Wade35/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
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Fly fishing report · Greater Yellowstone
Madison River Fishing Report — West Yellowstone, Montana
See if Madison River is worth the trip today. Check the current flow, weather, hatches, flies, access, and rules before you go.
Check flow & weatherToday's river scoreLive calculation
55
Caution
Best option: Float.
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Returned dataHigh reliabilityReliability of the flow, weather, and alert data that returned.
Today's decisionHigh confidenceCurrent flow, weather, alerts, and trip-critical signals support this decision.
Score calculated Aug 10, 12:46 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 15 minutes
Recommended approachFloat
Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.
Bank / edgeCheck
This report does not describe this as a primary mode. Verify legal access, depth, launches, and retreat options before planning around it.
Float · Best fit59/100
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Confirm before you leave
Flow and weather right now.
Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.
Loading current flow and weather.
Restrictions and advisories
Check Madison River before fishing.
Only exact route matches are shown. Reach limits remain in force, and a missing notice is not a finding that the water is legally open.
See all Montana tracker recordsActive schedule — not in effect nowOfficial restrictionLegal closure
Hoot-owl fishing restriction on the upper Madison River
- Applies to
- Yellowstone National Park boundary downstream to Hebgen Reservoir
- Source checked
- Source freshness
- Fresh through Aug 13, 2026, 3:02 AM UTC
- BlueStreamFly review due
- Effective
- Daily restricted window
- Daily, 14:00–24:00 (America/Denver)
- Recurring terms
- Daily from 2:00 p.m. to midnight
This route mapping covers the Madison reach near West Yellowstone outside the park; it does not apply the Montana notice to Yellowstone National Park water.
The West Yellowstone report covers the Montana reach from the park boundary toward Hebgen Reservoir.
River strategy
Start with flow, temperature, and the section you plan to fish.
The upper Madison can fish very differently above Hebgen, below Quake Lake, and farther down the riffle water. Use the live flow chart first, then match the plan to wade safety, boat rules, and water temperature.
- Use the West Yellowstone gauge for the upper-river reference, then compare with downstream gauges if you plan to fish below Quake Lake.
- Expect strong current, slick rocks, and long riffle water. A wading staff is worth carrying.
- Dry-dropper, nymph, and streamer plans all have a place, but the best choice depends on flow and season.
- Check Montana FWP regulations and temporary restrictions before fishing, especially during warm summer weather.
Why this score moved
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 290 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1913-2025, 102 readings) puts normal around 420 cfs and the low-water marker near 330 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
Public alertUse caution
An Air Quality Alert is active near this forecast point, so the score is capped at caution until smoke and access conditions are checked. NWS alert: Air Quality Alert issued August 9 at 8:15AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT.
Best mode nowUse caution
Float: A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
SeasonHelps score
Early summer: A major hatch period with salmonflies, caddis, PMDs, and stonefly nymphs in play.
Water temperatureHelps score
USGS water temperature is about 62F, with no heat stop triggered.
Read the water
What changes the plan.
The Madison rewards anglers who build the day around flows and water temperature. When the river is stable and cool, cover riffles methodically with dry-droppers, nymph rigs, and soft hackles. When flows rise or visibility drops, focus on protected edges and streamer water instead of forcing long mid-river wades.
Low and clear
Use longer leaders, smaller droppers, lighter tippet, and avoid walking through likely holding lanes.
Stable medium flow
This is the most flexible window for dry-dropper rigs, tight-line nymphs, soft hackles, and covering riffle edges.
High or pushy
Stay close to the bank, skip risky crossings, and fish inside bends, soft shelves, and streamer water near structure.
Warm afternoons
Carry a thermometer in summer. If water temperatures climb into stressful trout conditions, fish early, move to colder water where legal, or stop.
Field plan
Fish it with intention.
Best flows
Use the West Yellowstone trend to frame the day, then match it to the section. Stable medium flows are the most forgiving for dry-droppers and nymphs; high pushy water should narrow you to edges, short drifts, and fewer crossing ideas.
When to skip
Skip crossings when the river is pushy, when afternoon temperatures are stressing trout, when wind turns accurate presentations into guesswork, or when crowd pressure at the reach you chose would force sloppy wading around other anglers.
Local plan
Split the day by section before leaving town: park-boundary and upper-river checks near West Yellowstone, classic fifty-mile-riffle decisions around Lyons Bridge and Raynolds Pass, then lower-valley alternatives only if your original section is too busy or too high.
Backup water
If the Madison is crowded, too warm, or blown out by wind, pivot to Hebgen Lake for a different style of day or to the Gallatin when you want a separate road-access freestone option.
Hatches & flies
Bring a flexible box.
