Complete Fly Fisher
Travel & Tackle Guide

Welcome to your Fly Water Travel trip guide. We’re excited to help you prepare for your upcoming adventure! Inside, you’ll find everything you need: your to-do list, travel logistics, destination notes, and a curated tackle guide tailored to your trip.

Getting Ready

We’ve created a quick checklist of essential tasks to make sure you’re fully prepared for the journey ahead. If questions come up or you need anything at all, just give us a call, we’re here to help every step of the way.

To-Do List:

✓ Arrange flights to/from Bozeman or West Yellowstone, Montana

✓ Arrange transfer to/from airport to lodge

✓ Purchase fishing license – see below for details

✓ Complete your personal online guest registration

Complete Fly Fisher
Travel Guide

From how to get there and what documents you’ll need to tipping guidelines and destination details, this section covers the practical information to ensure smooth travels.

Getting to the Lodge:
To get to Madison River Lodge, most guests fly into Bozeman (BZN) or West Yellowstone (WYS) Montana, rent a vehicle, and drive to the lodge. With advance notice, the lodge can arrange an airport shuttle for an additional fee.

Madison River Lodge
161 Ruby Creek Rd
Cameron, MT 59720

Drive time from Madison River Lodge:
BZN: 1 hour 30 minutes
WYS: 1 hour

Directions to Madison River Lodge from Bozeman Airport:

  • Start out driving northwest on Gallatin Field Rd./Wings Way toward Service Dr.
  • At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto Gallatin Field Rd.
  • Continue onto Airway Blvd.
  • At the traffic circle, take the second exit on Airway BLVD
  • At the traffic circle, take the second exit
  • Continue onto Alaska Rd. S
  • Turn RIGHT onto E Cameron Bridge Rd.
  • Turn LEFT onto MT-85 S/Jackrabbit Ln.
  • Turn RIGHT onto MT-84/Norris Rd. and continue for approximately 29 miles.
  • In Norris, MT turn LEFT onto US-287 S
  • In Ennis, MT turn LEFT onto US-287 S/W Main St.
  • Continue for approximately 18 miles outside of Ennis.
  • Turn RIGHT onto Johnny Rdg Road.
  • Turn LEFT onto Ruby Creek Road.
  • Continue approximately 1.6-miles. The entrance to the lodge will be on your LEFT.

Directions to Madison River Lodge from Yellowstone Airport:

  • Head toward Air Center Road.
  • Turn LEFT onto US-191 N for 7 miles.
  • Turn LEFT onto US-287 N for 45 miles.
  • Turn LEFT onto Johnny Rdg Road.
  • Turn LEFT onto Ruby Creek Road.
  • Continue approximately 1.6-miles. The entrance to the lodge will be on your LEFT.

Arrival Day:
Guests are asked to arrive at the lodge any time after 3:00 PM.

Departure Day:
Guests are asked to depart the lodge by 10:00 AM.

Travel Cash:
We recommend each guest travel with enough cash for staff and guide gratuities. The lodge asks that guests pay all gratuities in cash.

Credit Cards:
The lodge accepts credit cards.

Gratuities:
Guides at Madison River Lodge typically receive $180 - $200 per day per guide. Gratuities may be handed directly to your guide at the end of each fishing day in cash or check, or you can leave gratuities with the lodge at check-out to be distributed to your guides. Lodge staff gratuities are typically $120 per room per night and may be left with the lodge at check-out.

Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are not included. Please purchase your license online before your trip.

Licenses can be purchased at: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/fishinglicenses

Cell Coverage and Wi-Fi:
Cell phone coverage in southwest Montana continues to improve but can be sporadic. Most guests will not have cell phone coverage and Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.

Power:
Maison River Lodge has 24-hour power.

Laundry:
Laundry service is not available, please pack accordingly.

Water:
Water at the lodge is potable.

Beverages/Alcohol:
Beer and wine are included in your package. You are welcome to bring your own alcohol.

Emergency Medical Assistance:
The nearest medical facility is in Butte, approximately 1-hour from the lodge. Guests have the responsibility to disclose any special medical, physical or dietary needs to the lodge ahead of time.

Recommended Medical Evacuation Carrier and Insurance Provider:
Global Rescue - https://partner.globalrescue.com/fwtravel/index.html


Complete Fly Fisher
Travel Guide

From how to get there and what documents you’ll need to tipping guidelines and destination details, this section covers the practical information to ensure smooth travels.

Madison River Lodge Fishing Tackle Overview

Madison River Lodge provides all necessary fly-fishing gear including premium rods, reels, terminal tackle, waders, boots, and flies at no additional cost. Guests are also welcome to bring their own favorite tackle tailored to Montana’s waters.

