Madison River, Montana Fishing Guide

The Madison is a big, fast trout river with wild brown and rainbow trout from Yellowstone National Park down to Three Forks. The stretch from Quake Lake to Ennis Lake is famous for its late-June salmonfly hatch and is managed with artificial-lure, catch-and-release and wade-only sections. Rules change by section and the park section needs a separate park permit, so check the map before you fish.

📍 Southwest Montana. The Madison starts inside Yellowstone National Park where the Firehole and Gibbon rivers meet, leaves the park at West Yellowstone, runs into Hebgen Lake, then through Earthquake (Quake) Lake and north past Lyons Bridge, Varney Bridge and the town of Ennis to Ennis Lake. Below Ennis Dam it runs through Bear Trap Canyon to Three Forks.

Map: spots, ramps and marinas

★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)

Open the full Rocky Mountain Trout Rivers map →

Quick facts

Quake Lake was formed by the Hebgen Lake Earthquake on August 17, 1959 (magnitude 7.5): a landslide of over 80 million tons of rock blocked the Madison and 28 people died.
The short 'Between the Lakes' stretch from Hebgen Lake to Quake Lake is about 3 miles long.
Under Montana's 2026 rules, Quake Lake outlet to Lyons Bridge and Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake are closed to fishing from boats (wade fishing only).
Salmonflies usually hatch around June 15 on the lower river (below Ennis Lake) and around June 25 on the upper river.
Inside Yellowstone National Park the Madison is fly fishing only, and from the Wyoming-Montana line to the park boundary at West Yellowstone it stays open all year.

What you can catch

Brown trout
One of the two main trout; most run 14-16 inches, with fish over 20 inches caught.
Rainbow trout
Main trout; catch-and-release for rainbows in several Montana sections (anglers 14 and under may keep 1).
Mountain whitefish
Common; a native fish, must be released inside Yellowstone Park.
Brook trout
In the park section you may keep up to 5 brook trout.
Arctic grayling
Native; rare in the Madison and Firehole in the park. Always release; Montana also requires grayling to be released.
Cutthroat trout
Native; must be released in Yellowstone Park. Montana standard rules allow only 1 cutthroat in the daily limit.

Month by month

January	Open all year in Montana. Winter midge fishing on mild days; dress for cold.
February	Midges. In the park, only the Madison from the state line to the West Yellowstone boundary is open.
March	New Montana license year starts Mar 1. Blue-winged olives start late March, first on the lower Madison.
April	Blue-winged olives on cloudy days. Mother's Day caddis can start at the end of April, most reliable on the lower river.
May	Caddis and March browns (upper river, early-mid May). Runoff usually arrives; nymphs still work. Park Madison opens May 1.
June	Runoff usually drops around June 15-20. Salmonflies about June 15 on the lower river and about June 25 on the upper, with golden stones.
July	PMDs, yellow sallies and caddis; the busiest month. Hoot-owl limits may apply in hot, dry spells.
August	Golden stones hatch at night and fade by mid-late August. Flying ants late in the month. Fish early in the day.
September	Flying ants on warm afternoons into early September; fewer people after Labor Day.
October	Local outfitters call October and November some of the best months on the upper and lower river. Most park waters close after Oct 31.
November	Quiet, good fall fishing in Montana. In the park only the year-round stretch near West Yellowstone stays open.
December	Winter fishing with midges and nymphs; dry-fly action can happen on calm days.

Tips

In Montana you need a Conservation License, an AIS Prevention Pass (age 16+) and a Fishing License. The 2026 nonresident season total for age 16+ is $117.50.
Do not fish from a boat between Quake Lake outlet and Lyons Bridge, or between Ennis Bridge and Ennis Lake. Pull over and wade.
From Varney Bridge to Ennis Lake use only artificial lures with barbless single-point hooks; swap or cut treble hooks.
The park section needs a Yellowstone park permit, and it is fly fishing only with lead-free, barbless gear and no felt-soled boots.
In hot summers check FWP's restrictions page before you go; hoot-owl rules (fishing only before 2 p.m.) or closures may apply.

Rules and license

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (Central Fishing District); National Park Service (Yellowstone NP section) · Official rules page ↗

Montana license: Conservation License + AIS Prevention Pass (16+) + Fishing License; license year runs Mar 1, 2026 to end of Feb 2027.
Central District rivers are open all year. Standard limit: 3 trout daily, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 cutthroat; release all grayling.
Yellowstone NP boundary to Hebgen Reservoir: catch-and-release for rainbow trout (anglers 14 and under may keep 1).
Quake Lake outlet to Lyons Bridge: catch-and-release for all trout, artificial lures only, no fishing from boats.
Lyons Bridge to Varney Bridge: catch-and-release for all trout, artificial lures only.
Varney Bridge to Ennis Lake: catch-and-release for rainbows, artificial lures with barbless single-point hooks only; Ennis Bridge to Ennis Lake also closed to fishing from boats.
Emergency hoot-owl (2 p.m.-midnight closure) or full closures may apply in drought; check fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.
Inside Yellowstone NP: park permit (16+), fly fishing only, lead-free and barbless; release all rainbows, browns and native fish, keep up to 5 brook trout.

Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.

Boat ramps and marinas

The map above shows 4 boat ramps and 0 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.

Sources

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.