Our home water
Upper Madison River fly fishing.
Our lodge and shop sit right on the banks of the Upper Madison in the middle of the trophy trout section. Float or walk/wade with guides who fish it nearly every day.
- Est. 1982
- Lodge & shop on the Madison since 1990
- Outfitter License #680
- Cameron, Montana
The trophy trout section, outside our door
Dan found a stretch of land on the Madison that called to him and bought it in 1984. Today the lodge sits on the bluffs above the river between Ennis and West Yellowstone, with Yellowstone National Park just up the road.
We float and wade the Upper Madison from spring through fall. Our fishing reports follow the river in two-week chunks: Blue Wing Olives and caddis in April, runoff streamers in May, salmonflies, golden stones and PMDs in June, terrestrials through summer, and the best streamer fishing of the year in October.
Float or walk/wade
A full day float or walk/wade trip on the Madison is $750 for one or two anglers, with lunch, flies and rental gear included. Half days start at $650, subject to availability.
Reading the water
Flows drive everything on the Madison. Hebgen Lake releases, runoff and summer storms all move the gauges at Kirby and Cameron, and we report them every time. In hot spells, hoot owl restrictions can close sections from 2 PM to midnight; your guide will plan around them.
Taking care of the fishery
In warm water, wet hands, in-the-water photos, net photos and quick releases help fish recover and protect the future of the fishery.
Upper Madison trips
| Full day | $750, 1–2 anglers |
| Half day | From $650 |
| Included | Lunch, flies, rental gear |
| Deposit | 50% |
| Gauges | Cameron · Kirby |
or call (406) 682-7525
Month by month
What the Upper Madison does
Warmer temperatures kick-start Blue Wing Olive and caddis hatches. Stonefly nymphs are a key protein source for big fish, and streamer fishing picks up as water temperatures approach the mid 40s.
Flies: Delektable Gold BH Nymph #8–10 · BWO dries · small streamers
Salmonflies and golden stones pop on different sections, swarms of caddis cover the sagebrush, Pale Morning Duns push upriver and Yellow Sallies fill in the cracks. The buffet is open.
Flies: Big stonefly dries · PMDs · caddis · a nymph or emerger behind a streamer
Heat moves the big hatches aside and trout forage on hoppers, flying ants and beetles. Nocturnal stoneflies and spruce moths keep fish feeding through hot days and nights.
Flies: Hoppers · ants · beetles · tiny PMDs · nocturnal stones
Some of the best streamer fishing of the year. Nymphs bring numbers, but streamers move the larger browns as they focus on spawning. Colored-up browns and rosy-cheeked rainbows.
Flies: Delektable Guide Stone · Jig Hook Tungsten Micro Spanker #16–18 · Wire Worm · streamers
From the boat
Upper Madison fish
Questions
Upper Madison questions
Where do Upper Madison float trips launch?
Our reports mention floats from Lyons Bridge to Ruby Creek and Ruby Creek to Varney Bridge, plus sections above McAtee and Palisades. Your guide picks the section for the conditions.
Can I wade the Upper Madison?
Yes. We offer full day walk/wade trips on the Madison at the same $750 rate, and the lodge has river access right from the property.
Where can I check Madison River flows?
The USGS gauges at Cameron (06040000) and Kirby Ranch (06038800). We include flows in every fishing report.
Come fish the Madison with us.
Book a full day on the Upper Madison or one of Montana’s other trophy rivers. Stop in at the shop on Highway 287 any time; the coffee is on us.