Fly Fishing Stream Conditions Report: Madison River - Upper

This year: The Upper Madison is fishing well and transitioning into beautiful early fall conditions. Cooler nights have dropped water temperatures, keeping the fish active throughout the day, though the best fishing has shifted toward midday. Flows are running around 864 CFS near Kirby Ranch, with the USGS gage near Cameron averaging 945 CFS and water temperatures averaging 58°F. The water is clear, and despite slightly low flows, fishing remains highly productive. While hatches are relatively quiet right now, terrestrial action is still strong. Fishing hoppers and ants along the banks is a great way to bring fish to the surface, especially when the dry fly fishing gets technical. For dry-dropper rigs, try trailing a small caddis nymph or a Spanish bullet under a large hopper. On calmer days, a double dry fly rig through the flats can be highly effective. If you prefer nymphing, running a Chubby Chernobyl to a Pat's Rubber Legs in the morning is a safe and consistent bet, transitioning toward smaller green caddis nymphs as the day progresses. Make sure to lengthen your leaders and use fluorocarbon tippet as the fish can be a bit more selective in the clear water. When the sun goes down or during low-light hours, do not hesitate to throw streamers to find some of the larger trout.

Best time of day: Afternoon

Prior years: On the upper river near West Yellowstone, flows run around 290 CFS. Fishing early and late in the day is your best bet. While trout continue to key in on hoppers, they are highly educated by this point in the season. Ensure you give your flies an excellent drift, though triggering a bite can sometimes be coaxed by adding a skating action to big dries. When nymphing, fast-sinking options produce well, especially when you size down to size 16 or 18 baetis nymphs. Another highly productive setup is a dry-dropper rig consisting of a Chubby Chernobyl with a Perdigon dropper, which works great unless active hatches are observed. The most reliable hatch activity consists of late-evening caddis. Plan to spend the last hour before sunset and slightly beyond on the water to capitalise on this window. Note that Hoot Owl restrictions may apply, closing fishing daily from 2 p.m. until the following sunrise for the section of the river above Hebgen Reservoir. No restrictions are in place for the stretch between Earthquake Lake and Ennis Lake.