Today
Wednesday, Aug 19
7.7/10
Partial
Sunny
82°55°
Wind6 mph SWRain0%Clouds17%Moon40%
Montana · River fishing forecast
Madison River near McAllister fishing forecast today
Current conditions plus a 7-day fishing outlook for Madison River near McAllister, including Fishing Score, wind, pressure, clouds, rain chance and moon phase, with live USGS water observations, recent trends and long-term seasonal context where available.
7.7/10
Good
Current Fishing Score
Weather-based index with a long-term USGS river-flow check. Current water adjustment: 0.0.
72% weather data coveragePartial · pressure missingUSGS flow adjustment 0.0
Air temperature
56°F
Wind
6 mph S
Pressure
Unavailable
Not supplied by NWS; Fishing Score is partial
Cloud cover
17%
Rain chance
0%
Moon
Waxing Crescent
Water temp
66.0°F
USGS observation
Gusts
12 mph
Humidity
65%
Weather data updated: Aug 19, 2026, 4:16 AM MDT
Live water data
Madison River near McAllister water temperature and USGS river conditions
Current observations with 24-hour, 7-day, recent 30-day and long-term seasonal context from the verified reference station.
Madison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MTUSGS-06041000 · about 0.0 mi from forecast point
Water temperature66.0°FUSGS 00010
24hSteady-0.4°F7 daysCooling-2.5°F30-day contextBelow 30-day median71.3°F medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median68.0°F median · 49 years
Streamflow1,200 cfsUSGS 00060
24hStable-4%7 daysFalling-9%30-day contextBelow 30-day median1,595 cfs medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median1,450 cfs median · 82 years
Gage height3.60 ftUSGS 00065
24hStable-0.09 ft7 daysFalling-0.21 ft
Fishing Score water checkCurrent streamflow is about 17% from the long-term seasonal median based on 82 approved same-day observations. No score penalty applied.
Latest supported observation: Aug 19, 8:00 AM MDTSeasonal baseline uses approved USGS day-of-year statistics; 30-day context remains a separate recent median. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to the same-calendar-day streamflow baseline, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow can only reduce the current score; it never adds bonus points.
Plan the week
Madison River near McAllister 7-day fishing forecast
Compare day-level Fishing Scores with wind, rain risk, pressure and temperatures for the next seven days.
Forecast data coverageDaily weather-score coverage is 72%. NWS forecast pressure is unavailable for these periods, so the daily scores are partial.
Best available weather score · partialMonday, Aug 24 · 8.2/10
Thu
Thursday, Aug 20
7.7/10
Partial
Sunny
88°59°
Wind5 mph SRain2%Clouds22%Moon50%
Fri
Friday, Aug 21
7.6/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
88°60°
Wind3 mph ESERain14%Clouds38%Moon61%
Sat
Saturday, Aug 22
7.4/10
Partial
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
83°57°
Wind7 mph SSWRain61%Clouds74%Moon71%
Sun
Sunday, Aug 23
8.1/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
82°54°
Wind11 mph SSWRain24%Clouds40%Moon80%
Mon
Monday, Aug 24
8.2/10
Partial
Sunny
81°56°
Wind4 mph SWRain19%Clouds38%Moon88%
Tue
Tuesday, Aug 25
8.0/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
81°54°
Wind6 mph SSWRain40%Clouds53%Moon94%
The large Current Fishing Score above uses current conditions and, on eligible river pages, can include a conservative USGS streamflow penalty. The seven daily cards remain weather-only because this site does not predict future river flow. Cards marked “Partial” use less than 90% of the weighted weather inputs.
Madison River near McAllister fishing conditions overview
The current weather inputs produce a good weather-based Fishing Score. Moderate wind should add useful surface movement.
Estimated activity windows: 5:48 AM–8:03 AM and 6:59 PM–9:14 PM local time. These are dawn/dusk windows, not guaranteed bite times.
