Big western rivers (wade fishing)
9′ rod, 5–6 weight, floating line · Rainbow and brown trout, whitefish
Open checklist
Ennis & the Madison Valley
Ennis is the town on the Madison River between Quake Lake and Ennis Lake, with the Ruby, Beaverhead, Big Hole and Jefferson rivers to the west.
- Montana · West
- 6 waters
- 24 guides nearby
- 8 shops nearby
- BZN airport · 41 mi
Photo credit
The Madison River near Ennis, Montana, in January. Photo: Mike Cline, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Waters around Ennis
About this
Tap a water for its live flow, access map, regulations and hatches.
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
The Madison River flowing out of Earthquake Lake, Custer Gallatin National Forest. Photo: USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
Ennis Lake, Montana, in March, with the Madison Range beyond. Photo: Gloria Cabada-Leman, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
The upper Ruby River, Beaverhead County, Montana. Photo: Mike Cline, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
The confluence of the Ruby and Beaverhead rivers near Twin Bridges, Montana. Photo: Mike Cline, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
The Big Hole River near Twin Bridges, Montana, in October. Photo: Mike Cline, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Among the state's most-fished waters (agency angler survey)Photo credit
The Jefferson River near Waterloo, Montana, in January. Photo: Mike Cline, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Distances and official pages
The rivers, lakes or flats this hub is organised around, each with its straight-line distance from Ennis. Within 40 miles a water's own page names this hub as near; a farther one shows its distance instead. Where a nearby guide names a water on its own website, we say how many do. Access, seasons and special regulations differ by reach: check the agency pages under license and rules.
- Madison River8 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 19 guide websites nearby
- Ennis Lake6 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 2 guide websites nearby
- Ruby River31 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 3 guide websites nearby
- Beaverhead River33 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 2 guide websites nearby
- Big Hole River33 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 4 guide websites nearby
- Jefferson River33 mi from Ennis in a straight line · named on 10 guide websites nearby
All gauge readings
The first USGS gauge on each water: the latest reading, how it compares with that gauge's record for today's date, the 24-hour trend and the NWS flood stage. Open a water for what the level means.
Reading the gauges around Ennis…
Meet local guides
About this
24 guide listings within 60 miles (20 fly-focused), fly-focused first. Unclaimed listings say so on their page: confirm licensing, rates and dates with the outfitter.
All Valley Anglers Outfitting Co.
Cameron, MT · 17 mi
Float trips · Wade trips · Madison & Ruby
- Unclaimed
Montana Fishing Guide School
Gallatin Gateway, MT · 24 mi
Wade trips · Drift boat · Madison & Gallatin
- Unclaimed
Four Rivers Fishing Company
Twin Bridges, MT · 32 mi
Beginners & lessons · Multi-day trips · Madison & Missouri
- Unclaimed
Hatch Adventures
Bozeman, MT · 34 mi
Multi-day trips · Overnight camp trips · Madison & Gallatin
- Unclaimed
Fins & Feathers Guide Service
Bozeman, MT · 35 mi
Wade trips · Beginners & lessons · Madison & Gallatin
- Unclaimed
Fly shops nearby
About this
8 shop listings in the towns around Ennis, fly shops first. Confirm hours with the shop before you go.
Fish around Ennis
About this
Species the state agency lists on the waters here. A species listed for one water is not a promise for every water.
Rainbow trout
Listed on 6 waters here
Photo credit
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Brown trout
Listed on 6 waters here
Photo credit
Brown trout (Salmo trutta), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service illustration. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Brook trout
Listed on 6 waters here
Photo credit
Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Arctic grayling
Listed on 6 waters here
Photo credit
Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), painting by Robert W. Hines for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Robert W. Hines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Common carp
Listed on 5 waters here
Photo credit
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Cutthroat trout
Listed on 4 waters here
Photo credit
Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii), photographed by James E. Johnson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: James E. Johnson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Northern pike
Listed on 1 water here
Photo credit
Northern pike (Esox lucius), illustration by Timothy Knepp for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Timothy Knepp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency species and seasons (8 waters)
Taken from the state agency pages of 8 waters around Ennis, each on its own water page with the agency link. Seasons are quoted word for word and apply to the water named.
- Arctic Grayling6 waters
- Brook Trout6 waters
- Brown Trout6 waters
- Longnose Sucker6 waters
- Mottled Sculpin6 waters
- Mountain Whitefish6 waters
- Rainbow Trout6 waters
- White Sucker6 waters
- Common Carp5 waters
- Longnose Dace5 waters
- Mountain Sucker4 waters
- Westslope Cutthroat Trout4 waters
- Burbot3 waters
- Redside Shiner2 waters
- Stonecat2 waters
- Utah Chub2 waters
And 2 more species on the water pages.
Species guides mention (20)
Counted from the species each guide lists on its own site. This is what guides advertise, not an agency species list or a promise of what you will catch.
- Brown trout7
- Cutthroat trout7
- Rainbow trout5
- Carp3
- Largemouth bass2
- Mountain whitefish2
- Northern pike2
- Striped bass2
Things to know
Fishing license: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Fees on the agency page.
Getting there
BZN Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport · 41 mi
Regulations and access
Seasons, limits and access: agency pages.
Official license and rules pages
Buy the license from the agency and read its current regulations before you go. These links are the authoritative pages; nothing on this page grants or implies access to any water, and fees are only shown when read from the agency page on a stated date.
