Outage Map
While Still Early in Her Journey, Teenager Finds Entrepreneurial Success
By Brent ten Pas
On a cold, wet Sunday morning, 10 adults sit hunched over folding tables inside a Redmond fly shop.
In front of them are vises, hooks, and carefully sorted materials, all the tools to tie a crayfish streamer fly.
They are attending a free workshop hosted by Fin & Fire, which meets on Sundays from January through March. But what makes this class unusual isn’t the fly. It’s the instructor.
All eyes are fixed on a poised 15-year-old as she demonstrates how to tie the pattern. A video camera projects every step on a big screen for additional reference.
At a tender age, Madison Johnson has already established herself as a seasoned veteran whose tiny creations are in big demand.
“The feedback I have received from the dozens of tyers that have attended Madison’s tying events over the last 2 winters is that she is highly skilled and professional, patient, precise, and handles the materials very efficiently,” Fin & Fire’s store manager, Paul Snowbeck, says. “The skills that she possesses are rare with tyers that have been doing this for many years.”
Madison’s story began not on the river but in front of a screen.
Around age 9, Madison watched a flyfishing documentary. What captivated her wasn’t just the fishing—it was the artistry of the flies themselves.
“I was intrigued by how cool the process was to tie the flies,” she says.
Under the guidance of her grandfather, Mark Johnson, Madison tied her first fly— a blue damsel fly pattern, primarily used to catch trout.
“I didn’t want to fish it because I thought it was just so pretty,” Madison says.
Soon, tying turned into fishing. Mark and Madison would practice casting a fly rod in the front yard before venturing out on the Madison River in Montana, renowned among anglers for its trout.
The time spent together created a deep bond. They shared a love for nature and outdoor adventures. Madison also enjoyed hearing about Mark’s experiences as a National Guard pilot flying F-16 fighter jets.
On 1 early trip with him, she remembers delivering a perfect cast—only to miss a large rising trout.
Instead of being frustrated, she was excited.
“It was so fun waiting for the moment to happen,” Madison says.
As her fly-tying technique sharpened, so did demand.
After being introduced to a local fly shop, Madison brought in samples of her work. Shop staff were impressed with the 11-year-old’s work—especially with her balanced leech patterns, a weighted fly designed to sit level in the water.
Madison tied in bulk—often 75 flies at a time—supplying patterns for the store to display.
“I’m not really sure how fast they were selling,” Madison says. “But they kept ordering."
Her efficiency improved, too. What once took 12 minutes per fly dropped to about 3.
Madison eventually took her talent to the competitive level. At a Bozeman fly-tying competition, participants had to invent an original pattern using self-selected materials within a limited time. Around 30 tyers competed—nearly all adults, decades older. The judging process focused on creativity, craftsmanship and fishability.
Madison submitted an original sculpin pattern—a streamer designed to imitate the small, bottom-dwelling fish larger trout feast on.
At 13 and the only girl in the competition, Madison earned third place, an achievement that validated her artistry and technical skills. Her entry secured a spot in the Solitude Fly Co. catalog and was credited and sold commercially.
Encouraged by growing demand, Madison launched her own business: the Madison River Fly Co., a nod to her name and the river where it all began.
Her mother, Kristen, a graphic designer, created the company’s logo.
Orders expanded beyond family and friends as the company’s Instagram presence grew.
Her first big customer came unexpectedly—the substitute teacher for her 8-grade English class.
“He had these glasses that snap back in half in the middle part,” Madison says. “I told him they looked like fly-fishing glasses. And he was like, ‘Yeah, I do a lot of fly fishing. I’m actually a guide.’”
Madison told him she ties flies and has her own business. “He was like, ‘Oh, that’s so cool. I’d love to support your business,’” she says.
Not only did the teacher place a large order, but he has also kept ordering and spreading the word to his clients.
The family relocated from Montana to Redmond 2 years ago. Madison quickly embedded herself in the local fly-fishing community, teaching at Fin & Fire and testing patterns on the Deschutes River while balancing life as a typical teenager.
Now a high school sophomore, Madison juggles school, softball, and playing electric guitar while thinking about her future.
Inspired in part by her grandfather’s military service, she’s considering the Air Force or Coast Guard. She’s also drawn to becoming a firefighter—particularly for the U.S. Forest Service.
“I feel like since I love nature so much, there would be fun in protecting it, too,” Madison says.