Discharge from Libby Dam is 7000cfs and water temperature in the stilling basin is presently 60 degrees.   All things considered the Kootenai is in good shape and fishing pretty well.  It’s the height of summer here and with hot, bright, sunny weather, bug activity is concentrated in the early mornings and late evenings.  Pmd’s are still popping just before dark and caddis swarms are thick as the sun goes down as well.  Throughout the day hoppers and droppers will keep things interesting but big fish are a bit more difficult to find during the heat of the day.  Nymphing through fast, deep runs and rapids will bring nicer fish and if you have the inclination, jerking streamers might well thrum up a dandy.

As other options, alpine lakes are in perfect shape.  Consider hiking into the backcountry with your float tube and picking off rising cutthroats with ants or small attractors.  It’s also cooler up there!

Clark Fork flows are currently around 5700 cfs and still above average for this time of year.  Conditions this season are the best we’ve seen in long while.  Water temps are still nice and cool and there’s plenty of it covering the riffles and runs.

Fish are still eating big bugs and hoppers and droppers are a great all around rig.  With any cloud cover at all pmd hatches will be good.  Otherwise, with high sun, look for caddis and pmds mostly in the evenings.  Keep in mind the fish are seeing lots of both species this time of year.  Pmd and caddis cripples and emergers are good bets as droppers especially if you see rising fish. 

With good water volume fish are still holding in riffles and are active throughout most of the day.  And as always, the “hour of power” is there to be had for the hearty just before dark.

Dishcharge from Libby Dam is 7000 cfs and will remain there through September offering great wading opportunities on the river this season.   Conditions on the Kootenai have settled into the standard summer routine with pmds and caddis headlining hatches.  All in all the Kootena is fishing pretty well.

Caddis have been active and popping out of faster water throughout most of the day.  Pmds are late, what with bright sun but look for that “hour of power” just before dark when both species start returning to the riffles to lay eggs and die.  Just what we love!!!  Also, look for pmd spinner falls around 9:00 am as well.

Hoppers and droppers are bringing some nicer fish and nymphing in faster water and through the rapids will produce.  Get those nymphs down.  Keep in mind the Kootenai is a big river even when flows are in the lower range.  You have to penetrate the first two feet of the current in order to really be effective.  Tungsten bead heads are best best.

Lime green midge are starting to show up on the upper river and there have been some noses poking through the already gin clear water looking for the tiny stuff.  6X and long casts will help if you feel like testing your skills.

Flows are dropping steadily and are now approximately 8500cfs.  The entire river is verrry fishable and hatches of caddis and pmds are starting to increase.  Big bugs with droppers are still producing fish and for the most part the fish are really starting to look up.  Look for increased hatches in the coming days and definitely target rising fish.  Generally speaking the fish that are rising are very willing.  Fish droppers with at least three feet from the dry as flows are still a bit high and it’s necessary to get the dropper down in the zone.

Discharge from Libby Dam has decreased further and will arrive at approximately 7000cfs by Friday, July 10.  Hatches of pmds and caddis are pretty good in the lower river but spotty above Libby particularly if day is hot and sunny. 

Hot patters include parachute adams, Barr’s pmd emerger, Quigley pmd cripples, and Rosenbauer’s rabbit’s foot pmd.  Goddard caddis are moving fish in faster water and generally speaking it seems fish are concentrated in swifter currents.  Look for bigger fish in really deep runs, like twenty feet, and try sink tips and deep water nyphming if you’re really looking to bang a big one.

The Koot is really starting to turn on and hatches will be increasing and the dry fly action will be picking up significantly in the coming days.

Choosing a guide or outfitter for your fly fishing trip in Montana can be daunting to say the least.  After all, there are literally thousands of professional fly fishing guides in the state each claiming to offer something different.  So how best to choose the right guide for you?  Below you’ll find a few helpful hints on the subject.

When choosing a fly fishing guide for your trip the first order of business you might want to consider is location.  Where exactly do you want to fish in the state?  Kootenai River in the northwest corner?  Missoula area?  Perhaps the Yellowstone country would suit your needs.  By starting with a general location, you can narrow down your choices considerably since each location will have professional guides that specialize in their home area.  

Keep in mind Montana is a big state and offers some of the greatest fly fishing opportunities on the planet.  Don’t try to bite off more than you can choose.  Each year I get a call from an enthusiastic angler hoping to fish every river in Montana in two weeks.  Indeed that would be fun.  But unfortunately you’ll spend most of your time driving and not on the water.  And you’re likely to go home from your “vacation” completely exhausted and not refreshed and relaxed which is the preferred end result for the trip in the first place.

Websites now provide all the necessary tools you need to find the right guide for you.  But I’d suggest you always call and have a conversation or two with whomever you might be considering hiring.  It’s important to get a sense of who someone is by hearing their voice instead of just knowing how well they type e-mail.  By having a conversation you can more effeciently decide what guide is best for you.

It’s also a good idea to be very straightforward about what you hope to accomplish from your guided day of fly fishing.  If you’re after lots of instruction, make sure you mention that.  Be honest about your abilities up front.  If you you’re looking for native trout, mention your desire for that particular goal.  Each guide will offer something different and may or may not have what you’re looking for.

By doing choosing your location ahead of time and by having a few conversations about what you hope to accomplish for the day, you’ll have an easier time picking the right guide for you.