Lower Madison

Updated 1h ago

Madison · Below Beartrap Canyon / Ennis Dam to Three Forks (confluence with Jefferson and Gallatin)

🌡️ Water hit 74.1°F in the last 3 days — hoot owl territory

FWP restricts fishing from 2pm to midnight when water hits 73°F for three consecutive days. An official restriction may follow — check FWP before an afternoon session. Fish mornings, land fish fast, and keep them wet.

Fishing Report

Report conditions: 1140 cfs · 71.1°F · ▼ 58.7% 24h · ↓25% median

Flows dropped hard overnight below Ennis Lake, now running about 25% under median at 1140 cfs, with water temps sitting at 71°F - warm enough that fish will be sluggish through midday, so target morning and evening windows to keep stress on fish low. Clear water and a falling gauge mean good visibility for PMDs, tricos at first light, and caddis emergers, with hoppers, ants, and beetles picking up the slack once the sun's high. No closures on this stretch currently, but with temps pushing 71°F, fish early and consider giving fish a break during the warmest afternoon hours.

Conditions	Clear, Declining
Nymphing	Perdigon (olive/black) #16, Silver Perdigon #18, Lightning Bug #16, Zebra Midge #20
Dry Fly	PMD Comparadun #16, Trico Spinner #20, Caddis Emerger #16, Hopper Pattern #10
Streamer	Sculpzilla #6, Small Woolly Bugger #10, Streamer, Sparkle Minnows

Based on current conditions and 3 local shop reports · 1h ago

What's Hatching Now

Seasonal Chart →

PMDs Ephemerella inermis

Hook: #14-20

Best dry fly fishing of season

Dries	Comparadun PMD #14-18 Parachute Adams #12-18 Purple Haze #14-18 Royal Wulff #10-18 Rusty Spinner #14-18
Emergers	PMD Sparkle Dun #14-18
Nymphs	Copper John #14-18 Hare's Ear Nymph #12-18 Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-20 Prince Nymph #12-16

Tricos Tricorythodes minutus

Peak Favorable

Hook: #18-22

Large early-morning hatches

Dries	CDC Trico #20-22 Hi-Vis Spinner #18-22 Trico Spinner #18-22
Nymphs	Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-20

Caddis Trichoptera

Peak

Hook: #12-20

Emerger patterns especially important

Dries	CDC Caddis #14-18 Corn Fed Caddis #14-18 Elk Hair Caddis #14-18 X-Caddis #14-18
Nymphs	Hare's Ear Nymph #12-18

Hoppers

Peak Favorable

Hook: #8-14

Major food source in valley water

Dries	Chubby Chernobyl #6-12
Terrestrials	Dave's Hopper #8-12

Ants

Peak

Hook: #14-18

Terrestrials

Foam Ant #14-16

Beetles

Peak

Hook: #14-18

Terrestrials

Foam Beetle #14-16

Conditions

Below Ennis Lake (Lower)

1h ago

Clear

Flow	1140 cfs · 3.57 ft · 70.9°F
Trend	↓25% med · ▼ 58.4% 24h
Wx	56° · 💨 13 NNE · 🌧️ 1% · H: 70° / L: 55°

7-Day Flow

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