TimingWhat to watchUseful flies
March to AprilMidges and blue-winged olivesZebra midges, RS2-style emergers, small pheasant tails, BWO dries
Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midges”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed pattern · report says “small pheasant tails”Pheasant Tail NymphThe pilot page distinguishes the sparse original idea from the bulkier American form. Both use pheasant-tail fibers and copper wire, but bead heads, peacock-herl thoraxes, legs, flashbacks, jig hooks, and soft-hackle collars are variations that must be labeled.See photos & how to fish it ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box May to JuneCaddis, PMDs, stoneflies, early salmonfliesElk hair caddis, PMD comparaduns, prince nymphs, stonefly nymphs
Reviewed pattern · report says “Elk hair caddis”Elk Hair CaddisLook for a tented elk- or deer-hair wing, clipped hair head, dubbed body, rib, and hackle palmered along the body. The body color should be labeled because tiers often match different natural caddis colors.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed pattern · report says “PMD comparaduns”PMD ComparadunA pale slender body, split tail, upright semicircular deer-hair wing, and no hackle define the Comparadun profile. Sulfur and BWO Comparaduns are color or hatch-specific destinations, not automatically PMDs.See photos & how to fish it ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box Late June to JulySalmonflies, golden stones, PMDs, caddisChubby Chernobyls, Stimulators, PMD dries, caddis pupa
Reviewed pattern · report says “Chubby Chernobyls”Chubby ChernobylIdentify the construction, not the color: a long foam overbody over a segmented dubbed underside, rubber legs at two tie-in stations, two distinct buoyant synthetic-yarn wing sections, and a short flash tail. The paired wing stations and layered foam-and-dubbing body separate the reviewed Chubby from the original Chernobyl Ant and from generic foam hoppers or beetles.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed pattern · report says “Stimulators”StimulatorLook for a hair tail, dubbed abdomen with palmered hackle, tented hair wing, contrasting front hackle, and bright thorax or head. Colors and sizes vary widely and must remain labeled.See photos & how to fish it ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box August to SeptemberHoppers, ants, beetles, caddis, small mayfliesFoam hoppers, ants, beetles, small attractors, soft hackles
Reviewed family · report says “Foam hoppers”Grasshopper PatternsHopper patterns share a substantial body and long rear-leg impression, but foam, deer hair, wing construction, and waterline differ widely among named patterns.See family guide ↗
Reviewed family · report says “ants”Ant PatternsAnt patterns can be foam, fur-bodied, winged, or sunken. The narrow waist and paired body lobes matter more than one material recipe.See family guide ↗+ 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box October to winterBlue-winged olives and midgesSmall BWO dries, zebra midges, slim nymphs, small streamers
Reviewed pattern · report says “zebra midges”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed family · report says “Small BWO dries”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box 01
Treat the upper Madison as a lane-by-lane river. Pick one riffle, identify the soft edge, and fish each depth before moving.
02
A dry-dropper is a strong searching rig when flows are approachable. Use a buoyant attractor and adjust dropper depth often.
03
For nymphing, use enough weight to tick bottom occasionally, but avoid dragging heavy rigs through shallow riffle lanes.
04
During caddis or PMD activity, skate or swing a soft hackle below a dry fly before changing spots.
05
For streamer fishing, make short, accurate casts to banks, boulders, and color changes rather than blind-casting the whole river.
Access & responsibility
Know the entry. Know the exit.
Use Montana FWP's current fishing regulations and restrictions page before every trip. The Central District has broad year-round opportunities, but Madison River sections can have specific exceptions, boat rules, and temporary warm-water restrictions.
West Yellowstone / park boundary area
Useful for upper-river planning near the USGS gauge. Confirm Yellowstone and Montana boundary rules before fishing.
Raynolds Pass FAS
Montana FWP lists Raynolds Pass on the Madison River with camping, toilet, and gravel ramp facilities.
Lyons Bridge area
A major upper Madison planning landmark and common transition point for float and wade decisions.
Hebgen and Quake Lake corridor
Use this corridor to match flow, road access, and wind. The river changes character around the impounded sections.
Recent reach reports
What anglers are seeing.
Moderated, river-level updates for Madison River. Exact spots, private access notes, and private media never appear here.
No verified reach reports yet.
Be the first to share a generalized river update through the moderated BSF app flow.
Transparent sources
Check the facts behind the plan.
Editorial guidance reviewed . This date applies to access, hatches, tactics, and source notes—not today's conditions.
Active maintenance check: . BlueStreamFly checks report sources, links, live fishability inputs, and page rendering on a recurring maintenance schedule. This check does not change the material review date unless public guidance or sources changed.
These links answer different trip questions. A reviewed source is a place to verify the decision; it is not a promise that the river, access, or season is open. Source review dates are separate from today's live fishing score.
Source coverage: Flow — verify before leaving; Weather — reviewed source; Public access — reviewed source; Fishing rules — reviewed source; Emergency notices — reviewed source; Conservation contact — source status unknown.
