Looks like it’s going to be an awesome weekend here on the Kootenai!! Beautiful weather, great river conditions, and eager trout! What more could you ask for? Discharge from Libby Dam is 12,000 cfs today and will decrease to 11,000 cfs at midnight tonight.  Fish are keyed in to hoppers and ants- big bugs and tiny bugs!

Sue U. with a nice Kootenai River rainbow!

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Sunshine and temps in the 70′s today. Discharge from Libby Dam is 12,000 cfs and will remain there until midnight Friday. Flows will drop 1,000 cfs a night until we reach 8,000cfs where they will remain through September.  We will have great water for fall fishing!!  Pmd spinners, caddis, ants, pmd’s and hoppers all in the mix right now. We’ve also had guests up at Hawkins Lake for some great float tubing for cutties- fun!!

Sean and Travis packed up for a lake adventure with guests.

A weak front is pushing through the area quickly and daytime temps will be much cooler today with highs in the 70′s.  Expect partly sunny skies and some wind this afternoon as the front passes.  Yesterday fish were a bit tighter and not looking up as much.  All guides reported a slower day but all in all the Kootenai still fished pretty well.  Pmd spinners are still active in the morning and adults are still hatching in certain areas in the evening.  Caddis are still in play and ants and hoppers are consistenly moving fish.  Don’t be afraid to run a #14 royal wulff or parachute adams with a #18 ant pattern as a dropper. 

Peter M. with a thick Kootenai rainbow

Bright sunny skies (ants)  and warm temps today! Discharge from Libby Dam remains (ants, tiny ants)  steady at 12,000 cfs and the Kootenai River is (teeny tiny ants) in great shape. Pmd spinners still in certain runs in the morning and a smattering of pmds and caddis popping in the afternoons. Hoppers still happening as well, but did we mention ANTS?  Teeny, tiny ants? Size 22′s and 20′s. They have the fish excited and looking up. A size 18 parachute royal wulff will work. Give it a try.

ANTS!!

Sunshine and warm weather continues! Discharge from Libby Dam remains steady at 12,000 cfs. Another tremendous day on the Kootenai! PMD spinners in the morning, caddis popping throughout the day, pmds in the afternoon, and hoppers and ants too! Come on out and fish.

Darwin A. enjoying his day on the Kootenai!

It’s a beautiful day here once again! Sunny skies and temps in the high 70′s. Discharge from Libby Dam is holding steady at 12,000 cfs and water temp below the dam is 56 degrees. Perfect for trout!! PMD spinners still happening in the morning and solid pmd hatches are happening in the afternoon. Caddis are popping later in the day and fish are definitely on hoppers. Good time to be here.

Bill and Carol enjoying a day on the Kootenai!

Another beautiful day in paradise here in Kootenai River country! 29 degrees this morning in Yaak and the high today will be in the low 80′s!  Discharge from Libby Dam is 12,000 cfs and will remain there for the next 6 days. The entire river is fishing well. Expect to see more hopper activity with the warm sunny days. We love this time of year!!

Tim with happy fisherman Bill F.

There’s been a little change in the weather today. Showers this morning and clearing now, but high temps will only reach the mid- 60′s today! The fish may or may not be looking up like they have been for the last few days. Try a parachute adams or caddis patterns. If the fish are not on top, get out the bobbers and go deep! Discharge at Libby Dam remains steady at 14,000 cfs.

Dave L. with a nice Kootenai River cuttie!

Expect another lovely day here in Kootenai Country with daytime highs in the low 80′s and plenty of sunshine.  Discharge from Libby Dam is 14,000cfs and holding steady.  Dry fly fishing is still consistent with solid action on size 14 parachute Adams and size 16 Goddard caddis droppers throughout the morning.  Pmd spinners are still hanging around especially up near the dam and the fish are on them.  Hopper action is gaining traction and moving nicer fish in the afternoons.  Stick with more natural patterns through flat runs.  Try foam through faster water, boulder gardens, and big chop and make them move.  Skitch it,  then let it hunt for about ten feet.  Skitch it, let it hunt

Hamilton TUer and angler extraordinaire Marshall Bloom with a chunky Kootenai rainbow

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It’s all still good here on the Kootenai River.  Discharge from Libby Dam is 14,000cfs and the river is in prime shape.  Thunderstorms and a cool front kind of had the the fish a bit funky yesterday but all guides reported decent action on dries just the same.  The front has passed and today expect mostly sunny and daytime highs in the low 80′s.  Pmd spinners are still hanging around in the mornings in certain areas and fish are eating well.  Size 16 parachute Adams will work fine and any cream colored mayfly pattern will do the trick too.  Ants are showing up and hoppers are moving fish consistently throughout the day.  Parachute patterns for now seem to be more steady but don’t be afraid to pitch some foam in the afternoons especially through faster water.  Kootenai Hellboy Hopper reigns supreme to that end.  And lest we forget streamers…

Billy McAfee with a donkey Kootenai bull trout