The Upper Madison River originates in Yellowstone National Park and flows through Hebgen Lake, past the town of Ennis, Montana on its way to Ennis Lake. Because river flows are managed from Hebgen Dam, water levels remain pretty consistent throughout most of the fishing season. With gorgeous scenery and great fly fishing, anglers from all over seek out Montana's famed Madison River.
The Upper Madison has been fishing excellent lately and should continue to be good as we move further into fall! For your nymph rigs, we like a size 8-12 rubber legs or a worm up top to a sz 14-16 sweetmeat caddis, sz 14-18 frenchdipity/three dollar dip, sz 14-18 shop vac, sz 14-16 red copper john, sz 14-16 frenchie, or sz 14-16 purple blowtorch. If they aren't eating the rubber legs or worm, just fish 2 smaller flies like a shop vac and a frenchdipity and downsize your tippet to 5x. It is also important to have a variety of sizes of split shot and jig nymphs with different size beads so you can get close to the bottom. Try stripping some streamers too! Flashy flies like Sparkle Minnows, kreelex's, barely legal's, ditch witch's and Bite snack sculpins have been moving some nice fish as well as dull flies like the Dungeon's, Mini Peanut Envy's, and sculp ditty's.
Parachute Adams (16-20), Purple Haze (18-20), Griffiths Gnat (16-20), Razor Midge (18-22), Buzz Ball (16-18), Chubby Chernobyl (8-16), Water walker (8-12), Corn Fed caddis (14-18), Stubby Chubby (12-16)
Woolly Bugger Black/Olive (6-12), Mini Loop Sculpin Olive, Natural (6), Mini Dungeons Yellow/White/Black (6), Baby Dragon Sculpin/Black/Yellow/Whitey (4), Sparkle Minnow Smoke/Sculpin/Brown (2-8) Heisenberg Black/ Olive/ White (6), Kill Whitey Black/ Olive/ White (4), Montana Intruder (6), Sparkle Minnow Smoke/JJ/Sculpin (8) (8)
Pats Rubberlegs Black/Coffee, Olive, Black, Orange (4-12), Rainbow Warrior (16-20), Copper John Red/Copper(16-20), Pink/Natural Quilldigon (14-18), Green Machines (16-20), $3 Dips (14-18), Steel Worm (6-8), Matt’s Shagadelic Mop, Eggs
