| |
 |
|
Montana's Madison is one of the legendary flyfishing
rivers in the U.S. and many fly fishermen make a pilgrimage here before
they feel they have really fished the west. From Quake Lake to Ennis is
the "50 mile riffle" and some more varied water too. This part
of the river is probably best known for the giant salmonfly which can produce
some spectacular fishing. The "hatch" is in late June and early
July but the nymphs are available to the trout year round so an imitation
of this food form is a consistent producer. A variety of caddis fly species
call the Madison home so from the first hatches in May they can be the key
to successful fishing. |
| The lower Madison river between
Ennis and Three Forks is a Bozeman local favorite. It fishes best early
and late, from March through early July and then again in the fall. The
edges of the many large weed beds can produce great fishing with blue-winged
olives on drizzly days. If you are willing to get up bright and early and
be done shortly after the sun hits the water, you can fish right through
the summer. There are fewer fish here than in the more famous upper river
but your chances of hooking a hog are probably better. The Mother's Day
caddis hatch can be so thick that it looks like fog. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|