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Fishing Madison River: what the data says
Quake Lake outlet to Ennis The river tops out around 6 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Madison River
Spring rainbow trout on Madison River hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 6 ft. Current seam (mile 2.5) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Madison River
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 6 ft. Current seam (mile 2.5) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Notable structure
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 10.5): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 16.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 18.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 24.2): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 31.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 33.8): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 39.7): creek channel, around 5 ft
- Current seam (mile 32.6): current seam, around 5 ft
- Eddy pocket (mile 15.5): eddy pocket, around 5 ft
- Inside bend (mile 35.0): point, around 4 ft
- Current seam (mile 25.0): current seam, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Madison River?
Madison River is about 6 ft 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.
What fish are in Madison River?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on Madison River.
Where is the best fishing spot 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. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Madison River?
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.
Nearby waters
Quake Lake · Hidden Lake (Madison) · Elk Lake (Beaverhead) · Widgeon Pond · Hebgen Lake · Red Rock Lake, Upper
See how Madison River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best brown trout lakes in Montana
Browse all Montana fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.