Camping and fishing next to Madison River

[TheCabin]

I am considering a 2 week fishing trip near Ennis, MT next spring and have found several campgrounds off of the Trip Planner and AllStays for the area. I would really like suggestions from others who are familiar with the area and more importantly fish.

My Class-B has solar and a generator so no external electrical is needed and I could go days before needing to empty/refill water. Can someone suggest places with public access to the Madison River as well as public parking for the night. Also nearby low cost campgrounds with water/dump capabilities. And of course, the best fly fishing shops.

Many thanks!

[TheCabin]

Great info. The West Fork sounds like a must visit.

[narcodog]

First watch the snow fall for the winter and then run-off. When it starts the fishing shuts down mostly.
I have stayed at the FAS just south of Ennis,it's quiet no services. I fill my water at Town Pump, the faucet is on the north side of the building.
In Ennis the best fly shop is Madison River, there another a few doors down, the name escapes me.
If you drive south toward West Yellowstone there are several BLM parking sites along with FAS that allow over night parking.

The next fly shop is Bear Tooth Angler, very nice folks and have a ton of guides that work out of that shop.

When you turn to head toward West, you'll see Gallops place, it's nice.
Further up the road is Beaver Creek FSCG then there is Cabin Creek FSCG both primitive.
Across the road from Cabin Creek CG is Campfire Lodge, the Cafe' has the best breakfast in Montana, nice fly shop and if you tye flies you will not find a better selection of hackle. The CG is right on the Madison between the lakes, the fishing is awesome in the spring as long as the run off is not in progress.

I usually stay there to recharge my house battery's, dump and fill with water.

A very nice area to visit is Red Rocks NWR fishing for Grayling in Red Rocks creek.

You can also head up the West Fork of the Madison, good fishing and not musch traffic as everyone stays on the Madison. The amount of boat traffic on the Madison is getting ridiculous which making wade fishing tuff.

[tsetsaf]

A bunch of public primitive options:
Ruby Creek
Palisades
Reymolds Pass

On the river private park Riverside

The proper tool for the job See them

[ReneeG]

was_butnotnow wrote:

ReneeG wrote:
I follow Ralph on his travels and use his information even for non-fishing stuff. Check out these guys too who frequent the Montana Fishing Access free sites. You'll have to hunt a little but should find it easily. http://www.fulltime.hitchitch.com/

It's us at Fulltime.hitchitch.comFulltime.hitchitch.com For Info about Montana go to our site and in the index section go to Aug 2013 and Aug 2014 and Sept 2015 for post on 3 and 8 2015. Happy camping and fishing. We especially like MT access site Valley Gardens nicer than the one right at the bridge at Ennis. Now you will give up your site when we show up wont you....

Thanks guys!

[TheCabin]

Of course I will give you my site...and the bill

[was_butnotnow]

ReneeG wrote:
I follow Ralph on his travels and use his information even for non-fishing stuff. Check out these guys too who frequent the Montana Fishing Access free sites. You'll have to hunt a little but should find it easily. http://www.fulltime.hitchitch.com/

It's us at Fulltime.hitchitch.comFulltime.hitchitch.com For Info about Montana go to our site and in the index section go to Aug 2013 and Aug 2014 and Sept 2015 for post on 3 and 8 2015. Happy camping and fishing. We especially like MT access site Valley Gardens nicer than the one right at the bridge at Ennis. Now you will give up your site when we show up wont you....

[TheCabin]

And here I thought doctors only played golf!

[campersuzid]

I would suggest Madison River cg if the snow has melted or Riverview cg if not. Both are in Beaverhead NF and you can find more information on at forestcamping.com FYI: fishing the Madison River is one of the ways the fabulous hospital in Ennis attracts doctor 🙂

[Gjac]

I camped on the Madison this summer with my GS in a NF CG just out side west yellow stone. It was a nice spot. I was not on a fishing trip but site seeing YNP. The hatch would start late afternoon with many fish rising. Trout fishing is good April and May. We were there in June. I hiked into the park and snorkeled back to the CG about 5 miles and saw a ton of white fish which I never saw before. You can dump and fill in the park.

[WhitehouseLV]

I would look at boondocking in the national forest. Then you get to choose any site you want 🙂 Gas stations typically have a dump station you could use for a small fee. I'm not familiar with the Ennis area but the road between Bozeman and Big Sky on the Gallatin River can have good fishing and there are a few forest service campgrounds off the highway located next to the Gallatin.

[TheCabin]

Reene, thanks for that site. I had not seen it before.

2gypsies, I currently live in NJ and re-discovered fly fishing this year. Been going to the Neversink in the Catskills and just loving it. Now I am ready to go back to Wisconsin and then to the Madison. I am really looking forward to the western experience

[2gypsies1]

Keep in mind that any place you find to stay on any river is not going to be the best place to fish. Fish are smart! You might need to still drive to a spot. Be sure to bring waders!

RE: a guide...it's always paid off when fishing a new area...always caught something and have gotten many good tips. Then you can go back yourself the next day. A guide is expensive for one person but tell them that you're willing to go with others.

I see you're from New Jersey. If you've never fished the western streams they are altogether different. Visit a fly shop and at least ask what they're biting on. It changes all day long.

Have a great trip. It's a favorite area of ours....and the fishin' is good.

[ReneeG]

I follow Ralph on his travels and use his information even for non-fishing stuff. Check out these guys too who frequent the Montana Fishing Access free sites. You'll have to hunt a little but should find it easily. http://www.fulltime.hitchitch.com/

[TheCabin]

Thank you everyone. This is great information. I was curious how easy it might be to camp near the FAS locations and it seems good. GoogleEarth shows what appears to be standard back-in sites across the river from Ennis and it sounds like they are indeed sites. The BLM locations should also be easy to get a site when needed as well as the commercials sites at least for a night.


Ramblin'Ralph...like the map and reviews!


I look forward to the fly shops. It would be good to get a guide, but I feel better not catching anything on my own. Not catching any fish and still paying for a guide is not fun.

Is the diesel generally pure dino or is this an area with a lot of bio-diesel?

Regards,
Pat