5 Best Hatches on the Bitterroot

The Bitterroot River runs south to north through the Bitterroot valley, and is a very wader friendly river. Fishes big, wades small, and the Bitterroot River hatches are the most diverse in the Missoula area. Here is a list of some of our favorite hatches on the Bitterroot.

Trico

Trico Spinner Fly Fishing

From a hatch matcher’s standpoint, the Trico hatch is the most frustrating, tricky, amazing and challenging of the Bitterroot River Hatches. Coming in at an 18 or 20, the small size starts the trico challenge. Add that the trico is the only local mayfly with distinctive male and female coloration, and toss on the spinner fall that occurs during the hatch, and you have a serious puzzle for the angler to solve.

The Tricos are a blanket hatch, coming off in huge numbers starting mornings in mid-August and continuing through mid-October, depending on weather. The spinner clouds that form above the river prior to the hatch are identifiable by the figure 8 pattern they fly in. The cloud will form about 15 feet above the water, and slowly drop to the surface. The spinners are also identifiable as male and female, so once they fall and the hatch starts, you have male and female spinners on the water, as well as male and female adults, cripples and emergers. The Trico hatch can really stretch the width of an anglers fly box!

Contrary to most mayfly hatches, the tricos hatch best in full sun, which makes the trout a bit skittish when up feeding on this hatch. Which the trout kind of have to do, as the Trico is the only reliable source of food at this time. The fish will line up in the slow glides and pools and take these insects for as long as they are present on the water. While the Tricos will appear above Bell Crossing, the best Missoula Trico fishing is found in the wider, slower sections of the lower Bitterroot River.

Make sure you’re ready for this hatch when you hit the water. Ron’s Trico Spinner has been our top producer for this hatch for years, but you’ll need more flies than that! A Female Comparadun or Trico Sprout will also turn heads when the hatch is on. The Sunken Spinner is a great fly when the fish are focused just under the surface, dropped off a Parachute Trico or even a smaller Royal Wulff- also a sneaky good fly when the tricos are on.

Make sure you’re ready with a well-balanced leader tapered down to 5 or 5.5X. Your casting needs to be somewhat long and quite accurate. The tricos are so small, and there are so many on the water. The trout don’t move very far to the left or right to take your fly. It needs to be in the feeding lane, floating correctly, and matching the phase of insect that particular fish is feeding on. Spinner, adult, cripple or emerger in both male and female. It can be the most frustrating hatch to work when you’re not on, but when you find the fly and start getting the drift, the satisfaction of having solved the riddle is one of the best feelings you can have when heading out to match wits with the wily trout!

Skwala

Bitterroot Skwala Hatch
Bitterroot Skwala

The Bitterroot River is known across Montana and the west as having the best skwala stonefly hatch in the area. This early spring stonefly begins hatching in the 2nd or 3rd  week of March and will continue through run-off. The females are olive and run from size 8 early in the hatch to a size 12 near the end. The males are dark and smaller, and rarely find their way to the water. As with all stoneflies, the Skwalas emerge by crawling out along the sides of the river, so the trout will follow the nymphs to the shore. Use a Double Bead Peacock Stone or an Pats RubberLegs to match the nymphs early in the hatch.

The Skwalas will come off along the entire length of the Bitterroot River, as well as the East Fork and West Fork of the Bitterroot. As the first hatch of the year, there’s a lot of pent up fly fishing in Missoula, and the Bitterroot can see its fair share of anglers at this time. Pick your days to fish the Skwalas! They will hatch in the worst conditions- snow, rain, clouds and cold weather. Conditions like that tend to turn away the faint of heart. Dress warmly and go knock ‘em silly!

If you’re running a dropper like a Tungsten Hare’s Ear Jig for the Western March Brown nymph, use an Morning Wood Skwala or Olive Water Walker. These big foamies will float your nymph and work well early in the season. As the hatch progresses, and the fish get wise, switch up to the Little Olive Stone or Rogue Stone Skwala. They float lower in the water, and look more realistic to the fish.

Skwalas will hatch on gray days, and with their dark coloration can be very difficult to see on the water. You must look carefully for them as they go floating by. The random rise will also alert you to their presence on the river. Work the good looking water, and be ready for some slow times, especially in the colder morning. The crafty Skwala angler will often wait for the afternoon to start fishing, allowing the temperatures to warm and get the adults flying. It’s a great way to start the season- big bugs and lots of action!

