Apr 21, 2026

***2026 MT LICENSE SEASON UPDATE***

As of 03/01/2026 all Montana Fishing Licenses, Conservation Licenses and all other recreation licenses are now ONLINE purchase only. Please visit FWP website to obtain your 2026 season licenses.

The Lower Madison is right on the cusp of exploding. Let's start with bugs. The Mothers day caddis are starting to hatch in full force. They have been a little spotty along the river. The bulk of the bugs are between warm springs and blacks ford. The fish have been on them hard at times, and seemingly fully ignoring the dries at other times. There are also a good crop of Baetis, stoneflies, and even a few march browns still kicking around. With all the bug life and the low flows, we have been having good success with the dry dropper rig. The chubby has been one of the better prospecting flies as of late, and the caddis pupa is a great bet underneath. With a little cold weather in the forecast, expect the caddis to slow down a little bit, and the baetis to make one last hard surge before they wrap up for the spring.

Winter tips:

• Fish the warmest parts of the day
• Use a wading staff for stability and to check ice thickness
• Winter fishing can be tough on the body, dress in layers and stay warm
• Keep your rod and reel out of the water to eliminate your guides and reel from freezing
• Use a net to land fish, having cold wet hands is the easiest way to end a day of fishing
• Minimize fish handling and land fish quickly.