We are oh so close to midge-a-palooza on the Upper Madison. With the forecast highs to creep into the 40s and little wind, the weekend could be the start of some very good winter fishing on the Upper Madison. For those that know, late February and early March can be a pretty fun time to fish the walk-and-wade section. There have been sporadic reports of midges here and there and expect those reports to only grow in frequency and legitimacy. Expect the river from around Palisades down to Ennis to be full of shelf and anchor ice for at least a few more days but it will break up quickly. The river around Ennis is in its usual winter-time ice jams and is still not safe. If you plan to fish, stick to the upper reaches by Raynold's Pass and Three Dollar Bridge.
Our Montana fly fishing guides that fish the Madison River in winter stick primarily to the upper walk-and-wade section because the river downstream of Palisades can become choked with shelf ice, and as it gets closer to Ennis the potential for ice dams and unsafe conditions increases. 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. Trout are avoiding the fast water that makes up a lot of this section of the river so if you can find some slower runs they will be filled with trout. The water near Ennis is a little more diverse than the “50 mile riffle” upstream and has some great holding water. Nymphing stoneflies trailed by smaller baetis nymphs has been effective. Eggs and some of the larger midge larva patterns such as 3 dollar dips are also a good option.
The river between the lakes is fishing well and is the most ice-free of all the sections. Below Quake Lake the Upper Madison is going to be mostly a nymph fishing game right now. We are still a few weeks out from the well-known Upper Madison winter midges hatches.
Flies for the Madison Right Now:
Rainbow warriors in sizes 14-20
Firebead or hot bead SJ wormies in sizes 8-12
Zebra Midges in sizes 16-20
Beadhead PTs in sizes 18-22
Juju beatis in flash or tan in sizes 16-20
The Month Ahead:
Nymphing big protein flies like stoneflies, worms, sculpins, and eggs has been producing and will be the primary method and flies for the foreseeable future. Fish are in the slower deeper runs, so concentrate on deep, slow water and be patient--if you find one fish are you are likely to find more. Most brown trout are done spawning or will be done in the next few weeks, but please keep an eye out for redds and avoid walking on them or targeting them.
Up in the wade section around Raynold's pass the fishing will continue to be solid into the winter as fish hold over in the deeper runs and wells in and around rocks or structure.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Upper Madison is a very consistent winter fishery. This report should hold into December.