Western March Browns

March Brown Hatch Montana

The Western March Browns will start hatching in the last week of March, and will go through run-off. The WMB is well imitated by the Purple Haze, Parachute Adams or the Parachute Hare’s Ear. While the WMB’s come off consistently during the Spring, they are rarely a blanket hatch. Unlike the Trico, it doesn’t take a lot of flies to effectively fish the WMB’s. Sure, a cripple or emerger is useful, but certainly not required.

The WMB’s really like clouds, and that can be a bit problematic early in the hatch. It takes a bit of warmer weather to get the flies moving at the beginning, and clouds aren’t always the best at allowing warmth. But once the WMB’s get established by the first week in April, they consistently come off in the afternoons along the length of the Bitterroot River. They’re found in size 12-14, but concentrate mostly on the size 14. When you go subsurface with a WMB nymph, have a few Umpqua Ptail Jig or PT Hot Spots to get deep quickly and stay in the zone. This is one of the favorite bitterroot hatches for local and traveling anglers.

Golden Stones

Golden Stone Hatching On The Blackfoot River

The Golden Stones could just have easily been the third hatch on this list of best Bitterroot river hatches. They are a very prolific hatch on the Bitterroot River, including the East Fork and West Fork. Unlike the Skwala, which is a single species, the Golden Stone hatch is comprised of multiple species that range in size from 6- 12, with the most falling in the 8-10 zone. Expand that slightly, and you can include the Yellow Sallies, which are smaller Golden Stones in size 14-16. In the last week of June through July, the Goldens offer a smorgasbord of insects for the trout to gorge on.

The upper stretches of the Bitterroot are faster and choppier, so a high floating Golden like a Plan B Golden or an El Camino Golden are strong producers. In the lower sections, where the water may be a little calmer, the PK Golden or Rastaman Golden will perform very well. Make sure to have some Tan/Brown Pats RubberLegs with you when the surface action isn’t where you want it to be. Be ready for bigger water during the Golden hatch, especially at the start of the hatch, and work the edges of the river. As the water drops during July, the fish will move from shore to their familiar summer feeding stations.

Mahoganies

Mahogany Dun Hatch

The majestic Mahogany is found on the Bitterroot River from the first September rains through the first real snowfall. They hatch in the heat of the day, which on some October afternoons can be 45 degrees! They’re a sizable insect, about a 12-14, and are easily seen on the water. The Mahoganies aren’t a blanket hatch, and if you get a reasonable imitation over a fish, they will usually take.

We like the Tilt Wing Mahogany at this time of year, as well as the Pheasant Tail Dry. If you want to get fancy, a Hi Viz Rusty Spinner in a 14 can be money, as can a Mahogany Sprout. When you go subsurface, an Solitude Pheasant Tail Jig or Quill Perdigon Jig will be very effective during this hatch. While it hatches along the length of the river, the best hatches are found below Bell Crossing.

Honorable Mention For Bitterroot River Hatches

Honorable mention on the best Bitterroot River hatches goes to the Hecuba hatch. While not a prolific hatch by any stretch of the imagination, the Bitterroot trout love this late summer/fall hatch and will take them whenever they’re on the water. If you find yourself on the water in Fall with little happening, tie on a Brindle Chute in a size 12 and start prospecting. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results!


Additional Resources For Bitterroot River Hatches

Floating The Blackfoot River

Best Guides In The Business

Sure, we’re completely prejudiced- what did you expect! But we feel Missoula fly fishing guides are the best guides in Montana, and we can back that up. On June 30, every guide in town has a huge decision to make before they even start their day on the water.  From the Missoulian Angler, they can head 80 miles west, east, south, northwest or southwest, choosing to fish on the Bitterroot River, Upper or Lower Clark Fork River, the Big Blackfoot River or Rock Creek. There are over 300 miles- yes, 300 miles!- of floatable river in about an hour’s drive from Missoula. That’s a lot of water to know and cover! Not trying to pick on our good friends on the Missouri, Bighorn and other tailwaters, but those rivers have limited areas to fish. Those guides know the fishable sections like they know their own face, but it’s not as much water to learn, not as many flies and not as many techniques to master.

