Bitterroot Snowpack Hits 100%

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After running below normal for most of the winter the Bitterroot snowpack finally has bumped up to 100% of normal. Recent storms off the Pacific have brought heavy mountain snow and valley rain to western Montana. There is still snow and ice on the valley floor but a recent warm spell is breaking up river ice and opening up the river… Not many fishing opportunities currently but the Skwala hatch is only 4-6 weeks away. As the weather warms fish should start moving and looking to bulk up on the spring stoneflies.

May Flies!

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October is here and the great dry fly action continues on the Bitterroot. We’ve had some decent rains in the last week and the river is in great shape for floating and fishing. May flies are the name of the game right now. There are still some Trico’s and Hecuba’s emerging but there numbers are beginning to drop off and become less of a factor. Mahogany duns and Blue Winged Olives are coming off in good numbers and are bringing up lots of trout… Best fishing is in the afternoon , before that run a hopper dropper rig with various may fly nymphs to get you hooked up until the fish begin to rise. See ya on the river!

Fishing Update

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The Bitterroot is continuing to give up some great dry fly fishing. Salmon flies have come and gone but there are plenty of bugs emerging to keep the fish happy… Golden Stones in different sizes are coming off as well as Green Drakes, Gray Drakes, PMD’s and Caddis… Water levels are dropping fast making wading and floating much easier. June is a time of abundant hatches so get out and enjoy it…… See ya on the river!

High Water!

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The runoff has kicked off early after a week of unseasonably warm weather at the end of April. Not a lot of fishing/floating opportunities on the Bitterroot in May… If you must fish try to find the slower runs, inside riffles and side channels to pick up some fish.. Dredging the bottom with large stone fly nymphs, bead heads, and streamers will be the most effective tactic… There are still plenty of hatches during high water but not may fish coming to the surface. There are various may flies and good numbers of Mothers Day Caddis on the water… I am focusing my attention to the tail waters primarily the Missouri. The Mo’ is dam controlled and a great option during runoff…. Fishing is excellent there in May…. The Bitterroot should begin to shape up in early June with the arrival of the Salmon fly hatch…..

August

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Fishing has held up on the Bitterroot even with lower water conditions.. We got a big reprieve from mother nature and the last two weeks of July were cooler and wetter than average.River flows even bumped up a bit.. Cold water releases from Painted Rocks dam continue and have been increased in the last few days. These cold water releases will keep the West Fork and upper Bitterroot ( above Hamilton) in good shape through August and early September. Hoot Owl* restrictions remain in place on the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, and Clark Fork and probably will until September. The West Fork has no fishing restrictions. Hatches are a bit limited with a few pmd’s in the morning hours and trico’s are starting to show a bit early.. Terrestrials are the main food source for trout right now with hoppers, ants, and spruce moths being the main ones. Remember to go barbless , play fish quickly and keep the fish in the water while releasing (skip the photos for now), this will reduce stress on the trout and help preserve our resource. See ya on the river….

*Hoot Owl restrictions limit fishing between sunrise and 2pm to reduce stress on fish when waters are warmest.

Salmon flies!

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The Salmon fly hatch has been underway since the 1st of June and the big bugs are providing some great dry fly action. The hatch is a few weeks early this year due to the warmer than average spring and lower water levels. The hatch has moved up the Bitterroot and good numbers of salmon flies are out on the East and West forks. A few Goldens and Green drakes are beginning to show but most fish are still focused on the big bugs. While water levels are lower than normal the river is still high and fast. Please use caution while floating or wading. See ya on the river……….