A 9-foot 5-weight rod serves as your primary workhorse for delicate dry-fly presentations, hopper-dropper rigs, and technical light nymphing. A 9-foot 6-weight rod is ideal for punching through afternoon mountain winds, casting heavy indicator rigs, or throwing streamers along the banks. Weight-forward floating lines are standard across all trout setups, though double-taper floating lines are also suitable. An optional 6- or 7-weight sink-tip line is great for fall streamer fishing.

Lightweight, breathable waders paired with sturdy rubber-soled wading boots are required for walk-and-wade fishing. During warm mid-summer days in July and August, wet wading with neoprene socks and wading boots is a comfortable and popular choice.

All flies, leaders, and tippet are fully included in your package price. Your guides come prepared with extensive assortments of proven local hatch imitations, terrestrials, and streamers, though you are always welcome to bring along your personal fly boxes if you prefer fishing your own ties.

Madison River Lodge Primary Setup

A 9-foot 5-weight is the single most versatile rod for the region. It offers the delicate presentation required for casting dry flies on technical water, yet retains enough backbone to punch through afternoon mountain winds. It handles dry-dropper rigs and weighted nymphs with ease, providing the leverage needed to play and land larger wild trout quickly.

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Madison River Lodge Secondary Setup

A 9-foot 6-weight is the ideal tool for the Madison River's more demanding conditions. It provides the necessary power to punch through frequent afternoon winds and handle heavy indicator rigs or large foam hopper-dropper combinations. A 6-weight also offers the backbone required to throw streamers along the banks and turn big, hard-fighting wild trout.

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Madison River Lodge Flies

The guides have an excellent assortment of the most effective flies and they supply them as part of your package price. With that said, you are welcome to bring along as few or as many of your own flies as you like.

If you would like to pack your own box, five regional favorites for the Madison River include:

  • Chubby Chernobyl
  • Pat's Rubber Legs / Girdle Bug
  • Sparkle Dun
  • Shop Vac Nymph
  • Bead-Head Woolly Bugger

Please feel free to call Fly Water Travel for assistance in putting together a selection of flies best suited to your trip.


Support your Local Fly Shop

If you need assistance with assembling your gear for your upcoming travels, we encourage you to support your local fly shop. This curated list of tackle is handpicked for your destination by our experts and can serve as your shopping list to get your ready for your next adventure. Find your local Far Bank dealer.

Suggested Packing List

We understand packing for an adventure is not easy. On a trip like this it is very important to have everything you need and nothing you do not. As the climate is extremely changeable and a wide range of temperatures and conditions can be expected, we recommend layering clothes. Anglers should be prepared with thermal underwear, fleece/soft shell jacket, and a rain jacket. Synthetic fabrics are preferred to cotton. Dress at the lodges/camps is neat but casual.

Documents:
Passport, plane tickets, itinerary, credit card, cash, business cards

Socks:
Four pairs of wool or synthetic socks to wear under your waders. Two pairs of town socks.

Base layers:
One to two pairs of synthetic or merino wool long underwear (tops and bottoms) to wear beneath your waders. One mid-weight and one heavyweight. These can be worn alone or together depending on conditions.

Shirts:
Two or three long sleeve fishing shirts. One or two lodge shirts.

Pants:
One to two pairs of long pants

Shorts:
One pair of quick-dry shorts

Warm Layers:
One or two warm insulating layers. Down, synthetic or fleece mid layers are good options. Avoid cotton.

Warm Jacket:
One warm jacket

Rain Jacket:
One high quality rain jacket

Gloves:
One pair of sun gloves and one pair of warm fishing gloves

Waders/Boots:
Lightweight, breathable waders paired with rubber-soled boots are recommended. Studded boots are not permitted on drift boats. During the warm summer months, wet wading is popular and comfortable. Quick-drying pants or shorts worn with neoprene wading socks and rubber-soled boots work best.

Hats:
Two fishing/baseball hats. One warm cap.

Shoes:
One pair of sturdy walking shoes

Buff:
One “Buff” facial sun protector (good for bugs too)

Sunglasses:
One pair of polarized sunglasses. It is great to have a lens cleaner and a soft cleaning cloth as well.

Sunscreen:
One bottle SPF 30+

Lip Balm:
One tube of SPF 30+ lip balm

Backpack:
One waterproof backpack or boat bag for day gear

Headlamp:
One small LED headlamp with batteries

Camera:
Camera with extra batteries

Toiletries Kit:
Toothpaste and toothbrush, deodorant, razor, lotion, mini shampoo bottle, anti-inflammatory, sleep aid, earplugs, band aids, anti-bacterial ointment, antihistamines

Max Salzburg: Western Trout Destinations Manager

Max is Fly Water Travel's Destination Manager for Europe, New Zealand, and the trout fisheries of the Rockies and Pacific Northwest. The joke within Max's family is that he has always been a tour guide at heart who loves nothing more than traveling to new places and being a stranger in a strange land.

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