Every river in Missoula has it’s own unique characteristics. When you’re floating on Rock Creek, you’re moving fast! Covering 20-25 river miles is not uncommon on that river in the last weeks of June. It’s narrow and popular, which means the guides need to be on the lookout for wading fishermen (of which there are many), sweepers, and all the other hazards that come with any river. Add tying on flies and providing drinks, and a guide has his hands full when floating Rock Creek.

The Bitterroot is almost the polar opposite of Rock Creek. Rock Creek flows along the base of a canyon for much of its length. It rarely changes its channels, so where you floated last year will be the way to go this year as well. Not so on the Bitterroot. Every June, Missoula fly fishing guides need to relearn the Bitterroot. Channels change, so you need to make the right choices when floating. That spot that was so good this spring? It’s gone. Post run-off, the best Missoula guides are scouting the Bitterroot, trying to locate where the fish have relocated to. Sure, the 10-14” fish are where they always are, but the big boys are a different story. They have to be relocated every year. Our guides definitely pool their resources on the Bitterroot, finding out what channels are open, and where it’s best to float.  As the river drops into summertime, new challenges pop up- finding the channels with enough water to float, and finding the trout that have become skittish in the bright sun and warm temperatures. It’s what makes the Bitterroot such a challenging, demanding river. It’s a changing, and every year it takes a knowledgeable, skilled guide to find the fish and get them into the net.

The Blackfoot can be one of the trickiest rivers to row in the state. Those magnificent boulders and deep shelves that give this river character are also definite navigational challenges. Late June can be a very exacting time on the river, with the boulders, crags and sweepers getting up near the surface where they can some damage, but with so much push from the high water that a guide has to get his rowing line through some stretches perfectly, or you’re going to find yourself in a bit of mischief. And like the Bitterroot, as the Blackfoot drops, the guides again have to find the sun shy fish and navigate a river that may be 1/8 the size it was 5 weeks ago! It takes a guide with the skill of a white water rafter to navigate the Blackfoot, and Missoula can fill any two local taprooms (day off) with guides who can row like fury, fish with passion and instruct with grace and elegance.

When it comes to the Clark Fork, it’s a tale of two rivers. The Upper Clark Fork River is narrow, tricky to row and fish from a boat, and can be a bit stingy. But when it’s on, it’s fire, and no one is there. It can provide an amazing experience on a smaller river. As the Clark Fork transitions from a smaller river to the largest in the state, the water varies wildly, from huge logjams to the urban town float, where you can fish a great river and stop at 3-4 riverside bars in Missoula and enjoy a cold beverage or a hot lunch! Better know which town channel to take, or you’ll miss the take out by 4 miles! Once the Bitterroot enters, the Clark Fork gets big and slow. You can find some amazing technical dry fly fishing to the largest rising fish in Missoula. The nymphing can be spectacular, and streamers can move a Brownie fatter than an average trout is long on almost any cast!

Let’s toss this in. We’re a two hour run to the Missouri river or the upper Bighole river. Three to the Beaverhead river or the headwaters of the Missouri. Don’t think Missoula guides aren’t familiar with these waters as well.

It’s 7:30 am and Missoula’s best fly fishing guides are texting, talking and planning their day. What’s hot, what’s not. They’ll be meeting their guests, and having a conversation with them. What are they expecting fom their day? (Missoula’s Best Guides) Lots of fish, dries, scenery, technical? This all goes into the mix as the guides ponder their four distinct options, the four distinct personalities that make Missoula such an eclectic fly fishing destination.

That’s not all that goes into a float trip, not by a longshot. Gas, clean boat and rig, delicious lunch and a positive attitude are a given. The guides need to know the water they’re going to take you to. It doesn’t work to see the take out 2 hours after putting in, or still see the put in 9 hours into the day. Missoula guides can manage a day on the water to perfection, having you home for dinner or squeezing the most out of the day. They know every shuttle driver in 100 miles from the shop. They’re prepared to fish any river at any time. While all the rivers have much of the same hatches, each river has its favorite flies and best angling practices. The guides need to be tricked out with the best flies for wherever their fancy takes them.

