Madison River in Montana

For an epic Montana fishing experience, anglers need to look no further than the Madison River. Home to a diverse trout population including brown, rainbow, cutthroat and cut-bow trout, the Madison River presents excellent wade fishing, float fishing and lake fishing opportunities along its waters.

One of the three main tributaries to the Missouri River, the Blue Ribbon designated Madison River spends much of its course as a slow, straight and gentle river. The upper section of the Madison River, between the confluence of the Firehole River and Gibbon River to Hebgen Lake, is known for runs of spawning rainbow trout in the spring and brown trout in the fall. Excellent lake fishing exists in Hebgen Lake, a man-made reservoir that controls water flow of the Madison downstream. The Madison flows from Hebgen Lake to Quake Lake, then begins a 50 mile stretch called the "Fifty Mile Riffle" for the long and calm waters between Quake Lake and Ennis Lake. From Ennis Lake, the river takes a more tumultuous path to the Three Forks area and the headwaters of the Missouri River. Access to the river is plentiful along Highway 287.