6/23/2026: Madison River Fishing Report
Summary
The Upper Madison has fished decently through a windy stretch, with weather the dominant variable rather than water. That balance is shifting toward higher, off-color water. With Hebgen essentially full, Northwestern Energy has been ramping releases out of the dam, and today's live reading at Kirby Ranch (942 cfs) confirms the river has come up about as expected. The practical effect is twofold: the salmon fly hatch gets nudged slightly later, and the streamer bite should improve meaningfully as the river comes up and colors.
At a glance: Upper Madison at Kirby Ranch 942 cfs, 53°F (USGS, today) | Below Ennis Lake 1,350 cfs, 64°F (USGS, today) | Shop baseline Hebgen Dam 699 / Kirby 842 / Varney 1,100 cfs and climbing (Slide Inn, June 10) | Hebgen Reservoir 99.6% full and rising | Valley wind 30 to 40 mph
The Upper has fished decently through a windy stretch, with weather the dominant variable rather than water. That balance has been shifting toward higher, off-color water. With Hebgen essentially full, Northwestern Energy has been ramping releases out of the dam, and Slide Inn expected flows to keep stepping up day over day until releases match inflow. Today's live reading at Kirby Ranch, 942 cfs against Slide Inn's June 10 figure of 842, confirms the river has come up about as expected. The practical effect is twofold: the salmon fly hatch gets nudged slightly later, and the streamer bite should improve meaningfully as the river comes up and colors. Down by Ennis, today's gauge below Ennis Lake reads 1,350 cfs at 64°, noticeably warmer than the Upper and pushing into more summery water. Trout Stalkers' late-May read still informs the lower-river fly picture: the caddis hatch below town was on, with adults, pupae, and larva all in play, and pods of risers were workable on cloudy windows.
Note. No Madison shop has posted a fresh report since Slide Inn's June 10 update, now thirteen days old. Conditions below are the most recent shop guidance grounded against today's live USGS flows. Hebgen releases have been ramping as the reservoir fills, so expect higher, coloring water on the Upper than the early-June shop numbers show. Sustained valley wind of 30 to 40 mph remains a real factor on the open middle river. Check the gauge and call ahead before you commit to a drive.
Best techniques
Nymphing is the workhorse by a wide margin on the Upper. Run small Pat's Rubber Legs and TJ Hookers in #10 to #12 with Olive Caddis Larva, Zebra Midges, Dips, and smaller Perdigons in #16 to #18. BWO nymphs still earn takes on colder days, but it has been mostly a caddis and small-stonefly game.
Through the float section, drop tungsten off a Royal Micro Chubby for a fun two-fly rig.
On the lower river around Ennis, the caddis hatch is the show. Adults to Elk Hair Caddis, Missing Link Caddis, and Finfetcher Caddis on top. Oikawa's CDC Caddis is a newer Trout Stalkers favorite that has fished well. In the film, Lawson's Caddis Emerger and RIO's Edible Emerger are working. A Jig Prince suspended below a chubby has been a go-to throughout the system.
Dries on the Upper are improving with small attractors and adult caddis but still trail nymphs. With the salmonfly hatch now due, carry big foam stonefly dries for the Upper.
Streamers are on the cusp and improving as flows rise. 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. Down at Ennis in muddier water, Trout Stalkers has done best on Mini Dungeons, Slum Lords, Dungeon Yellow, and black Woolly Buggers. Retrieve matters as much as pattern: try a slow twitch or jig, then a hard strip back to the boat, and change color and speed until you crack it.
Hatches
Salmonflies were projected for emergence around June 16 and should now be live and moving up the Upper, the headline event of the week; call the North Slide in Ennis for the current line. Caddis (adult, pupa, larva) remain a dominant active hatch, especially below town. Small stoneflies continue to produce on the Upper. BWOs still hatch on colder, overcast windows. Midges remain steady in the film.
The Fly Box
Nymphs: Pat's Rubber Legs, TJ Hookers, Zebra Midges, Dips, BH Pheasant Tail, Spanish Bullet (French), Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch, Jig Prince, San Juan Worm
Emergers: Lawson's Caddis Emerger, RIO's Edible Emerger
Dries: Royal Micro Chubby, Elk Hair Caddis, Missing Link Caddis, Finfetcher Caddis, Oikawa's CDC Caddis
Streamers: Mini Envys, micro envys, Mini Whiteys, Double Screamers, Mini Loop Sculpin, Bangtails, Mini Dungeons, Slum Lords, Dungeon Yellow, Woolly Buggers, Sparring Partner
Outlook. Flows have climbed toward an inflow match, so plan for higher, coloring water and shifting wade lines on the Upper. The salmonfly emergence should be working up from the lower river right now, which is the reason to go this week. Streamer fishing should keep improving as the river comes up. The lower river below Ennis Lake is already into the mid-60s, so fish it earlier in the day and watch temperatures as summer settles in. Wind stays the wild card, so favor sheltered water below Varney or higher up when it howls. Call ahead to the North Slide for the current big-bug line.
Sources and Thanks
| Shop | Report date | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Slide Inn (Galloup's) | June 10, 2026 | Madison River |
| Trout Stalkers (Ennis) | May 22, 2026 | Madison River |
| Madison River Fly Fishing Company (Ennis) | April 23, 2026 | Madison River |
