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.
(A full fishing closure is currently in place from Ennis dam to the footbridge at Northwestern Energy). (Currently under Hoot Owl Restrictions for the rest of the river). https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures. The lower Madison is currently getting flushed daily so flows are up and down all the time. They do this to try to keep the water slightly colder. This can make the fishing tough. Coupled with the warm weather it can be a really tricky time of year on the lower. It is getting really warm, but fishing semi good in the morning. For nymphs, this time of year it is hard to beat a rig with a worm, stonefly, or zirdle up top to a pill popper, sweetmeat caddis, bead baetis, green machine, holo midge, frenchie, zebra midge, or psycho prince. For dry flies, it's tough to beat a puff caddis, micro peanut, x-caddis, or a cinnamon stubby chubby.
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