Nothing here grants or implies access to any water.
Women-led and women’s trips
About this
Near Ennis & the Madison Valley. From each business's own website, not checked by us. Plan around them in the trip planner.
- Montana Fishing Guide SchoolGuide · Gallatin Gateway · 24 miWomen's clinics: from their website, read oct 20, 2026
Veteran-owned and veteran programs
About this
Near Ennis & the Madison Valley. Each fact comes from the business's own website, an official register or an approved claim; the listing page links the source.
- George Anderson's Yellowstone AnglerGuide · Livingston · 59 miVeteran trips or programmes · from their websiteWorks with a veteran organisation · from their website
- Yellowstone River OutfittersGuide · Livingston · 60 miVeteran trips or programmes · from their websiteWorks with a veteran organisation · from their website
The Ennis & the Madison Valley area
About this
The circle is the 60-mile area this page covers, around Ennis. Tap a water for its page. Shops and guides appear where they publish a street address on their own website; all of them are listed above.
Map of the Ennis & the Madison Valley area: its waters, shops and guides
Map of Ennis & the Madison Valley: the 60-mile area this page covers, its waters, and shops and guides with an exact address.
Guide season: March to May
About this
Read from the websites of 3 guides within 60 miles that state a season. It is when they run trips, not a hatch chart or a conditions report; closures and seasons are set by the agency pages.
- Jan0
- Feb0
- Mar2
- Apr2
- May2
- Jun1
- Jul2
- Aug2
- Sep2
- Oct1
- Nov0
- Dec0
Restrooms near Ennis & the Madison Valley
Restrooms near Ennis & the Madison Valley
Restrooms within 5 miles of the centre of Ennis & the Madison Valley in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.
Map of 3 restrooms near Ennis & the Madison Valley
Skip the map; every place is in the list belowMap of 3 restrooms near Ennis & the Madison Valley, numbered as in the list, with the town centre marked.
Restroom
0.4 mi away in a straight line- Flush toilet (mapped)
- Public (mapped)
- Free (mapped)
Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
1.5 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom at a boat ramp
3.7 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.
Base yourself nearby
About this
Ennis is the base for the upper and lower Madison; Twin Bridges and Dillon sit closer to the Beaverhead and Big Hole. We do not list or price properties. The search opens an outside site.
Nearest airports
About this
Distances are straight-line from the town centre, computed from OurAirports open data; distances by road are longer. Fares are never estimated here.
- BZN Bozeman Yellowstone International AirportBozeman, MT · 41 mi · regionalSearch flights
- WYS Yellowstone AirportWest Yellowstone, MT · 55 mi · regionalSearch flights
- BTM Bert Mooney AirportButte, MT · 56 mi · regionalSearch flights
- BOI Boise Air Terminal/Gowen FieldBoise, ID · 253 mi · major hubSearch flights
Rough out the trip
About this
Set nights, anglers and guided days. Each line says where its figure comes from, and anything we cannot source honestly (guide rates, fares, license fees not read from the agency page) stays a link rather than a number.
Estimates, not quotes
- Fishing licenseSee sourceAgency page
Source
One per angler (2 anglers). Fees are set by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; see the agency page.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks - Guided days13 rates pagesEast Slope OutdoorsFour Rivers Fishing CompanyFins & Feathers Guide ServiceMontana Troutwranglers
Source
1 guided day for 2 anglers. We do not copy guide rates: 13 guides near here publish a rates page on their own website.
Source: Guide websites (rates pages linked, never copied) - Find lodgingSee sourceSearch lodging
Source
Search places to stay near the destination. We do not list or price properties.
Source: Lodging search link - FlightsSee sourceSearch flights
Source
Fares are not estimated here. Search flights to BZN (Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport).
Source: Flight search link (no fares quoted)
No priced itemsUse the links for real figures.
How we estimate
Estimates, not quotes. Nothing here is a price from a guide, a property or an airline; confirm every cost with the provider before you book. No placeholder lodging range is configured for this region, and licenses, guided days and flights are never priced here.
Parks, forests and visitor offices
About this
For the non-fishing days, or the people traveling with you. Official sources only; what to do there is for their pages to say.
Gear checklist
About this
A wade-fishing checklist for big western trout rivers: a 9 ft 5–6 weight outfit, nymph, dry and streamer setups, waders, boots and a wading staff, with estimated prices by tier and where to buy.
Watch: wade fishing a big river
About this
Covering broad water and staying upright in it.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
Walk & Wade Streamer Fishing for Trout | Madison River MontanaEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
Not sponsored All videos on big rivers
Stories from Montana
About this
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly, tagged with a water in Montana.
No Montana stories yet.
Sources for this page
All 9 sources
Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories (open map records checked against each business’s own website). Everything else links to the publisher below; this page copies none of their text. A destination hub organises discovery; it does not assert public access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks: fishing licensesMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Montana fishing regulationsMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Montana FWP fishing: access and fishery informationMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- Yellowstone National Park fishing permit and rulesNational Park Service
- Yellowstone National ParkNational Park Service
- Beaverhead-Deerlodge National ForestUSDA Forest Service
- Visit MontanaMontana Office of Tourism
- OurAirports open data (airport locations)OurAirports, public domain
- Overture Maps places (guide and shop map records)Overture Maps Foundation, CDLA-Permissive 2.0
Links checked 13 Oct 2026. Not a claim of access or conditions.