The Lower Madison may be the best local option this weekend. Of course the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks will be consistent and the Gallatin River could nymph really well, but the Lower Madison has the very real potential to have some good midge hatches in the canyon section. Most of the shelf ice below Bear Trap will most likely break free and the water temps, although still cold, might be just warm enough to kick start some midges. Plus, the flows are good for walking and wading and covering a good bit of water. Look for the buckets and deeper runs. Crayfish, sculpins, worms and eggs are the norm, with baetis and midges trailing. Streamer/swing fishing can be quite productive as well. If you are headed into Beartrap Canyon, be sure to read our blog on Fishing Big Canyon Waters. The Lower Madison is one of the best winter options for fly fishing in the Big Sky and Bozeman areas. It can fish very well especially on overcast days. Consider some tight-line dragging through the buckets and near the weed humps.
The fishing in Bear Trap Canyon can be good as the dam helps to regulate water temps some. This is always a good winter choice as long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard. Read some of our recent blog posts featuring: 5 Tips for Winter Fly Fishing, Winter Fly Fishing Tips that Go Beyond Just Dressing Warm, 5 Tips to Improve Your Fly Fishing with Streamers or Winter Fly Fishing Options Near Bozeman. Our tailwater fisheries of the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers are good bets right now while our freestone rivers like the Gallatin and Yellowstone Rivers may soon have shelf ice and where you can fish safely will be limited to certain sections. Fish on the Lower Madison in winter are lethargic and are not going to swim very far for food. Fly selection is nothing earth-shattering and consists of the usual Lower Madison fare--things like crayfish, worms, leeches, and non-flashy nymphs.
After all is said and done, the best way to find fish right now on the Lower Madison is by fishing tandem nymph rigs or dragging streamers and crayfish. Small beadheads paired with a large morsel like a crayfish or sculpin are the best options right now. Our Montana fishing guides like size 14 Lightning bugs or PTs or size 16 Perdigons or Green Machines for nymphs and Clouser or Turkey crayfish and a variety of streamer patterns.
Flies for the Lower Madison River Right Now:
Lightning Bugs in sizes 16-18
Firebead and hot bead SJ wormies in sizes 10-14
Zebra Midges in red or black in sizes 18-22
Sawyer PTs in sizes 18-22
Clouser crayfish in size 8-12
Pheasant Tails in sizes 16-20
Little Spankers in sizes 18-20
Pat's Rubberlegs in sizes 12-14
Sparkle Minnows in bright colors in sizes 2-6
Home Invaders in purple or olive in sizes 2-6
The Month Ahead:
This is always a good winter choice as long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard. Severe cold snaps can also cause the river to slush up but the weather has still been mild enough to produce good fishing and even a few rising fish over midge hatches.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Lower Madison is a very solid winter fishery. Just watch the weather and look for no wind. Midge fishing along with pink nymphs are a solid bet. Winter fishing on the Lower Madison and winter fishing near Bozeman and Big Sky is a time to enjoy getting out and fishing rather than fishing when racking up numbers is the goal.