Best fishing time today: estimated windows
The first estimated window runs from 5:48 AM–8:03 AM, around sunrise at 6:33 AM. The second runs from 6:59 PM–9:14 PM, around sunset at 8:29 PM. Lower light can change visibility and fish positioning, but actual feeding periods vary by species, season and water conditions.
Madison River near McAllister fishing: structure, seasons and local conditions
Productive trout water below Ennis Lake with riffles, runs and steady tailwater-influenced flow. The forecast becomes more useful when it is read through riffle-to-pool transitions, together with pools, runs and current seams, where depth, current or wind exposure can differ within the same location. Madison River near McAllister has tailwater influence. Dam releases can change current speed, depth and water temperature independently of local air weather, which is why fresh flow data deserves more weight than a generic seasonal assumption.
In Montana, spring warming, runoff or reservoir-level change can create fast transitions, while summer usually increases the importance of cooler water, depth and low-light periods. Fall cooling can reopen shallower habitat. For Rainbow trout and Brown trout, the exact timing is better judged from current weather and measured water conditions than from a fixed calendar date. For a river trip, compare the forecast with riffle-to-pool transitions, together with pools, runs and current seams. A rising or falling river can move the best-looking water even when the air weather remains favorable.
Common targets at Madison River near McAllister include Rainbow trout, Brown trout, and Mountain whitefish. They do not use depth, current and cover in exactly the same way, so the Fishing Score remains a conditions index rather than a species-specific bite prediction. This page also has a manually mapped USGS reference station, so fresh water temperature, flow or level can be shown when that station reports a supported sensor.
What to watch in today's conditions
Wind
Current wind is about 6 mph from S, with gusts near 12 mph. Crosswind and gusts can change boat control and presentation, while bends and protected banks may remain much calmer.
Barometric pressure
Current NWS pressure is missing, so pressure is excluded from this update and the Fishing Score is visibly marked as partial.
Moon phase and light
The moon is currently in the Waxing Crescent phase with approximately 38% illumination. Lunar illumination has a smaller weight than the main weather factors.
Target species
Rainbow troutBrown troutMountain whitefish
Always verify current state fishing regulations, seasons, bag limits, licensing requirements and location-specific closures before fishing.
How this forecast is calculated
The Fishing Score starts with National Weather Service weather data: pressure 28%, wind 24%, cloud cover 18%, precipitation probability 18% and lunar illumination 12%. Missing weather factors are never treated as zero; partial weather results are pulled toward a neutral 5/10 according to the missing weight. On eligible river pages, a separate conservative USGS flow check can only reduce the current score when streamflow is unusually far from the long-term seasonal median or changing rapidly. It never increases the score.
Quick answers
Madison River near McAllister fishing forecast FAQ
What is the Fishing Score for Madison River near McAllister today?
The current Fishing Score is 7.7 out of 10 with 72% weighted data coverage. The score is partial and is pulled toward neutral conditions rather than assuming missing inputs are favorable.
What is the best fishing time at Madison River near McAllister today?
The page highlights estimated low-light windows of 5:48 AM–8:03 AM and 6:59 PM–9:14 PM local time, centered around sunrise and sunset. They are planning windows, not guaranteed bite times.
What fish are commonly targeted at Madison River near McAllister?
Common target species listed for Madison River near McAllister include Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Mountain whitefish. Seasons, legal limits and local closures can change, so always verify current regulations before fishing.
What weather factors are used for Madison River near McAllister?
The Fishing Score uses barometric pressure and trend, wind, cloud cover, precipitation probability and moon illumination. Missing inputs are excluded rather than treated as zero.
Does this page include USGS water conditions for Madison River near McAllister?
Yes. This page uses the manually mapped Madison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MT reference station when fresh supported observations are available. Water temperature, streamflow or water level can appear depending on the station sensors. When approved long-term statistics are available, the page can compare the current reading with the seasonal median for the same calendar day. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to that calendar day, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow may conservatively reduce the Fishing Score; water data never adds bonus points.
What is the water temperature at Madison River near McAllister?
The latest supported USGS water-temperature observation shown on this page is 66.0°F from Madison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MT. Readings older than 48 hours are not presented as current.