Montana’s New Madison
One thing I’ve noticed through my years of writing about trout water is that every time the quality of fishing declines on a famous river, it eventually rebounds and produces some excellent fishing a few years before the angling masses catch on.
In recent years, no river fell harder than southwest Montana’s Madison and, perhaps, no river took longer to be rediscovered. After whirling disease was discovered in the Madison in the mid- to late-1990s, the number of visiting anglers dropped off. Locals who fished the river during that time enjoyed some awesome fishing for an increasing number of browns and a few
survivalist rainbows, and they experienced a level of solitude no one will likely see again. A dozen fish a day. Two-dozen fish a day. Three-dozen fish a day, with a few specimens stretching to 20 inches or more. No boat-launch lines. No flaring tempers. No refusals. Just pure gluttony enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Those were the days to savor.
By 2001 the word was out that the Madison never really died and, in record numbers, anglers from everywhere inked their reservations to fish the “50-mile riffle,” eager to rekindle their relationships with an old, generous friend. During the 2001 season, more than 86,000 angler days were recorded on the upper river between Hebgen Dam and Ennis Lake—the highest (at that time) ever recorded. In 2003, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks documented more than 119,000 angler days in the Hebgen Lake to Ennis Lake stretch alone! Overall, the river hosted more than 190,000 angler days, making the Madison the most heavily fished river in the state, far exceeding the region’s other big-name streams.
Aside from the outstanding fishing, another relatively recent development is also contributing to the Madison’s hordes of anglers. A few years ago, outfitter and nonresident angler restrictions were placed on the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers and many anglers and outfitters moved, in part or in whole, to the Madison. Today, the Madison is regarded as the ticket and the most dependable trout stream in a trout-infested, tri-state portion of the country dubbed the Golden Triangle.
Anglers come from everywhere, not just neighboring waters, to fish the river. They are bailing out on their local streams where extended drought has cauterized trout production. The Madison, which is regulated by two major dams and fed by snowpack in and around Yellowstone National Park, maintained decent flows through the drought, setting it apart from nearly every western trout stream. In addition, the rainbow trout population, which crashed in the mid- to late-’90s due to whirling disease and erratic flows, has rebounded, and the outlook for reproduction and survival is optimistic.
You can’t blame anglers for their enthusiasm. The Madison’s wild rainbow and brown trout average 12 to 15 inches and often stretch beyond 17 inches. They are abundant and are the kind of fish we love—solid, well fed trout that eat dry flies and nymphs with abandon and fight valiantly in the river’s eager current, occasionally taking us to our backing. The river offers all types of water and angling challenges, and it fishes well year-round.
The Madison is nothing less than a grade-A, first-rate trout stream, a place trout bums call home, and a stream that serious trout anglers should rank high on their hit list.
Where and When
The Madison hosts in the neighborhood of 800 browns and 500 rainbows per mile (and perhaps more) in its upper reaches between Hebgen Lake and Ennis. Downstream, in the Bear Trap/Warm Springs stretch that twists from Ennis Dam to Black’s Ford, biologists say there are 1,600 trout per mile, an equal mix of rainbows and browns. Downstream from Black’s Ford the numbers thin to about 500 trout a mile, but some very large trout, especially browns, live there.
Whirling disease remains in the entire system, and biologists say infection rates in sentinel fish (which are contained in “test” cages) are equal to what they saw in the mid- and late-’90s when the parasite clobbered the rainbow population and pushed anglers away from the Madison in droves. But the fish are coping with the disease, although a steady decline in the number of rainbows and browns older than two years has been noted on the upper river since 1999. Overall, however, anglers seem satisfied with the numbers and size of the fish they are catching.
For several reasons, fishing the Madison these days is more complex than it used to be, chiefly because brown trout proliferated when rainbows declined, and studies show that brown trout are more difficult to catch than rainbows. Additionally, all species of fish are seeing more boats and artificial flies floating overhead than ever before.
Despite angling pressure, anyone with a little desire can find an open piece of water. Most people book trips on the river with visions of McKenzie-style drift boats dancing in their heads. The most heavily fished section of the river runs from Lyons Bridge to Ennis Bridge. Above Lyons Bridge and below Ennis Bridge the river is restricted to wade fishing only. Fewer anglers cast a line on those sections simply because most anglers want the drift-boat experience, and guides find it easier for clients to fish from a boat than sliding across the Madison’s slick rocks. If you choose to fish the wade-only areas, you’ll find fewer people and good fish.
On the upper wade-only stretches, including the run between Hebgen and Quake lakes and from the Quake Lake outlet to Lyons Bridge, rainbows dominate, although plenty of browns come to the net, too.
Technically called the Hebgen to Quake stretch, most anglers refer to that short reach as “between the lakes.” Hebgen and Quake lakes influence that stretch significantly. Fish flow out of Hebgen through the dam and supplement the fishery. In addition, large rainbows and browns move out of Quake Lake in spring and fall and provide shots at some truly large trout. I’ve taken fish in that area up to 26 inches long, and larger specimens are caught. Hatches there mirror the rest of the river.
Another place to wade on the Madison is upstream of Hebgen Lake in Yellowstone National Park. A Yellowstone fishing permit is required. Anglers find excellent fishing in the park during spring and fall when rainbows and browns move out of Hebgen and into the river. During summer, portions of the Madison in the park warm severely and some seasons mandate emergency fishing closures. Other years, anglers are allowed to fish through the season. When that is the case, fly fishers find decent action in the cool morning and evening hours. Hopper fishing during July and August is often red-hot. There are other hatches to focus on, too. Look for early-season caddis, followed by salmonflies, PMDs, and Green Drakes in June and July. Baetis and Trico hatches arrive in August and September. Baetis may continue through the park’s season closure of November 3. Tricos typically fade in late September.
On the lower wade-only stretch running from Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake, anglers find an appealing mix of rainbows and browns. Overall, rainbows dominate upstream from Varney Bridge. From Varney to Ennis Lake, brown trout are most abundant.
In addition, anglers seeking solitude can float Bear Trap Canyon below Ennis Lake, though it’s a trip for skilled oarsmen only, especially at the Kitchen Sink Rapids. The Kitchen Sink is a natural feature that chews up rafts and occasionally drowns people. It shouldn’t be taken for granted.
For those opposed to floating, Bear Trap Canyon Trail parallels this section from Ennis Dam to the mouth of the canyon near the Warm Springs access site. The trail follows the river for nine miles, offering access from either end. There are a few campsites along this route so anglers can stay overnight and test the waters. Deep pools, pocketwater, and tasty runs are abundant. Rainbows and browns grow to 5 pounds or more. Excellent hatches, including the noted Salmonfly hatch in June, bring some of those fish to the top. But be careful. Snakes and bears are often seen along that route—another reason angling pressure is often light in Bear Trap Canyon.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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