The Missoulian Angler has the largest fly selection in town, and over the course of the year, we see just about every guide in Missoula. Matt Robb, Russell Parks, Damon Cox, Tony Reinhardt, Chase Harrison, Dustin Stenson, Joe Boone, Greg Inglis and Scott Stanko– we see them all. And it’s the same thing every day, where am I going to fish. Decades of experience walk through our shop daily, and we watch the wheels spinning. We hear the slyly crafted questions and the tell-tale hints that might lead to the mother-lode.  Or it could be as simple as calling Tommy at Four Rivers Shuttle or Pat Bond and ask where they have the fewest boats! So many strategies employed to find our guests the best fly fishing in Montana.

But it all boils down to one thing. Once you’ve committed, once the best fishing guides in Missoula have decided on, that 6 mile float, 9 mile float or 13 mile float, you know there’s still 290 MILES of river you’re not fishing that day.  Was it the best call? Was it an average call. Did you float lockjaw territory? When you’re as diverse as Missoula, when you can basically dial up about any type of fishing you’re looking for, from blanket hatches to technical Euronymphing, Missoula, Montana always has that mystery about it. You’ll know about how your day is going to go tomorrow morning, when todays fishing is grist for the mill! And once again, the choice is there.  That’s the face every guide wears in the morning, what is he missing. But here’s a fact, and you can take it to the bank (Haha!), whatever water you’re fishing, Missoula’s guides will fish the ever-loving crap out of it.

Missoula’s best guides have a skill set that is rivalled by few. They can row. The best guides in Missoula row the trickiest and rockiest rivers in Montana on a daily basis, adjusting as the rivers change from day to day. Imagine the skill set needed to work in 4 separate buildings, separated into multiple offices, that can change on a daily basis. That’s a guide’s life in Missoula. It takes a while to get familiar with all the water around Missoula, knowing the best flies and techniques for each river. Luckily, the city and the rivers are a magnet, attracting and keeping guides for decades. When we say Missoula guides are amongst the best in the state, we can back that up with diversity, skills and preparation.

It’s a passion, but it’s a business as well. Missoula fly fishing guides approach each day as craftsmen, knowing each day will be different, and confident they will rise to the challenge. They have the option of fishing over 300 miles of river, know what’s fishing, finding out what their guests want, balance that against where the best fishing is, and make the call. With fly boxes stuffed to the gills (Haha) with the best flies for every river, they have a full tank of gas, and their sunglasses are on! These guides are ready for their clients, ready for the rivers, and ready to make your day the best fly fishing Missoula has to offer!

Missoula Fly Fishing Report

Missoula Fly Fishing Report 4/21

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

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Our Missoula fly shop is still open for call in or email orders. Give us a call and we will get your order ready to go ASAP. Click here for a menu that highlights the current hot flies that we have in stock or check out our online store to order here.

The Governor is encouraging outdoor recreation at this point in time. Fly fishing is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy the fresh Montana air.

Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot river fly fishing has been really good over the last week with cooler night temps and mild days. With the warmer weather trend coming up, we will start to see the flows bump which will effect the dry fly fishing. Still one of your best options for Missoula fly fishing but keep your expectations in check. Hopefully we get one more cool down and another window to fish before the rivers really start to blow.
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Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River is starting to rise after a few warm days but clarity is still decent. Streamers are the main game right now fishing soft edges, inside seems and any soft water you can find. Nymphing inside seems is also a good strategy this time of year.
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Clark Fork River

The Clark Fork River is on its way up right now and should continue to rise and get muddy for at least this week depending on weather. Still fishable today and maybe tomorrow but ClarkFork fishing will go down hill quickly with the warmer weather.
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Rock Creek

Rock Creek fly fishing has been really good for the last few weeks but a push of water is coming and that will turn the fishing off a bit. Often bumps in Rock Creek don’t effect it as much as other fisheries but this will be a significant bump and it should cause the dry fly fishing to take a backseat. Nymphs and streamers are the way to go up here for at least the next few days.
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Montana Fly Fishing Guides – Float Or Wade Fishing Trips

Let Us Make Your Montana Fly Fishing Trip A Vacation Of A Lifetime!

Missoula Fly Fishing Guide Chase Harrison

Spring 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.

Fish Species

Missoula Fly Fishing Report

Missoula Fly Fishing Report 4/18

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

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Our Missoula fly shop is still open for call in or email orders. Give us a call and we will get your order ready to go ASAP. Click here for a menu that highlights the current hot flies that we have in stock or check out our online store to order here.

