Montana Fishing Report: Kootenai River

Expect no major changes on the Kootenai for the immediate future.  It’s mid-season and the fish have settled into conditions nicely.  Discharge from Libby Dam is still 7000 cfs and water temp below the dam is 56 degrees.  Look for pmd spinner falls in the mornings, caddis hatching in the riffles during the day, and caddis swarms and pmd hatches in the evening.  If you can hang in there until just before dark you might see the river explode with rising fish.  Caddis ovipositing eggs are really stimulating activity and what with full moon phase conditions are ripe for action at dark:30.  Hoppers and droppers are producing fish throughout the day.  Don’t oversize the dropper.  Stick with size 14 and 16 pheasant tail, copper johns and prince  nymphs and even caddis emergers.  Flights of flying ants are also beginning to show up sproadically.  Some are big and some are very small.  But they’re out there and the fish love them.  Don’t forget about the standbys this time of year either…when in doubt, try a size 14 parachute adams.