INTRODUCTION 



A creel census and fisherman -expenditure study was conducted 

 on the Madison River in Montana during the summers of 1950, 1951, and 

 1952 by Missouri River Basin Studies, Fish and Wildlife Service. The 

 investigation was designed primarily to provide information on fishing 

 pressure, yield, and expenditures by fishermen. Limited information 

 was sec\ired on some of the physical and ecological factors influencing 

 the fishery. Information contained in this report pertains only to 

 the regular fishing season, May through November. Although winter 

 fishing was permitted in certain sections of the Madison for whitefish 

 and a limited number of trout during the period of study, no investiga- 

 tions were conducted during the winter season. 



The Madison, one of the larger mountain rivers in the Missouri- 

 River Basin, is outstanding and is famous as a trout stream. Because 

 there are tentative plans for developing the Madison for irrigation and 

 power, and as one of the responsibilities of Missouri River 3asin Studies 

 is determination of the effects of water-development projects on fishery 

 resources, a detailed investigation of the present use and yield of this 

 river appeared particularly pertinent. 



The Madison River is II4O miles long. About 119 miles (in 

 Montana and subject to development) were included in the study. It was 

 not feasible to study the whole 119 -mile stretch at one time; thus it 

 was divided into three approximately equal sections, the lower of which 

 was investigated in 19^0, the middle one in 1951, and the upper in 1952„ 



Acknowledgment is marie of the services and assistance ren- 

 dered during the course of the study by personnel of Montana State 

 College, especially Dr. C„ J. D„ Brown; Montana Fish and Game Depart- 

 ment, especially Mr. Charles K. Phenicie; Montana Power Company; the 

 U S. Fish Cultural Station at Ennis; and the several resort operators 

 in the area. 



LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 



The Madison River, located in southwestern Montana, is 

 formed by the junction of the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers in Yellow= 

 stone National Park (see map)„ It flows in a general northward direc- 

 tion from the Park uniting with the Gallatin and Jefferson Rivers near 

 Three Forks, Montana, to form the Missouri River. There are two on- 

 stream reservoirs on the river: (1) Madison Reservoir, located at 

 the head of Bear Trap Canyon, 37 river-miles above the mouth of the 

 river; and (2) Hebgen Reservoir l/, located at the head of Madison 



1/ Hebgen Reservoir is also known as Hebgen Lake while Madison Reser- 

 voir is frequently called Ennis Lake or Meadow Lake, 