The Governor is encouraging outdoor recreation at this point in time. Fly fishing is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy the fresh Montana air.

Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot river fly fishing has been good the last few days with stable flows and good water temps. There has been a variety of bugs out that includes Skwala, March Brown, BWO and Nemoura. The weather has stayed mild with some cooler nights and the forecast is calling for the same for the weekend and the coming week. The fishing on the Bitterroot should continue to be really good. We could see some bumps in the flow coming but nothing that should keep you home. The dry fly fishing should continue to produce. May is right around the corner and so is runoff, so get out while it’s still fishing. The weather forecast is calling for clouds today and tomorrow so make sure you have March Brown’s and BWO’s with you like Parachute Pheasant Tail and Parachute Hare’s Ear for the March Browns, and Comparaduns, Hi-Vis BWO and small Olive Parachute Hare’s Ear for the Blue Winged Olives.
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Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River is starting to clear up nicely after the recent bump in flows and clarity is good to go. We floated the Blackfoot yesterday and saw lots of March Browns and even a few fish eating them. Still a better streamer game then anything right now and should continue to be a good streamer option for the coming week if the weather forecast holds true. Hovering around that 45 degree mark, this is a great temperature to pull out some very nice fish out of the Blackfoot river. Still focus on slower water, inside seems and soft edges. Lighter colored streamers have been the ticket for us up here lately.
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Clark Fork River

The Clark Fork River fly fishing is kicking back into gear and we have had some decent dry fly action in the afternoon. Flows should stay somewhat stable with the extended weather forecast in mind. We have been seeing March Brown’s, Skwala’s and BWO’s out on the Clark Fork and fish are taking notice. Streamers have been productive and of course nymphing is a numbers game. Keep an eye out on these cloudy days for March Brown’s and BWO’s for the next few days and more Skwala’s to come in the sun. Make sure you have a few March Brown patterns like Parachute Pheasant Tail and Parachute Hare’s ear. Rogue Skwala, Plan B and Rastaman have been effective too.


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Rock Creek

Rock Creek fly fishing has been really good lately and should continue to fish well. We have heard great reports from the bottom stretches all the way to the top of the Creek. March Brown’s and Skwala’s are the dries of choice. Streamers and nymphs are great options this time of year. For Skwala dries, the Rogue and Rastaman are hard to beat on Rock Creek this time of year but be sure to have some bigger mayfly attractor patterns like Parachute Adams and Purple Hazes in your box. Kreelex and Sparkle Minnow are the streamers of choice. For nymphs try 20 Inchers, Double Bead Stone, Pats Rubber Legs, Hot Spot Ptails, G-Kes and Egg patterns
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Montana Fly Fishing Guides – Float Or Wade Fishing Trips

Let Us Make Your Montana Fly Fishing Trip A Vacation Of A Lifetime!

Missoula Fly Fishing Guide Chase Harrison

Spring 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.

Fish Species

Missoula Fly Fishing Report

Missoula Fly Fishing Report 4/15

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

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Our Missoula fly shop is still open for call in or email orders. Give us a call and we will get your order ready to go ASAP. Click here for a menu that highlights the current hot flies that we have in stock.

The Governor is encouraging outdoor recreation at this point in time. Fly fishing is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy the fresh Montana air.

Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot river flows have dropped the last few days and fishing has been good. We are seeing low elevation snow drop this morning which should cause a small bump later this week if the weather holds true. Fishing should remain good and even some dry fly action in the afternoon for the next 2-3 days. Expect some bump in flows coming later this week. Even though it’s snowing don’t hesitate to throw the big bug this afternoon. Nymphs and streamers should be productive throughout the day if you’re not getting any dry fly action. If the wind isn’t to bad then keep an eye out for BWO hatches this afternoon in the clouds. Some of our go to Skwala patterns are Rogue Skwala, Plan B, True Skwala and Rastaman. Mayfly attractor patterns like Parachute Pheasant Tail and Parachute Hare’s ear can be great searching patterns that imitate the March Brown. For nymphs try G-Kes Two-Bit Stones, HS Pheasant Tail, Hot Spot PT, Pats and 20 Inchers. Check out our online menu of hot flies for the spring here. Give us a call or email your order and we will get them ready for you.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River flows have leveled off and clarity is much better then a few days ago. Temps are hovering around the 42 degree mark which isn’t bad for spring fishing on the Blackfoot but still a little chilly. Streamer fishing and nymphs in slow water should remain decent for at least the next few days. Don’t expect quantity but quality is what you’re after this time of year while fly fishing the Blackfoot river.
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Clark Fork River

The Clark Fork River has leveled off but clarity is still not very good for dry flies at least. Still a few days out from being a decent option. For those who decide to hit the Clark Fork in the next few days, focus on streamers and nymphs on the soft edges. If the weather holds true then we will see another push of water from the tributaries draining into the Clark Fork which won’t help clarity. Keep an eye on flows, weather and our Missoula fishing report for updates.


