Madison River

The Madison. The river attracts world-renowned fly fisherman, and any angler enthusiast has been on this river or wants to be—it’s the favorite of everyone from big-name anglers like Bud Lilly to the dry-fly purists who travel across the country or across the globe to get here.

Sun West Ranch has three miles of the miracle Madison running through it, an exceptionally productive section that was not fished for many years when this particular stretch was closed as part of a study conducted by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Now it’s open, and access from the banks on the Ranch is reserved for Sun West residents and guests while the state-maintained catch-and-release program assures the river’s abundance of trout is always waiting for your fly.

The Madison is truly an angler’s dream, with a moderate descent and boulder-lined bottom that makes for an easy wade or a fine float. Famous angler Craig Matthews of the Blue Ribbon Fly Shop in West Yellowstone has called the three miles of the Madison on the Sun West Ranch “the best stretch of river to fish.” And, with three dams upstream, the Madison is virtually drought-tolerant for great fishing season after season.