Targeting Lake Run Brown Trout on the Madison

The Madison River in particular has a reputation that stretches far beyond Montana. Flowing out of Yellowstone National Park it supports more than 4,000 trout per mile in places, boasts nearly fifty miles of iconic water from Hebgen Lake down to Ennis Lake, and draws everyone from first-time anglers to seasoned guides. During the summer, that popularity shows. Boats stack up. Access points fill early. On weekends, it’s common to play bumper-boats with strangers as you mosey down the nicknamed '50-mile riffle’. But once summer fades and the air sharpens, crowds thin out, drift boats disappear, and the river opens back up. Higher up the system in Yellowstone National Park the summer crowds thin from their peak. The atmosphere changes from that of an amusement park back towards it's primal essence. The fishing starts to feel a little wilder too. This is the time when the Madison becomes my top choice.

Fall on the Madison in Yellowstone National Park

Freestones like the Clark or Big Hole can still fish well, but fluctuating temperatures and overnight cold snaps can shut them down quickly. The upper Madison is impounded in two locations by Ennis Lake downstream of the fifty mile riffle and Hebgen Lake just upstream of Quake Lake.  These two reservoirs and hot sulfer springs upstream work to produce consistent flows and water temps. The reservoirs also provide lake-run brown trout in large numbers. The result is a system that stays productive when others become unpredictable.

My friends an I begin watching the forecast in early October. When nighttime lows are forecasted to dip into the mid-30s and daytime highs hover in the 50s its time to get on the water. We like to be out at first light.  These fish aren't as sluggish in the morning as one might expect, they are in the river to eventually spawn and are aggressive.  Always take advantage of low light conditions on days with lots of sun. The first and last hour or two of the day can be your best chance.

We look for these temperatures for a specific reason, they bring the water temp below 48 degrees which signals brown trout to start heading up river from the lakes. They begin their spawning behaviors anywhere from mid August, well into December or January but water temp is the strongest indicator. Spawning times vary from river to river, but many of Montana's watersheds experience high spawning activity in November and December. Usually by late Oct anglers can expect there to be enough lake run fish in the Madison to specifically target them.  This typically coincides with about a week of nighttime lows in the mid 30s. 

Leo with a great Lake run fish above Hebgen 

This last fall we spent as much time on the Madison through October and November as we could.  Trips centered around targeting lake run fish aren't to difficult to time in general but they can be hit or miss on certain days. So definitely plan to fish at least 2-3 days at a minimum to give yourself a good chance.  Its always a good idea to give a fly shop in the area a call to see what the reports are.  The Big Sky Angler and The Tackle Shop are always a good bet. 

Above Hebgen

The Madison above Hebgen Lake is a unique stretch compared to most Montana rivers. Consistent flows keep water temperatures ideal through fall and into early winter.  The Firehole and Gibbon rivers join to create the Madison.  They remain warmer longer than they should due the numerous high volume hot springs consistently mixing with the cold surface water.  This also creates a extremely rich ecosystem in the river perfect for fry and hatchlings.  Another plus about this section is that it keeps the character of a smaller river that is relatively easy for most anglers to wade.  This and the presence of large migrating browns gives anglers a legitimate chance at trophy fish.  These fish only enter the river to spawn and not many browns exist in the system outside of the fall.  If you catch a brown trout in the Madison it is very likely it came from lake Hebgen. 

This section rewards those willing to walk and cover water, so bring a good pack and bear spray. There are no boats allowed on this stretch. Long glides, deep cut banks, and heavy seams are ideal for swinging streamers or soft hackles, especially early and late in the day. 

Expect to walk a lot on the Madison upstream from Hebgen

For this style of fishing, I like a 6 or 7 weight rod with a a few sink tips in different sinking rates and a short, stout leader. To keep things simple, I use 4-5 feet of 15-20 pound clear Maxima.  Lake run fish, especially ones that have just entered the river are not that leader shy. A simple loop-to-loop connection from my sink tip to my leader is all I need to get fishing.  Winds can be intense, and bad weather is common. Sizing up or down on streamers when needed is crucial. On sunny bluebird days, fishing a small size 6 sparkle minnow will get more eats than a 6-inch Kelly Galloup deer head dungeon. And vice versa. 

Cast, swing, strip, step. Cast, swing, strip, step. If you target lake run fish you will get used to this sequence in some variety. When working streams we like to work downstream.  That doesn't mean that we are always casting downstream but generally working that way.

You will cross paths with at least a few people out here on any given day. If they seem approachable see what is or isn't working for them. I remember running into an older angler swinging soft wet flies on a slow, controlled presentation. We watched him for a while as he caught fish after fish, putting us young buck college students to shame. Around the 10th fish, we started a conversation.

