See every public fishing venue in Montana on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Madison River is a public river in Madison County and Gallatin County, Montana, managed by State of Montana (public / navigable water). You can fish it on a Montana fishing licence; bank access is at bridge crossings, MTFWP access points and public parks. Montana riverbeds are private property up to the ordinary high-water mark except on a few federally-declared-navigable reaches, so wading or bank fishing away from a public access point needs the landowner's permission. Public access confirmed via marquee water.
The Madison River — one of the most famous trout rivers in the world, from Hebgen Lake through the '50-mile riffle' to its confluence with the Missouri. Wild rainbow and brown trout, catch-and-release regulations on much of it.
It runs roughly 126 miles through the Southwest Montana region. Anglers here mostly fish for rainbow trout, brown trout, westslope cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish. Live flow and gauge height come from the Madison River near West Yellowstone, MT USGS station shown below. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Wolf Creek and South Fork Indian Creek.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, MTFWP trout designations and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Montana, though many Blue Ribbon trout rivers have seasonal 'hoot owl' restrictions (afternoon/evening closures) during hot, low-water summer conditions to protect stressed trout — check current FWP drought restrictions before an evening trip.
Boats: Flathead Lake, Fort Peck Lake, Canyon Ferry and the other big reservoirs take full-size boats; most Blue Ribbon trout rivers (Madison, Big Hole, Beaverhead) are floated by drift boat, raft or canoe. An AIS watercraft inspection is mandatory for all trailered boats moving between waters.
Bank & bivvy camping: Camp at MTFWP Fishing Access Sites (many allow camping, some are day-use only — check the site listing), Montana state parks, and National Forest campgrounds along the trout rivers.
Tackle: Trout limits vary widely by water and are often catch-and-release or reduced-limit on the famous Blue Ribbon rivers; walleye/northern pike/bass limits on the reservoirs are more generous. Always check the current MTFWP fishing regulations for this specific water — Montana's regs are unusually water-specific.
Boat ramps: 20 mapped — Windy Point Boat Launch, Put-in, Put-in, Put-in, Put-in, Put-in and others nearby.
Camping: 15 sites mapped nearby — Madison Campground, Baker's Hole, Madison River Fishing Access, Madison Campground, Cabin Creek, Riverview Campground and others.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Loading live flow & gauge height…
Live from USGS gauge 06037500 — Madison River near West Yellowstone, MT. Full gauge data →
Anyone 12 or older needs a Montana fishing licence — the resident annual (Conservation License + fishing) is about $34, the non-resident annual about $150, with non-resident 2-day (~$35) and 10-day (~$75) licences also sold. A separate Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention pass fee applies to residents and non-residents alike. Montana residents 62 and older, and legally blind residents, pay a reduced fee. Buy from FWP at fwp.mt.gov. A Montana fishing licence covers this river under the state's stream access law, which grants the public the right to use rivers and streams for recreation up to the ordinary high-water mark on any water capable of recreational use, regardless of who owns the streambed — one of the most angler-friendly access laws in the country.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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