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Rock Creek

Rock Creek is one of your best options for Missoula fly fishing right now and should continue to be a good option throughout the week. Snow this morning will effect dry fly fishing but streamers and nymphs will produce for you. Weather is calling for some warmer days which should help reactivate the Skwala adults to come back. Streamers like the Baby Gonga, Kreelex and Sparkle Minnow have been good. Nymphs like 20 Incher, Pats Rubber Legs, Double Bead Stones and Eggs have been the go to lately.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Montana Fly Fishing Guides – Float Or Wade Fishing Trips

Let Us Make Your Montana Fly Fishing Trip A Vacation Of A Lifetime!

Missoula Fly Fishing Guide Chase Harrison

Spring 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.

Fish Species

Missoula Fly Fishing Report

Missoula Fly Fishing Report 4/13

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

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Our Missoula fly shop is still open for call in or email orders. Give us a call and we will get your order ready to go ASAP. Click here for a menu that highlights the current hot flies that we have in stock.

The Governor is encouraging outdoor recreation at this point in time. Fly fishing is a great way to get away from the crowds and enjoy the fresh Montana air.

Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot river is coming down after a recent bump in flows due to a few warm days followed by rain. After the recent cold snap the flows have stabalized and started to drop. The Bitterroot river fly fishing is back to a good option for fly fishing the Missoula area. Skwala’s are the main game in the sun right now and March Brown’s in the clouds. The future forecast is calling for mild temps followed by warmer temps. We did see a little bit of low elevation snow, so expect a minor bump again when the weather warms up later this week. Some of our go to Skwala patterns are Rogue Skwala, Plan B, True Skwala and Rastaman. Mayfly attractor patterns like Parachute Pheasant Tail and Parachute Hare’s ear can be great searching patterns that imitate the March Brown. For nymphs try G-Kes Two-Bit Stones, HS Pheasant Tail, Hot Spot PT, Pats and 20 Inchers. Check out our online menu of hot flies for the spring here. Give us a call or email your order and we will get them ready for you.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River flows have leveled off and are coming back down after the recent bump in flow. Still off color but we expect it to clear up a bit in the next few days with the mild weather. Not a great option right now for Missoula fly fishing but if you’re a streamer junkie then you can definitely get it done if you work hard enough. We would still give it some time to come back into shape though. There are better options right now.
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Clark Fork River

The Clark Fork River has leveled off after a recent bump in flows but don’t expect it to clear up soon. The Clark Fork always takes longer then the rest of the rivers to clear up and the clarity is still pretty bad right now. Keep an eye on it at the end of the week and we will keep you posted on what we see and the reports that come in. Hopefully it clears because the dry fly fishing was really picking up before the recent bump in flows.

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Rock Creek

Rock Creek fished pretty good even through the bump in flows and now that it has stabilized, it should fish great this week. Skwala’s have started to pop up here and it should continue to fish good on top. We have heard good reports from the bottom all the way to the top of the creek. Some of the best fishing of the year can be had on rock creek right now. For dries, try Skwala adult patterns like the Rogue, Morningwood and Rastaman. For nymphs focus on stonefly patterns like Pats, DB Stone and 20 inchers with droppers like PT Hot Spot BL, Hare’s Ear RL and Two Bit Hookers. Brighter streamers like the Kreelex and Sparkle Minnow have been producing some good fish. Good reports are coming in from the top to bottom of Rock Creek.
Scroll to the bottom of this page for additional fly patterns and tips!

Montana Fly Fishing Guides – Float Or Wade Fishing Trips

Let Us Make Your Montana Fly Fishing Trip A Vacation Of A Lifetime!

Missoula Fly Fishing Guide Chase Harrison

Spring 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.

Fish Species