Salmonfly Hatch
Salmonfly Hatch Overview
- Family: Stonefly
- Size: 54mm (size 4-8)
- Emergence: Mid June through early July
- Emergence Time: Afternoon
The Salmonfly hatch is arguably Missoula's best hatch, maybe even across Montana. Big, clumsy and plentiful, the Salmonfly hatch in Montana offers some of the wildest, most exciting dry fly fishing in the world!
Nymphing Salmon Flies
With the off-the-hook dry fly fishing, it's easy to ignore the sub-surface activity, but that would be a mistake. As the nymphs stage in the shallows, waiting to crawl out of the river, the trout are gorging on these huge nymphs. There are always more fish willing to eat on the bottom than the top.
Adult Salmonfly
As the Salmonfly hatch progresses, it tends to start lower on a river and work its way upstream — noticeable on Rock Creek at about a mile a day. As adults age, they darken from iridescent orange to almost black. Near the end of the hatch, have some darker, smaller imitations to more closely match the natural.
Missoula Salmonfly Fishing
Rock Creek is world famous for its Salmon Flies. The Blackfoot River and Bitterroot River are much less crowded with equally stellar fishing. The sneaky guides will also take you to the Clark Fork, where the river is empty and the flies are there. If you've never done it, you need to try fishing the Salmonfly!
Additional Salmonfly Resources
Missoula Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trip
Come enjoy a day on the river with Missoula's best fly fishing guides. We float the Bitterroot River, Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork River. All gear, lunch and transportation provided.
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Best Flies for June
Top patterns for the Salmonfly, Golden Stone, Green Drake & Yellow Sally hatches.
Fish With The Best Fly Fishing Guides in Missoula Montana
