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2008 Western Montana Fly Fishing Reports written by the guides of A Classic Journey Outfitters
April 28, 2008 - Missoula Local Waters ReportHere comes the Missouri! We are just
wrapping up the Missoula Spring game as the warm temps will begin to
push snowmelt. Maybe a week left in Missoula? We generally
move our May trips over to the Missouri. Weeds
are low, traffic is slow, rainbows are on the post spawn feed and the
Dearborn opens up May 16th. It's "Whack 'Em" kind of month on the Mo'.
Bitterroot - The full
complement of hatches is going - Skwalas, Mach Browns, Olives,
and Mother's Day Caddis. Probably
won't last much longer. We still have some snow to get through.
Clark Fork - Lower river is the same short
term gig as Bitterroot, but the upper River above the Little Blackfoot
is a very cool option as the bigger water moves in to let us get boats
down. It's a different kind of streamer game, but you can find
some slammers with a bugger.
Rock Creek - This one
clears the fastest and
generally is ready to go by late May. Salmonfly watch is close
upon us.
Blackfoot - See you in June.
Water temps looked great yesterday. Maybe an incredible day of
streamer fishing right before she blows out?
Missouri - Come fish me with
your dries, nymphs, and streamers. Lean on a 18 lightning bug
and wait for the critters to start chasing daytime Mother's Day caddis. May
is great month out here.
April 7, 2008 - Missoula Local Waters ReportThe Montana fly fishing season started off
colder than we had seen for quite a while. Skwalas still
came on schedule and on the warmer days they ate it good to excellent.
We did go out on a few of the colder -ice in the guides- days
and although we did well nymphing the dry fly bit
was hesitant under about 40 degree air temp. Currently warm weather
has been the norm and our water is in good shape and fish have been
looking up hard. Look
for that to hold until late this month, and then we have a bunch
of snow to work through. It looks as if the Missouri is going
to refrain from run-off, so May should be a slammer
month of fishing with the rainbows coming back in a post spawn feeding
mood. So
lots of options again this spring, but fairly soon the Missouri and
upper drainage games will be the bailout as the lower snow goes.
Bitterroot - Skwalas, Blue
Wings, March Browns have been getting them up and cloudy warm days
have been exceptional. A
single dry and let 'er rip. Overall fishing is an A+
Clark Fork - They breached
the dam which threw some sediment early, but the last week it has been
pretty good. The
water is off color, but they are still eating it. Maybe a little
more sun sensitive than usual, but not bad. Skwalas, Blue Wings,
March Browns. Upper River has been good to excellent. Grade:
B+
Rock Creek - Top to Bottom
fishing great. Afternoons has been about dry flies and the morning
nymphing has been excellent. Grade: A.
Blackfoot - Cold. Maybe
a sneaky game for the slow moving slop rig? Grade: C???
Missouri - Midge, Bugger,
Worm, Lightning Bug, Sing with me now - Midge, Bugger, Worm,
Lightning Bug. Grade: B+
when the wind is down.
March 18, 2008Skwalas are in and the
eat on top for 2008 has begun. The traditional spots of the Mid Bitterroot and Lower
Clark Fork are the centers and the hatch will grow outward from there
until mid April when the whole system will be lit. More so than
any other hatch is the ability to plan your boat timing in your drift
and what section you will concentrate on. That morning decision
will be the difference between a few fish and an onslaught of dry fly
eats. Watch your USGS flows like a hawk and try to get settled
into mid drift/off water timing when you plan your day.
Bitterroot - The next 30
days will be the most consistent with the large ammount of snow we
have. As usual
the bugs started over the spring channels first
with the slammer browns finding them immediately. The
whole river will be a viable option for Skwalas.
Blackfoot - Cold. Maybe a slowmoving
slop rig in 3 weeks.
Rock Creek - Upper River is nymphing great
with some decent cutthroats up on Midges in the afternoon. I
really do love the upper creek this time of year for the afternoon
wade trip. Tough to beat that waking for the Spring beauty of
the Creek.
Clark Fork - St. Regis, Superior, have
been producing sporadically early. But by March 25th it
will be bug soup, with a great early push of chunky #16 Olives and
sporadic Grey Drakes.
Missouri - Midge, Bugger, Ray Charles. Repeat
Midge, Bugger, Ray Charles. Repeat ..... Not fishing bad,
but tough to give up the Missoula dry fly gig right now.
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Five Great Reasons to try Montana Fly Fishing with Classic Journey Outfitters:
Missoula is the world's
best rising fishing complex. No where else can you push a dry fly with
utter confidence starting in March and never have to go beneath the
surface again until November.
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