“They don’t want big flies today,” he said. “Go soft.”

We rebuilt our rigs right there on the bank, cutting back our heavy leaders and stepping all the way down to 5X. Smaller flies. Slower swings. The change paid off almost immediately. The first fish came only a few casts later. A bright yellow brown trout that grabbed the fly at the end of the drift. Soon we were into a steady rhythm, landing clean, powerful trout. It is also possible to nymph as well, but whenever stepping down to soft hackle or running an indicator rig through a riffle or run you increase your chances of running into more of the resident population than the lake fish.  

This was a prime example of sizing down your flies and gear set-up on days that streamers just won’t work. Like anywhere, change is the name of the game if you want to put numbers in the net.  But if you want a big laker and you can throw streamers long enough this section rewards perseverance.

The 50-mile Riffle

The stretch between Hebgen and Quake Lake; the famous “Between the Lakes” section of the Madison is another option to target lake run fish.  And its a totally different ballgame.  There are more resident fish per mile and they can get in the way when looking for a lake run.  That can be a good or bad thing depending on your goals.

In general, this section sees much more pressure than the Upper Madison, but for good reason. The water is bigger, faster, dynamic, full of deep runs, riffles, and seams that hold fish year-round. In early fall, nymphing becomes especially effective here. A 9-foot 5-weight rod, split shot, and a simple two-fly nymph rig can produce consistent action throughout the day. We carry a 10.5-foot 3-weight tightline rod with us as well. This style of fishing, as many people know, is incredibly effective especially in the riffles of the Madison river. Fishing dry droppers in the riffles is great too. Think of buoyant attractor dry fly to a small, but heavy, perdigon nymph the next time you’re on the water in the fall. You’ll catch fish.

Releasing a resident brown on the 50-mile riffle

Dry fly fishing can also be great in the fall. I remember a specific afternoon Caddisflies filled the air, bouncing off the surface in such large numbers it created a similar effect to raindrops. Trout began rising everywhere. For about 45 minutes, the Madison delivered pure dry-fly fishing with splashy eats, perfect drifts, and fish breaking the surface in every direction. A 10 foot leader down to 5x did the trick. It wasn’t anything fancy, just easy, single dry fly casting; the epitome of fly fishing. We stood rooted in place, boots settled into the riverbed, forgetting about everything except the water in front of us.

When targeting the lake run brown trout out of Ennis lake focus you efforts on the the 20 to 25 miles just south of the lake.  Lake run fish typically do not make it all the way up to "Quake Lake" staying lower in the system to spawn.  There entry into the river seems to be more sporadic than above Hebgen and sometimes lake fish enter the lower river arbitrarily.

The entire stretch is basically a riffle so needless to say there is ample spawning habitat everywhere.  Targeting the lake run fish here can be a little more challenging just due to the sheer number of resident fish per mile.  Be prepared to randomly stick a toad on your nymph rig when your least expecting it though.  There will also be boats and launching/rowing one here is easy, so thats alway a option.  But it is easy enough to cover water here on foot.  The wide bed, even gradient, and lack of major feature changes also makes this river easy to spey fish on.  Rocket out a streamer pattern long enough and you may pull over a big one.  Spey casting is a great way to cover water fast here when looking for that specific lake run fish and is a great place to practice or touch up on you skills for trips elsewhere.

Practice your spey cast on the river south of Lake Ennis

Generalities - Based on our experience

From our experience the Madison above Hebgen in the park gives a better chance of catching that trophy laker just simply because they are easier to target.  Chucking big streamers into the void for long enough will produce fish.  If you want options the Madison just south of Lake Ennis can provide more opportunities to change technique or fishing style.  It's easy to make the change to a nymph rig here and still have a decent shot at a big laker, but if it never shows there is a huge amount of residents. You may even get a chance to dry fly fish.  Basically any method you choose here gives you a good chance at residents and lake run fish. 

If you have your heart set on a potential trophy brown then head into the park above Hebgen.  If you want a chance at a lake fish but also want numbers head to the river just south of Ennis.  These sections are only about 1 1/2 hrs apart so its possible to fish both in the same day and certainly the same trip.

Fall on the Madison rewards anglers willing to fish long days. I don’t fish the Madison because it’s easy. I fish it because it’s consistent, demanding, and honest. In early fall, when weather turns volatile and other rivers can shut down overnight, the Madison keeps producing. It’s a river that rewards preparation, mobility, and attention. For even the best anglers in the world, it continues to teach you something every time you return.

If you are thinking of planning a trip to fish southwest of Montana's iconic rivers maybe think about postponing until the fall.  It may make all the difference.