Madison River Oct. 1: low early-fall flows, BWOs and terrestrials still working

The Madison is low for early fall. Big Sky Anglers’ Oct. 1, 2026 report, by Joseph Moore, puts West Yellowstone at 290 cfs and calls it skinny. Below Hebgen is 655 cfs, Kirby 753, and Varney 861 — floatable but bony. Hebgen is about 4 feet from full.

Between the Lakes, ants are the daytime bug, and anglers should watch for BWOs. Nymphs named in the report are stones, beadheads, and Zonkers, and it says to carry bear spray. The wade was hit or miss on a sunny day around 70°F: nymphs, jiggy streamers, occasional rises, and a look for BWOs. The float had intermittent BWOs, especially on rainy days, plus beetles and ants. Nymphing was decent on the upper float stretch.

The report reminds anglers to fish barbless, keep fish wet, and give boats space.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Big Sky Anglers — Madison River Fishing Report, October 1, 2026 (Joseph Moore, Oct. 1, 2026).