Singing the praises of the Madison River

[PV_Premier]

Since we got our place in Driggs I’ve taken a real love to the Madison River in SW MT. I probably fish it twice as often as the Henry’s Fork even though I drive past the entire HF to get to the Madison.

Today was an awful weather day. 60ish, rain, low clouds. Too warm for waders, too cold to go wet. I woke up at 5am and made the two hour drive north. My reward was certainly the best streamer fishing day of my life. I rolled at least 20 fish over the fly today and while I only hooked 25% of them, I landed a 26” and jumped off another that size. Connected briefly to a possible 28-30”.

Earlier this summer my wife and I made a quick overnight to Ennis to partake in the salmonfly madness. On that trip I landed the largest trout I’ve ever taken on a dry - 27” and roughly 8#. Pics attached from that one.

If there’s a better widely accessible river in the lower 48 where you have a legit chance at your personal best any given day you step in the river I would love to hear about it!

19343

19344

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks, PV for the very inspiring report.




The Madison River is called "the 100 mile riffle."


If you could afford it and logistics would let you, living in Florida in the Winter and Montana in the Summer would be fantastic.

[Rich Morrison]

Keep posting about it on in the internet and it quite possibly won’t be anymore.

[PV_Premier]

There are probably literally 50,000 articles posted online about the Madison, it’s hardly no name creek, is it?

[MThompson]

That secret was out way before the internet came along.

[McFish]

I planned a Madison trip in 1981; sinking lines were just becoming available and I saved for one just to fish the N fork Umpqua and the Madison. Pat's Stonefly was going to be my secret weapon. I had to cut up bicycle tube for the legs.

[yubaman]

The Madison . . .where is it?����������. Don’t worry, you didn’t let the cat out of the bag����������.

[Ralph]

Probably more anglers per mile than any other river in the lower 48. So many anglers that there have been serious talks about restricting access. The toothpaste has been out of the tube for so long that no one even remembers where the tube went. For well over 30 years we have spent much of our summers in a double wide in Cameron. It has been three years since we last fished the Mad and there is little urge to return. Too many humans.

[PV_Premier]

Probably more anglers per mile than any other river in the lower 48.

I’d argue that designation goes to Putah Creek honestly.

In fact this is one of the amazing things to me about the Madison. It gets pounded, and still delivers lifetime quality fish almost every day of the year. And the fish are well conditioned, with an expectation of a good presentation. They’re not east coast pellet eaters.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

People got really mad when anyone wrote about "Rock Creek" in MT.


I wonder how many people are still going to Idaho/Montana today with the economy and gas prices?


Small businesses are collapsing all over America right now so I wonder how restaurants, lodging, fly shops and guides are doing now?



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I just called my old friend, Don Rotsma, (Davis Lake Don) in Reno who has spent a lot of time in Idaho and Montana every summer for

~30 years. They spent 6 weeks there this summer, some on Silver Creek and some on the Missouri River.

I asked him how he thought the businesses,( lodging, restaurants, fly shops and guides) were doing with the economy and gas prices.

He said they had high water early on but he said it felt like everyone was busy and doing well.

[Ralph]

MT fly businesses are doing well. Adams is racing to fill orders for fly shop displays. Kelly Gallup is opening up a second shop in Ennis. Simms keeps expanding.