Montana Fishing Reports ยท Southwest Region
Between Hebgen Dam and Quake Lake, the Madison runs a short, famous stretch where big browns and rainbows move up from Quake Lake in the fall.
Looking for the latest Madison River Between the Lakes river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Madison River โ Between the Lakes.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Madison River Between the Lakes fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The gauge below Hebgen reads around 640 cfs, clear and cold.
This is streamer and nymph water now. Strip a sculpin or Woolly Bugger through the deeper runs, and drift a Pat's Rubber Legs with a small BWO nymph. Browns are spawning, so please stay off the redds.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Between the Lakes, bring: Woolly Bugger #4-8, Sculpzilla #4-6, Pat', s Rubber Legs #8-10, JuJu Baetis #18-20, Zebra Midge #18-20, Egg #14, RS2 Emerger #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Black Beauty #20-24, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Madison River Between the Lakes details
| Access | Pullouts and access sites along US-287 between Hebgen Dam and Quake Lake. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 6,400 ft |
| Nearest town | West Yellowstone, Montana |
| Best season | Summer and fall |
| Fish | Brown and rainbow trout, plus whitefish |
| Regulations | Montana's stream regulations vary by district and river. Check Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regulations for the current rules. A Montana fishing license is required for anglers 12 and older. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 3X to 5X tippet |
| Camping | Custer Gallatin National Forest campgrounds around Hebgen and Quake lakes (seasonal) |
| Kids | Partly. Some easy banks, but cold, fast water. |
| Good to know | Grizzly country. Carry bear spray. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cold. Access can be limited.
Spring
Runoff from May into June.
Summer
Caddis, PMDs and spruce moths.
Fall
Lake-run browns and streamers.
How to get there
From West Yellowstone, take US-287 north to Hebgen Dam.