Fishing Outlook & Conditions
Temp:
36°
Water Temp:
33
Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week
Long drifts close to structure are the name of the game when fishing Skwala imitations. We are talking about inches making the difference between a hungry fish crushing your foam bug or not. Cutting off the dropper and committing to the dry fly will certainly reward you with more dry fly eats, and potentially your best fish of the year. Tuck it in tight and don’t forget to twitch it! *See our 7 Day Outlook for updates on blockages jamming up the Bitterroot.
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Water Flow Data
Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby
Blackfoot River OutfittersBlue Damsel Lodge
Montana Hunting and Fishing Adventures
Triple Creek Ranch
5-Day Outlook as of 3/15/24
Fishing forecast looks great! Get out there and plan to maximize the afternoon hours. If you are floating please use extreme caution. This river changes rapidly and is known for producing fatal log jams. Give us a call for an updated obstruction report. If you see any issues be sure to call us or send pics so we can share the same. Thanks. *There are currently MANY obstructions on the Bitterroot. Hannon-Wally: Several sweepers in this section. It is getting tougher as water drops. Wally-Anglers: flows over Sleeping Child dam are always dicey! Don’t consider running after a scout unless you are highly skilled. The channel around the left side is too low to consider. New Bridge-Woodside: More wood down between New Bridge and Blodgett Park. The river right channel will require careful scouting and likely boat dragging. The left channel was open this past week. Woodside-Tucker: the left channel at the split is open but be sure to choose your splits wisely, and the right channel over the diversion dam may need to be portaged. Have a look before you run it. Tucker-Bell: Now runable with lower flows Bell-Stevi: Follow the sign that says “GO LEFT” to miss the log jam. A new log is exposed in the “clear” channel so proceed with caution.
Techniques & Tips as of 3/15/24
Skwalas are… here! Spring fishing on the Bitterroot is a great time to fish various techniques all in the same day. If you are on the water early, start your day with streamers stripped slowly or dead drifted, or try a nymph rig in the deep slow stuff. As the day warms and you shed your first layer it’s time to give the dry-dropper rig a shot. A foam skwala imitation with a light to moderately weighted nymph will allow you to prospect likely water and maximize chances of an eat. Once fish start rising to your dry, cut the dropper and fish a single or double dry fly rig. This can also be a good time to try March Brown imitations if you are seeing them.
Local Species Available Year round; some tributaries closed December 1-third week of May. Check regulations before fishing.
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Trout - rainbows
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browns and cutties - whitefish
Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Fly Patterns
"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
Name: | Colors: | Size(s): |
---|---|---|
Bead Head Prince | N/A | #8-12 |
Tunghead Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail | N/A | #12-14 |
Vernille San Juan Worm | N/A | #8-10 |
Bead Head Rubber-Legged Orvis CJ | N/A | #8-10 |
TJ Hooker | N/A | #08-12 |
Sparkle Minnow | N/A | #04-08 |
TH 20 Incher | N/A | #8-12 |
Tungsten Jig Bugger | N/A | #06-10 |
Thin Mint | N/A | #06-10 |
Frenchie | N/A | #14-18 |
Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Gear
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Best Leader:
Super Strong Plus Leaders
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Best Tippet:
SuperStrong Plus Tippet in 30- and 100-meter spools
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Best Fly Fishing Rod:
5-Weight 9' Fly Rod
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Best Floating Fly Line:
WF Trout Fly Line
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Best Sinking Fly Line:
Bank Shot Sink Tip Fly Line