The Madison River In August?

[myt1]

Most of the guide books I've read about fishing the Madison River in August say the water can be too hot to fish.

I will be returning from a float/fishing trip farther north in Montana and I will be driving right through Ennis. It seems a shame to be right there and not get a line wet.

I thought I would try fishing from shore just above Ennis Lake; and I thought I would fish below the lake, hiking up Bear Trap Canyon.

Are there other alternatives that I might consider in the same general area where the water temperature might be more amenable to fishing?

I'm not really asking for honey holes. I just want to know what the conditions might be like this year. I thought maybe with the heavier than average snowfalls the river might have more water in it, and it might be cooler.

Thanks.

 

[planettrout]

Fishing the Madison, down in the Channels section, at Valley Garden access, is not optimal in August. Neither is the river down in the Beartrap. When the weather cools, in September, it is much better. Try your luck up around $3.00 Bridge, above Kelly's joint or between the lakes...

PT/TB

 

[myt1]

So that about settles it.

I've heard from too many people, and multiple sources, that the Madison River typically just isn't in good shape in August.

I'll evaluate things when I'm driving through, but it appears I will be fishing elsewhere.

Thanks for the help.

P.S. Great picture.

 

[silver creek]

I would agree with PT. Take a hour drive to the upper Madison.

You can fish the Madison between Hebgen and Quake Lake and then downstream from the Raynolds Pass Bridge. When in doubt take a thermometer reading.

Also Montana will place the fisheries at risk under "Hoot Owl Restrictions". You can fish but only at restricted time early in the day until 2 PM. These are from last year.

Hoot Owl Restrictions affecting our local fisheries | The Rivers Edge Fly Shop | Bozemans Best Fly Shop | Simms Wader and Boot Experts

"Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has determined that when water flows are lower than average and water temperatures begin to rise over 73 degrees fahrenheit for three consecutive days, fishing pressure can put undue stress on the trout in our local rivers and streams. Because of that, they enact what is called a Hoot Owl Restriction on certain waters and stretches of rivers during the summer months once they reach this threshold. Hoot Owl Restrictions restrict fishing from 2:00 PM until midnight each day meaning you can fish during the morning hours until 2:00 PM."

Here are the Hoot Owl Restrictions from 2017 and the upper Madison is not on the list:

Hoot Owl Restrictions in SW Montana | Montana Hunting and Fishing

The second part of the equation is the health of the fishery.

In the upper Madison, the carrying capacity of the river determines the amount of trout in the river. Despite years of fishing, other than the years of whirling disease, I have not personally witnessed or read of a decrease in the numbers of fish in the upper Madison.

As long as you keep an eye on the Hoot Owl Restrictions, I would not feel guilty in fishing the Madison. Rivers like the Big Hole are much more at risk AND with the high levels of snow pack this winter, I think the Madison is in better shape to survive August temps than in previous years.

The Madison River Drainage Snow Pack is at 156% of normal.

Conditions are perfect for a fishable August, 2019!!!!

https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/mt_swepctnormal_update.pdf

 

[myt1]

Silver,

Thanks so much.

So, now I'm back to a definitely maybe.

I'll just see what the conditions are like when I'm driving through.

It sounds like if I do fish it will be the Upper Madison.

Thanks again.

Now, about those honey holes?

 

[MarsB]

The Lamar may be an option as well. I fished there last summer when the Madison was too warm.

 

[wthorpe]

Madison fished well last year for first time in a few years. Hard to know what August will bring this year -- lotsa snow pack suggests a possibly good year. come with an open mind and a good Plan B. Lamar and Slough and Soda Butte all in YNP NE section are often good in August and probably not far from your travel? If you are driving back to Arizona i wonder if Jackson area streams might be an option too; i know very little about them except that some of them tend to fish well later in the summer due to early heavy runoff.

 

[silver creek]

Madison fished well last year for first time in a few years. Hard to know what August will bring this year -- lotsa snow pack suggests a possibly good year. come with an open mind and a good Plan B. Lamar and Slough and Soda Butte all in YNP NE section are often good in August and probably not far from your travel? If you are driving back to Arizona i wonder if Jackson area streams might be an option too; i know very little about them except that some of them tend to fish well later in the summer due to early heavy runoff.

Not to be a wet rag on this plan but I think you missed the fact that the OP will be driving from the north through Ennis, MT to the south and wants to fish for a period of time during that drive.

I will be returning from a float/fishing trip farther north in Montana and I will be driving right through Ennis. It seems a shame to be right there and not get a line wet.

Are there other alternatives that I might consider in the same general area where the water temperature might be more amenable to fishing?

Thanks.

Sough Creek would be a long drive from Ennis, Mt. Slough Creek is a destination trip and is great suggestion for another time, maybe next year.

It is 1 hr and 16 min to drive from Ennis, MT to West Yellowstone (72 miles).

Google Maps

Then you have to wait in line and enter YNP. Then from the the entrance to Slough Creek is about a 3 hour drive when accounting for the park traffic.

See the distance and travel time map of YNP below. This is a great resource because those who have never traveled in the park do not understand how crowded and slow the tourist traffic can be. Copy and print the URL below if you are considering travelling in YNP.

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/content/uploads/2017/04/Park-Map-with-mileage.pdf

 

[ramjet]

In my experience, the places you mentioned can be great fishing at times, but not so much in August. Going further upstream on the Madison would be better.

You seem to be doing a north to south drive...are you welded into going on highway 287? I ask because you could do a Mini detour and take Hwy 191 which runs along the Gallatin and is also pretty scenic. There are a lot of pullouts where you could fish, and some of my favorite places to wade fish in the canyon section work well as the water gets lower in late summer.

Obviously August is prime tourist season and 191 is the fastest route from Bozeman to West Yellowstone. If you’re fishing the canyon section of the Gallatin, there will be traffic noise and white water tourist rafts that pass by, so it’s good to have a response to the inevitable question “catching anything?”. I often use these two:

—sure am, two rainbows, a brown, a baseball cap off some mouthy kid, and a bikini top in size 46 long.
—nothing, the Montana state tourism bureau pays me a hundred bucks a day to fish here and look good.

Hope you have a good trip whatever you decide..and it will be cooler than AZ.

 

[silver creek]

You seem to be doing a north to south drive...are you welded into going on highway 287? I ask because you could do a Mini detour and take Hwy 191 which runs along the Gallatin and is also pretty scenic. There are a lot of pullouts where you could fish, and some of my favorite places to wade fish in the canyon section work well as the water gets lower in late summer.

One caution on taking HWY 191 along the Gallatin is that a section of HWY 191 and the Gallatin River are in YNP. Since the OP will not have a Yellowstone fishing permit, he cannot fish this section of the Gallatin. See the hwy 191 along the Gallatin on the left side of the map below. He can fish the section north of Hwy 191 entering the park.

 

[planettrout]

Silver,

Thanks so much.

So, now I'm back to a definitely maybe.

I'll just see what the conditions are like when I'm driving through.

It sounds like if I do fish it will be the Upper Madison.

Thanks again.

Now, about those honey holes?

Honey Hole...to the right of the big rock in the foreground...Sept. 2017

Same location from another angle...July 2018


PT/TB

 

[silver creek]

Honey Hole...to the right of the big rock in the foreground...Sept. 2017

Same location from another angle...July 2018


PT/TB

Hey PT,

Don't be pointing out my Honey Hole! LOL

I've fished that spot in the evenings when there was a midge hatch. BTW, that's a beautiful photo with the rainbow in the background.