- Three Dollar Dip red #16
- Egg patterns orange, Oregon cheese, peach size #14
STREAMERS
- Sex Dungeon in olive, brown, black, or natural-toned combinations in size #8-4
- Boogie Man in olive, brown, black size #8-4
- Cheech Leech in olive, brown, tan, or black size #2
- Flugenzombie in olive, brown, or black size #2
- Laser or Barely Legal in olive/white size #8-4
- Drunk and Disorderly in olive/brown, olive/yellow, brown/yellow size #8-4
- Rag Dolly in olive/white, gray, size #4-2
DRY FLIES:
- Parachute BWO in olive size #14-18
- Extended body BWO in olive size #14-18
- BWO Cripple in olive size #16-18
- Chubby Chernobyl in olive, tan, or peacock size #8-10
- Bullet Head Skwala in olive size #8-10
For more fishing reports, tips, tricks, and guided fly fishing in Montana, visit mtfishtales.com