Greater Yellowstone, Montana
Madison River Fishing Report: May 25, 2026
Madison River is good today with 736 cfs at 7:30 am, a rising flow trend, and a best window of late morning through afternoon, with clouds extending the window.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Late morning through afternoon, with clouds extending the window
- Best methods
- nymphs, dry flies, streamers
Quick Summary
Madison River is a good option today. USGS showed 736 cfs at 7:30 AM and 1.62 feet, with the flow trend rising and water temperature 45 F. The best plan is late morning through afternoon, with clouds extending the window; start with nymphs; dry flies; streamers and adjust for light, wind, and clarity at the access.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good |
| Flow | 736 cfs at 7:30 AM |
| Gauge Height | 1.62 feet |
| Water Temp | 45 F |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Rising |
| Best Window | Late morning through afternoon, with clouds extending the window |
| Best Method | nymphs; dry flies; streamers |
| Wadeability | Good |
Weather
For Ennis, MT, the National Weather Service forecast says: Memorial Day: Sunny, with a high near 79. South southeast wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Active NWS alerts for the point check: No active NWS alerts for the checked point.
River Notes
Use the Kirby Ranch gauge as the baseline, then confirm clarity and bank safety when you arrive. A rising hydrograph means fish may shift through the day; if the river bumps up, favor inside bends, softer banks, and defined seams instead of committing to heavy mid-channel water. Official gauge data does not report clarity, so treat clarity as Not reported until it is checked on site.
Hatch Activity
Current hatch guidance is based on late-May regional timing, current official gauge/weather checks, and public local report pages reviewed separately for context.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-20 | Good under clouds |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Search banks and buckets |
| March Brown | 12-14 | Sporadic larger mayflies |
| Stonefly Nymphs | 6-10 | Useful before big bugs move |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Sparkle Dun | 16-20 | Use during cloudy windows |
| Dry | Elk Hair Caddis | 14-18 | Search edges |
| Nymph | Pat’s Rubber Legs | 6-10 | Anchor fly through buckets |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail | 14-18 | Trail behind stonefly |
| Streamer | Sculpin | 4-8 | Fish banks in low light |
Tactics
Start subsurface in the most defined walking-speed lanes and change depth before changing flies. If fish begin rising, simplify to one accurate dry or a dry with a small emerger and lengthen the leader. For good wading, keep crossings conservative and check the gauge again before stepping into pushy water.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison River at Kirby Ranch nr Cameron MT | 736 cfs | 45 F | USGS 06038800 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 06038800 and the National Weather Service forecast for the Ennis, MT area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, access, and method context.