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River Name
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Current Fishing Conditions
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Current Hatches
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Current Hot Patterns
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| Blackfoot |
The Blackfoot is still not quite an option – running nearly 2 times normal at 5900cfs. But has dropped for several days and could potentially clear enough to fish by this weekend. The week continues to be cool and precip light – exactly what we need to get it going again. Call us at the shop for an update the day of as we have some contacts up there who can give us an instant feedback. Don’t be tempted to fish the North Fork as it is still closed till the 3rd Sat in May. |
You might see some skwallas, bwo’s, caddis but we wouldn’t go up there expecting fish on dries. |
>Dries: Clacka caddis #12, Noble chernobles in tan or red, or Chubby.> Nymphs: Red or pink SanJuan worm #8, prince in sizes 10-8, double bead stones, and copper john in 14-10> Streamers: Bunnies or zonkers; yellow, black, olive or tan buggers, Marvi |
| Bitterroot |
The Bitterroot has dropped steadily for a week and fished very well yesterday, boating about 40, and we didn’t see another angler! Flows are still way above normal at 2500cfs in Darby and at Bell it’s 4600cfs. Skwallas and March browns are still out but we didn’t get much dry action. The fish were really on the worm (red was best but pink or purple caught a few). We fished them as dropper under a dry and late under an indicator on a short lease – only about 3′ deep. Look to the soft water along the bank or better yet slow back water eddies. |
Expect skwallas, March browns and little brown nuemoras, with caddis just kicking in. |
>Dries: Bullet head, rogue, and rasta skwalas 8-12, purple haze or adams #18-20, > Nymphs: Big prince or #10 copper john, peacock double bead stones, red worm is king but pink also gets it done.> Streamers: Olive buggers and scul |
| Clark Fork |
Fishing the spillway near Warm Springs still remains your only choice on the Clark Fork right now but with the cool weather continuing this could change. Up there we use scud variations and midge nymphs. The river at Turah has dropped from 8000 to 3300cfs this week which is promising. While the river decides if it want to run muddy or clear try pitching big flashy streamers in the slow back waters below Missoula might produce some northern pike. |
Skwallas, little brown nuemoras, March browns, caddis cranking up |
>Dries: Carnage or rastaman skwalas, elk hair caddis, bwo #18-16, purple haze #14.> Nymphs: SanJuan worms. phez tails #14-18, big prince size 10 or #16 copper john.> Streamers: Sparkle minnow, jj’s, black buggers, marvins |
| Rock Creek |
After jumping to nearly 4000cfs last week the Rock is now down to 1000cfs, is floatable, and will fish very well this weekend. Nymph fishing will be best but skwalas are still out together with March browns so we would expect fish on top as well. If you decide to float the creek be sure to play it safe on blind corners as the high water took down a bunch of new trees. Remember: no fishing above the Forks. |
skwallas,bwo’s, March browns, caddis |
>Dries: Blue winged olive parachute #16, swisher caddis #14, purple haze, fat freddy or brown wing skwala as a top bug for droppers.> Nymphs: The worm – red, pink, orange in #8, phez tail #16, prince in sizes 10-8 and copper john in 14-10.> Streamers: B |
| Georgetown Lake |
THE ENTIRE LAKE IS CLOSED TILL THE THIRD SATURDAY IN MAY STARTING APRIL ONE!! |
Leaches,scuds. |
>Dries: > Nymphs: Zebra midge,egg patterns, and scuds> Streamers: |
| Alternate Rivers and Information |
| BIG HOLE RIVER: This is a great time of year to hit the Big Hole with the biggest flies you have the sac to pitch. It is dropping like Missoula’s rivers but fishes off color more that other rivers. We just got in a great selection of crazy sweet tandem streamers that have been producing well here. Come in and check them out. MISSOURI RIVER: The Mo is a great option with the bwo and midge hatches as sustained as any we’ve seen. Most of the fish on top are small as many of those big rainbows are thinking about spawn not feeding. Folks are taking fish on nymphs, streamers in addition to dries. Scuds rule here… Czech nymphs, hot bead czechs, pink scuds, orange scuds,lalalala… you might also try a worm or zebra midge if you become bored with the scud. Streamer swinging has produced a ton of fish as well – skinny olive or flashy white bunnies are as good a bet as anything. Good luck! Questions about an upcoming trip or fishing in Western Montana? Call us at our new fly shop in Missoula at 406-542-7411 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 406-542-7411 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (open 9 – 6 M – Sat., Sundays 10 – 3) Our Philipsburg shop is now open on the weekends and will be open all week soon. Good fishing – John, Terri and Matthew |
This might be my favorite time to fish – likely because I actually get a few days in before the guiding season kicks in – but beyond that it is really good fishing! To make it through the ice season, trout and our neighboring steelhead have wintered up in deep runs. They remain in the same until snow starts melting and rivers swell, ultimately dispersing them again throughout the system. The time is now to find quality fish in good numbers stacked in small areas. We would love for you to get into the shop and buy as many nymphs and streamers you can carry but the truth is you’ll need about a hand full to get the job done…plenty of san jauns, pat’s rubber legs in a coupla shades, double bead stones, eggs, olive buggers and zonker type streamers… did I mention worms? Get out there before the skwala season and expect some exceptional action.
