Madison River Fishing Report: May 3, 2026

Summary

The Upper Madison continues to fish well on steady 665 cfs flows out of Hebgen, with clear early-season water from Valley Garden through Raynolds Pass. Nymphing dominates, a midge drift up high and lead patterns trailing BWO and caddis nymphs in the float. With Mother's Day caddis about a week and a half out, the clear water sets up a potentially exceptional hatch on the lower river.

At a glance: Hebgen Dam 665 cfs | Kirby 788 cfs | Varney 960 cfs | Water clear, early-season flow from Valley Garden through Raynolds Pass | Ennis Lake ice-free

The Upper Madison continues to fish well, holding the late-April and early-May form it has carried since February. Hebgen flows are steady at 665 cfs and aren't expected to climb meaningfully until mid to late June barring extraordinary precipitation; most fluctuation through spring will come from creek input rather than the dam, so fishable conditions should hold top to bottom for the foreseeable future. The river is running clear with good early-season volume, Ennis Lake is fully ice-free, and consistent action is reported from Valley Garden all the way through Raynolds Pass. Fish are sitting in slower seams, deeper runs, and shelfy pockets where the bottom drops abruptly.

Spawning note: Active spawning throughout the river system. Spawning trout are still visible top to bottom, be mindful where you walk and where you drop anchor. If you encounter cleared gravel (a redd), walk in front of it rather than behind, since most eggs settle 3 to 10 ft downstream of the spawning bed.

Best techniques

• Nymphing dominates. A double nymph rig under an indicator is the most productive setup, keep it simple and effective.
• Upper wade stretch: midge drift is the play, zebra midges, jujubees, and small dips.
• Float stretch: larger lead patterns (stonefly nymphs and worms) trailing BWO and caddis nymphs.
• Timing: bite typically comes on 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.; no need to rush out at first light.
• Dries: cloudy afternoons open a window, fish look up for midges, and BWOs are now appearing around Raynolds and Three Dollar.
• Streamers: hit-or-miss in the float, nymph small Zonkers and Dolly Llamas right in fishes' faces in natural, olive, and black. Wade-streamer water (Ennis Bridge to the lake; Quake down to Lyons) is currently the better bet for actually stripping flies.

Hatches and flies.

• Midges (Upper, foundation hatch all spring): Zebra Midge, Jujubees, Three Dollar Dip (Brown).
• BWOs (spreading from mid and lower up to Raynolds and Three Dollar):
  • Nymphs / emergers: Tungsten Rednecks, Juju Baetis, Kelly's BWO Nymph, Dark BPs, Olive Hot Spots, Barr's Emergers, Olsen's Hare's Ear Blow Torch.
  • Dries: Antonio's Adult BWO, Johnson's Mimic May BWO, Parachute Adams, Mini Hot Mayfly (Black / Garcia Yellow).
• Caddis (early appearance Varney to Ennis Lake, bodes well for Mother's Day): standard caddis nymphs trailing larger leads in the float.
• Nymph staples (year-round workhorses): Pat's Rubber Legs (Black), BH Pheasant Tail, Spanish Bullet (French).
• Streamers:
  • MRFC's hot list: Jiggy Pine Leech (Black), Lil' Kim (Silver), Woolly Bugger (Black), Sparring Partner (Brown Trout); Jig Zonker (Black) and white Dolly Llama for nymph-rigged fish-in-the-face.
  • Slide Inn's wade-stretch picks: Barely Legals, Mini Dungeons for sculpin / baitfish profiles; Peanut Envys and Double Screamers for thin articulated patterns.

Outlook. Hebgen flows should hold steady at 665 cfs through mid to late June, with creek inputs producing the only meaningful fluctuations. As water temps push into the high 40s and low 50s, expect the streamer bite to improve materially in the float stretches. The early caddis appearance on the lower reaches sets up a strong Mother's Day window roughly a week and a half out, visibility is normally an issue in late spring, so this year's clear-water timing could produce an exceptional hatch. Spawning fish will remain visible for the next couple of weeks; continued caution while wading and anchoring is required.

Sources and Thanks

Shop	Report date	Coverage
Madison River Fly Fishing Company (Ennis)	April 8, 2026	Madison River
Slide Inn (Galloup's)	April 20, 2026	Madison River