Emergency noticeMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks emergency or current-status authority
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports emergency closures
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Statewide source: Montana
Limit: A status page is not proof that this river is open. Match any notice to the named water, reach, species, and effective time. Restriction listings must be matched to the named water and reach; a state page with no matching entry is not represented here as a legal open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Emergency noticeMontana FWP current waterbody closures and restrictions
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports emergency closures
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Yellowstone National Park boundary downstream to Hebgen Reservoir
Limit: The West Yellowstone report covers the Montana reach from the park boundary toward Hebgen Reservoir. This route mapping covers the Madison reach near West Yellowstone outside the park; it does not apply the Montana notice to Yellowstone National Park water. Use the official notice for the affected reach and time. This directory never converts a missing notice into an open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Fishing rulesMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks fishing regulations
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports fishing rules
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Statewide source: Montana
Limit: Official regulations remain the legal authority; this directory does not summarize or certify the rules for a reach. Restriction listings must be matched to the named water and reach; a state page with no matching entry is not represented here as a legal open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Flow gaugeMadison River near West Yellowstone, MT
United States Geological Survey Water Data · Supports flow conditions
Verify with the authority · Checked · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: The configured station 06037500 is the single USGS station ID documented by the report's official flow sources. The mapping has one or more deterministic review flags and remains qualified until a documented reach review resolves them.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP fishing access sites
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP Madison River recreation
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP stream access in Montana
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Weather forecastNWS forecast for West Yellowstone, MT
National Weather Service · Supports weather forecast
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Reviewed point: West Yellowstone, MT
Limit: Approximate forecast point only. It is not an access coordinate, river gauge, measured rainfall record, or fishing location.
Forecast-only point — not public access 44.6571, -111.0680 · BlueStreamFly-reviewed coordinates checked · Reviewed by BlueStreamFly Editorial Team · Coordinate source bluestreamfly.com
Coordinate limit: Canonical report forecast point; never use or display this coordinate as public access.Opens the official source in a new tab.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports emergency closures
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Statewide source: Montana
Limit: A status page is not proof that this river is open. Match any notice to the named water, reach, species, and effective time. Restriction listings must be matched to the named water and reach; a state page with no matching entry is not represented here as a legal open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Emergency noticeMontana FWP current waterbody closures and restrictions
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports emergency closures
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Yellowstone National Park boundary downstream to Hebgen Reservoir
Limit: The West Yellowstone report covers the Montana reach from the park boundary toward Hebgen Reservoir. This route mapping covers the Madison reach near West Yellowstone outside the park; it does not apply the Montana notice to Yellowstone National Park water. Use the official notice for the affected reach and time. This directory never converts a missing notice into an open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Fishing rulesMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks fishing regulations
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports fishing rules
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Statewide source: Montana
Limit: Official regulations remain the legal authority; this directory does not summarize or certify the rules for a reach. Restriction listings must be matched to the named water and reach; a state page with no matching entry is not represented here as a legal open finding.Opens the official source in a new tab.Flow gaugeMadison River near West Yellowstone, MT
United States Geological Survey Water Data · Supports flow conditions
Verify with the authority · Checked · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: The configured station 06037500 is the single USGS station ID documented by the report's official flow sources. The mapping has one or more deterministic review flags and remains qualified until a documented reach review resolves them.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP fishing access sites
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP Madison River recreation
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Public accessMontana FWP stream access in Montana
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks · Supports public access
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Report reach: Madison River report reach
Limit: This link was reviewed with the canonical report. Recheck the source, posted signs, affected reach, and effective date before relying on it.Opens the official source in a new tab.Weather forecastNWS forecast for West Yellowstone, MT
National Weather Service · Supports weather forecast
Reviewed in this Sourcebook release · Checked · Review window through · Reviewed point: West Yellowstone, MT
Limit: Approximate forecast point only. It is not an access coordinate, river gauge, measured rainfall record, or fishing location.
Forecast-only point — not public access 44.6571, -111.0680 · BlueStreamFly-reviewed coordinates checked · Reviewed by BlueStreamFly Editorial Team · Coordinate source bluestreamfly.com
Coordinate limit: Canonical report forecast point; never use or display this coordinate as public access.Opens the official source in a new tab.
Other report references: These support editorial context but are not presented as reviewed official authorities in the Sourcebook.
flowRiverReports: Madison River at West YellowstoneOpens this reference in a new tab.backgroundWikimedia Commons image: Madison River flyfishingOpens this reference in a new tab.
See this river in the Official River Sourcebook
Something changed? Report a source or reach correction. Send public-source corrections only. Do not submit private access notes, exact private spots, pins, marker IDs, user IDs, photo locations, or private media.
Common questions
Before you leave.
What flow source should I use for the Madison near West Yellowstone?+
Use the RiverReports page for the quick chart and USGS 06037500 as the official station reference.
Is the Madison good for dry flies?+
Yes, especially during caddis, PMD, salmonfly, terrestrial, and fall BWO windows. Dry-dropper fishing is often a practical search method when fish are not visibly rising.
Is the Madison easy to wade?+
Some edges and riffles are approachable, but the river is fast, cold, and slick. Avoid crossings in elevated flows and carry a wading staff.
Do regulations change by section?+
Yes. Check Montana FWP regulations, restrictions, and access-site rules before fishing because section-specific and temporary rules can apply.