Madison River Fishing Report, May 23, 2026

Summary

The Upper Madison continues to fish well on low, steady Hebgen flows, with water temps climbing into the high 40s up top and low 50s down low, right at the edge of the streamer window. It's a Baetis-and-midge show on cloudy days, with caddis starting to appear on the lower river earlier than usual. Nymphing is the bread-and-butter; lengthen the leader and drop tippet diameter for the pods of risers up high.

At a glance: Upper (below Hebgen) ~455 cfs, ~47 F, clear/fishable (USGS, 5/23 a.m.) | Lower (below Ennis Lake) ~1,140 cfs, ~52 F (USGS, 5/23 a.m.) | Hebgen outflow held low and steady, 665 cfs in late April, easing since, not expected to bump until mid to late June barring big precip

The Upper Madison has been fishing well, more like late April and early May since back in February. With Hebgen held steady and snowpack light, the river should stay fishable top to bottom for the foreseeable future, with creek inflows driving most of the day-to-day fluctuation. Water temps are climbing into the high 40s up top and low 50s down low, right at the edge of the streamer window.

Hatch-wise it's a Baetis-and-midge show on the cloudy, snowy days, with caddis starting to appear on the lower river between Varney and Ennis Lake and near town on the sunny breaks, earlier than usual, which could set up a strong Mother's Day-style caddis run. Pods of risers are around up high; be patient, lengthen the leader and drop tippet diameter, since refusals are coming more from line diameter than fly choice.

Spawning note: Spawning redds throughout the river. Rainbows are on the spawn, watch your wading and where you drop anchor. If you cross cleared gravel, walk in front of the redd rather than behind it; most eggs settle 3 to 10 ft downstream of the bed.

Best techniques

• Nymphing (the bread-and-butter, good to great). Up top in the wade water it's a midge drift: zebra midges, jujubees, small dips, and assorted larva/pupa for numbers. Cover water with small Pat's Rubber Legs when the small stuff stalls. In the float stretch, run bigger stones and worms trailing BWO and caddis nymphs; the bite tends to switch on around 9:30 to 10:00. Size B to BB shot to get down.
• Dries (small window). When the BWOs ride the film up around Raynolds and Three Dollar, reach for Tungsten Rednecks, Juju Baetis, Kelly's BWO nymph, Dark BPs, Olive Hot Spots, and Barr's Emergers. Up-top risers reward the slow, patient approach.
• Streamers (improving). Slow over the last month but turning on as temps reach the high 40s and low 50s. For numbers, nymph small streamers, Zonkers and Dalai Lamas in natural, olive, and black, right in their face. To strip, fish on foot from Ennis Bridge to the lake or from Quake down to Lyons: baitfish and sculpin profiles like barely legals and mini dungeons, plus thin articulated patterns like peanut envys and double screamers. MRFC likes small streamers in natural white and black.

Hatches

The Fly Box

Nymphs: zebra midges, Pat's Rubber Legs, Juju Baetis, Olive Hot Spots, Barr's Emergers, Three Dollar Dip, Spanish Bullet, Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch

Dries: Antonio's Adult BWO, Mini Hot Mayfly, Parachute Adams, Johnson's Mimic May BWO

Streamers: Zonkers, barely legals, peanut envys, Jiggy Pine Leech, Lil' Kim, Woolly Bugger, Sparring Partner, Mini-Dungeon, Double Screamer

Midges: Zebra Midge, Jujubee Midge, Three Dollar Dip

BWO nymphs and emergers: Tungsten Redneck, Juju Baetis, Kelly's BWO Nymph, Dark BP, Olive Hot Spot, Barr's Emerger, Spanish Bullet, BH Pheasant Tail, Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch, olive perdigons

BWO / mayfly dries: Antonio's Adult BWO, Mini Hot Mayfly (Black, Garcia Yellow), Parachute Adams, Johnson's Mimic May BWO

Stones and worms (float nymph rig): Pat's Rubber Legs

Outlook. Expect steady, low flows out of Hebgen into mid to late June, with creek-driven bumps on warm spells as the valley snow melts. Water temps are warming into the streamer window and caddis are building on the lower river. Watch for the runoff transition over the next few weeks.

Sources and Thanks

Shop	Report date	Coverage
Madison River Fly Fishing Company (Ennis)	April 23, 2026	Madison River
Slide Inn (Galloup's)	April 20, 2026	Madison River