Missoula Fly Fishing Report

Missoula Fly Fishing Report 6/6

Fly Fishing Report Brought To You By Our Missoula Fly Fishing Guides And Fly Shop Staff.

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Overview

Our streams have been dropping steadily and clearing up. Fishing is really starting to pick up on the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, Rock Creek and the rest of our tributaries in western Montana. Salmon Flies have started to show up and we’ve had some good success on the big dry flies this week. The weather forecast is calling for warm weather which will help increase the amount of adult Salmon Flies hatching. If you want to fish the Salmon Fly hatch this year, your best bet will be the next few weeks.

Bitterroot River

The upper and middle Bitterroot river are fishing much better than the lower section. Water is still a bit high but running clear and fishing consistently. There’s still not a lot of bugs out on the middle and lower but nymphing and streamer fishing has been good. The upper sections are starting to see some Salmon Flies hatching and should just get better and better with the warmer weather on tap. Fishing bigger patterns like Super G, Henry’s Fork Salmon and Water Walkers are your best bet for dries on the upper section. Nymphing the middle and lower sections with bigger stonefly nymphs like TJ Hooker, Pat’s Rubber Leg, Double Bead Stone and trailing a smaller nymph behind will keep you busy. We’re expecting Golden Stones to start soon and that should help fishing improve on the whole river.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips for each hatch

Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot river has dropped a lot over the last few weeks and just like that, it’s fishing good! We have been on the upper and lower sections the last few days. Both have been fishing good but the lower is producing more fish on the Salmon dry, while the upper is more of a big nymph and streamer game. Streamer fishing has also been good on the lower but we’ve been throwing single Salmonfly dries and consistently catching fish on top. We’ve been fishing bigger Salmon flies and twitching here and there to get fish excited to eat. The Super G, Henry’s Fork Salmon, Double Stack and Fools Gold have been the most productive. Nymphing big Stonefly patterns on the inside seems has been great. Try nymphs like Tung Zirdle, Tung Found Your Bugger, TJ Hooker, Squatchy, Jig Pats, Yuk Bug and Bitch Creek. Lighter colored streamers like Tan Gonga, Kill Whitey, Dirty Hippie, Sparkle Minnows and Bangtails have been the most productive followed by most olive streamers.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Clark Fork River

The Clark Fork river is still off color but slowly coming around. The Clark Fork is always the last to clear up this time of year, but with the rapidly dropping flows, it should start to fish well soon. We’ve had a few good reports in the upper sections while the lower is still a week or so away from producing good fishing. There are better options out there right now.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Rock Creek

Rock Creek has really start to fish good over the last week. Adult Salmon Flies are on the lower and Middle sections with great dry fly fishing. Not a lot of big bugs on the upper yet but they move up that creek fast and we expect steady dry fly fishing river wide soon. If you’re after dry fly fishing, head to the lower half and grab a handful of big orange dries for good fishing. Patterns like the Super G, True, Double Stack and Water Walkers have produced the most fish. Nymphing bigger stonefly patterns like Double Bead Stone, Tungsten Pats, Squatchy and TJ Hookers will product numbers for you. Streamer fishing with smaller lighter colors has been great. The Salmon Fly hatch on Rock Creek will be gone before you know it, so get out there soon while they’re stilll out. Although the Goldens will follow shortly after, which can be just as good if not better than the Salmonfly hatch.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Missoula June Summer Hatches

Click any photo below to find out more information on each individual hatch. Includes life cycle, best fly patterns, helpful tips and where to find these hatches in your Western Montana fly fishing adventure.