6/15/2026: Madison River Fishing Report
Summary
The Upper Madison has fished decently over the last several weeks, with wind the dominant variable rather than water. That is changing now. With Hebgen essentially full, the dam is sending water downstream, and Slide Inn expects flows to keep stepping up day over day until releases match inflow. The practical effect is twofold: the salmon fly hatch gets nudged back slightly, and the streamer bite should improve meaningfully over the coming week as the river comes up and colors.
At a glance: Hebgen Dam 699 cfs, Kirby 842 cfs, Varney 1,100 cfs, and climbing as the dam ramps up | Hebgen Reservoir 99.6% full and rising | Rising as the dam ramps, salmonfly window opening
The Upper Madison has fished decently over the last several weeks, with wind the dominant variable rather than water. That is changing now. With Hebgen essentially full, the dam is sending water downstream, and Slide Inn expects flows to keep stepping up day over day until releases match inflow. The practical effect is twofold: the salmon fly hatch gets nudged back slightly, and the streamer bite should improve meaningfully over the coming week as the river comes up and colors.
Note. Flows are being ramped up out of Hebgen Dam this week. NorthWestern Energy has been bumping releases roughly 5% per hour on ramp days (noon to 5 pm) as Hebgen Reservoir sits 99.6% full and rising. Expect rising, coloring water and changing wade lines day to day. Add sustained wind of 30 to 40 mph in the valley. Check the gauge before you wade and give yourself margin.
Best techniques
- Nymphing is the workhorse by a wide margin. Up top, run small Pat's Rubber Legs and TJ Hookers in #10 to #12 with Olive Caddis Larva, Zebra Midges, Dips, and smaller Perdigons in the #16 to #18 range. BWO nymphs still earn takes on the colder days, but it has been mostly a caddis and small-stonefly game.
- Float the same rig, with a twist. Through the float section, dropping tungsten off a Royal Micro Chubby has produced fun days.
- Dries are improving with small attractors and adult caddis, though they trail nymphs for now.
- Streamers are still slow but on the cusp. As the dam ramps, expect it to turn on. Slide Inn has done best on Mini Envys, micro envys, Mini Whiteys, Double Screamers, Mini Loop Sculpin, and Bangtails in black, olive, yellow, olive/black, and natural. Retrieve matters as much as pattern: some days a slow twitch or jig, some days a hard strip back to the boat. Keep changing color and speed until you crack it.
Hatches
Caddis (adult and larva) and small stoneflies are the current focus. BWOs still hatch on colder, overcast days. Midges remain steady in the film. Salmonflies are just starting down low; full emergence projected around June 16. Once they crawl, word travels fast. Slide Inn's North Slide shop in Ennis is the place to call for big-bug intel next week.
The Fly Box
Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs, TJ Hookers, Zebra Midges, Dips
Dries: Royal Micro Chubby
Streamers: Mini Envys, micro envys, Mini Whiteys, Double Screamers, Bangtails, Mini Loop Sculpin
Outlook. Flows climb through the week toward an inflow match, so plan around rising, coloring water and shifting wade lines. The salmonfly emergence should build from the lower river up beginning around June 16, a touch early. Streamer fishing should improve steadily as the river comes up. Wind stays the wild card, so favor sheltered water below Varney or higher up when it howls.
Sources and Thanks
| Shop | Report date | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Slide Inn (Galloup's) | June 10, 2026 | Madison River |
| Madison River Fly Fishing Company (Ennis) | April 23, 2026 | Madison River |
