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!

[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.

[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.