From below Ennis Lake to the headwaters of the Missouri River is the stretch known as the lower Madison River. It cruises through the Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness Area and can get gnarly before calming down and widening out on its final stretch into Three Forks. There, it meets the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers to form the Missouri River.
Fishing has been good some days and not the best some days on the Lower! It's the time of year where the water is heating up so pay attention to river temperatures, and try to stop fishing when you step in the water and it is no longer cold anymore. And just a reminder, there's a fishing closure from the dam- powerhouse and Hoot owl restrictions have begun for the entire river so fishing ends at 2pm everyday. Dry fly fishing has been doing the best recently for us with stubby chubbies and an X-caddis or a Corn fed caddis as a dropper. Caddis and PMD's are pretty much everywhere from Bear trap canyon down so parachute patterns and a classic Elk Hair Caddis or X-caddis is getting the job done! Nymphing with crayfish, worms, caddis pupa, and sow bugs has been the best bet over there recently, but don't be afraid of hare's ears, Perdigons, Blow Torches, or drake nymphs.
*Hoot owl restrictions apply to sections of this river
Parachute Adams (16-20), Purple Haze (16-20), Paradrake (10-12), Sparkle Dun (16-20), Film Critic (16-18), X-Caddis (14-18), Elk Hair Caddis (14-20), Stubby Chubby Cinnamon/ Yellow (12-18), Buzz Ball (16-18)
Mills Cowbell Cray Tan/ Olive/ Rust (6), Snapping Craw (8), Mini Peanut Envy (1), Rubber Leg Krystal Bugger Olive (6-10), Hale Bopp Leech Black/ Brown/ Olive (10), Strolis Micro Head Banger (8)
Pheasant Tail (14-20), BH Hare’s Ear (14-20), HE Blowtorch (12-16), Purple/Pink Blowtorch (14-16), Quilldigon Natural (14-18), Perdigons, Olive/ Brown/ Black/ Pink/ Purple (14-18), Iron Sally (12-18), Squirminator (10), Twisted Worm (10), Shagedelic Mop
