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Quake Lake outlet to Ennis The river tops out around 6 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Madison River maps at 3,027 acres behind 96.8 miles of shoreline. An index of 12.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Tip to tip the water measures near 38.8 mi with a 7.1-mi widest point. Madison County claims this one. If the bite dies, Quake Lake is 19 mi to the southeast.
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 2.5): a current seam around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 6 ft covers summer, 1 to 6 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 2.5), a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Eddy pocket (mile 15.5) (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Eddy pocket (mile 15.5) (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Eddy pocket (mile 15.5) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The chart marks 36 structure features on Madison River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 4.3) at about 5 ft.
Access data: Montana FWP — Fishing Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Montana waters are set by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Madison River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Madison River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on Madison River.
Current seam (mile 2.5) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Madison River is regulated by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Montana regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Quake Lake 19 mi · Hidden Lake (Madison) 25 mi · Hebgen Lake 27 mi · Elk Lake (Beaverhead) 28 mi · Widgeon Pond 31 mi · Gallatin River 32 mi · Henrys Lake 33 mi, ID · Red Rock Lake, Upper 33 mi · Lower Branham Lake 36 mi · Upper Branham Lake 36 mi · Dailey Lake 40 mi · Noble Lake 41 mi
See how Madison River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best brown trout lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Madison County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Montana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.