Madison River
Dam: 1,170 cfs
Kirby: 1,270 cfs
Although streamer fishing is still a good bet right now, every day that passes brings us closer and closer to winter fishing (basically what we consider unproductive streamer fishing). We fished between the lakes for about 4 hours yesterday, and there were actually a few people out there to share the river with, which is always nice to see (especially if there are bears around). In a relative way however, there are basically no crowds, and chances are that you’ll have large pieces of water all to yourself when you hit the Madison this time of year. The best flies for us were olive peanut envys and black tips-up, and it was kind of surprising how actively the browns were chasing the fly, given that water temps were in the 36 degree range. You can find 38 degree water downstream around the West Fork, but if you’re looking for a pig then I would stay between the lakes. Definitely saw some nymph fishermen hooking up too, and my guess is that little has changed on the menu– Baetis nymphs, midges, small rubberlegs, and eggs are the name of the game this time of year. High temps for the upcoming week are in the mid-high 20’s so make sure to bring some warm clothes and gloves if you’re headed up this way.
