MISSOURI RIVER MONTANA FISHING REPORT 5-17-2013

Flows: 3900 cfs
Water Temperature: 45-48 degrees
Best Time Of Day: afternoons-evenings
Hatches: Baetis, March browns, midge, caddis
Patterns; zebra midge, lightening bug, caddis pupa, hare’s ear, pheasant tail, green goblin, parachute Adams, hackle stacker BWO, quill BWO, March brown emerger, purple haze, tan sparkle dun

Cloud cover and showers have resulted in epic hatches of Baetis and with lower flows the dry fly action is ramping up. March browns are waning but gulpers are opportunistic. Look for noses near the banks in about two feet of water and rising fish in slower currents during afternoon olive hatches. Dry/dropper rigs are the modes operandi. Nymphing is crazy good right now as fish move off spawning beds and into main channel to start bulking up. All in all the MO is on fire!

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Kootenai River Montana Fishing Report 5-15-2013

Flows: 25,600 cfs
Water Temperature: 40 degrees
Best Time Of Day: afternoons/evenings
Hatches: midge, March browns

The Kootenai is mighty big right now and not really worth the effort. This time of year is all about stillwater. Lakes and ponds are fishing really well and off an entirely different experience. Get out the float tubes and canoes and poke around. Loon Lake and Tom Poole outside Libby are fishing well. Wooly buggers will move fish and in the evenings dry fly fishing has been good as well. Vinal Lake and Hoskins in the Yaak are starting to warm up as well. Look for fish on top in the evenings.

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Missouri River Fishing Report 5-15-2013

Flows: 3800 cfs
Water Temperature: 45-46 degrees
Best Time Of Day: nymphing is solid all day and dry fly action is better in the evenings.
Hatches: midge, blue winged olives, March browns
Patterns: zebra midge, sow bugs, lightening bug, pheasant tail nymph, rainbow warrior, March brown emerger, parachute Adams, hare’s ear nymph

All systems go here on the Mo! Nymphing is great throughout the entire day and fish are moving off spawning beds and into pools and runs. Look for action in 4-5 feet of water with good current speed. Dry fly action is kind of spotty and depends on cloud cover and wind. Hatches of March browns will get fish looking up in the evenings and a good drift will get them. Wind may be diminishing over the next couple days and cloud cover may be increasing which might make for some epic dry fly fishing.

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Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 5-12-2013

Flows: 3800
Water Temperature: 46 degrees
Best Time Of Day: It’s pretty consistent fishing all day
Hatches: midge, blue winged olives, March browns
Patterns: zebra midge, lightening bugs, green machine, hare’s ear nymph, parachute Adams, March brown cripple, juju Baetis, bh quasi moto, rainbow warrior, bullet head skwala,

The might MO is fishing pretty well! Flows are very user friendly and there’s plenty of wading. Nymphing is very consistent and turning lots of fish. Run about six feet of tippet to the first fly and stick with faster water. Dry fly fishing has been pretty good but spotty and kind of depends on cloud cover. Look carefully for noses in the shade along banks and softer water. BWO’s and March browns are popping each day and fish are looking up. Expect cooler daytime temps and some serious wind over the next couple days. Upside, cloud cover.

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Kootenai River Montana Fishing Report 5-10-2013

FLOWS: 26,300
WATER TEMPERATURE: approximately 40 degrees
BEST TIME OF DAY: afternoons and evenings
HATCHES: midge, blue winged olives, March browns
PATTERNS: zebra midge, march brown emergers, bh pheasant tail nymphs, Pat’stonefly, parachute

The Kootenai is officially high as warmer temps have initiated substantial runoff. Sturgeon augmentation flows have also started so flows have increased to full power house capacity. What does this mean? It means it’s time to fish local lakes and ponds for at least the next couple weeks. Stillwater is always a great option this time of year so get out the float tubes, canoes, maps, and start poking around.

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Kootenai River Montana Fishing Report 4-29-2013

Flows: 8000cfs

Water temperatures: 38-42 degrees

Best time of day: afternoons-evenings

Hatches: midge, March browns, blue winged olives

Patterns: zebra midge, bh pheasant tail nymph, Pats stonefly nymph, green goblin, parachute Adams, purple haze, black stimulator, royal wulff

Flows have increased to 8000cfs and the river is still in good condition. Slightly higher flows might actually put fish off for a day but otherwise, could really send nymphing off the charts as more habitat becomes available. Expect partly sunny skies, breezy days and a warming trend through mid-week. Good conditions should remain for a whole longer until runoff increases significantly.

Spring in Kootenai River Montana coub

Kootenai River

Kootenai River Montana Fishing Report 4-26-2013

flows:  4000cfs

water temperatures:  40-45 degrees

best time of day:  12:00 pm-6:00 pm

hatches:  March browns, midge, blue winged olive

patterns:  Purple haze, March brown sparkle dun, parachute Adams, bh pheasant tail nymph, bh prince nymph, Pat’s stonefly nymph, zebra midge, olive emergers, Quigley cripples in brown and olive

The Kootenai is still in excellent shape.  Spring fishing conditions are fantastic and if haven’t been on the water lately, you should make a point of getting out there.  Expect partly sunny, breezy conditions through the weekend with daytime temps in the 60′s.  Nymphing is still consistent and moving some nicer fish in tailouts and boulder gardens.  Dry fly action has been spotty but if you see rising fish, they will eat a dry.  Otherwise, poke around and nymph in 3-5 feet of water and you’ll find plenty of fish.

March brown mayfly on Montana's Kootenai River

March brown mayfly

Bitterroot River Montana Fishing Report 4-24-2013

Flows:  1300 cfs in Missoula

Water temperatures:  42-47 degrees

Best time of day:  12:00 pm-6:00 pm

Hatches:  skwala stoneflies, March browns, gray drakes, blue winged olives

Patterns:  Pat’s stonefly, bh pheasant tail nymph, Parachute March brown, parachute Adams, purple haze, March brown emerger, gray drake emerger

 

Bitterroot conditions are still great and will continue through the weekend.  Nymphing will always carry the day and dry fly action has been solid in the afternoons.  Look for rising fish near the banks and in the wood and be ready to lose some gear.  If you’re not clipping brush you’re not close enough.  Spring conditions have never been better!

 

Blackfoot River!

Clark Fork River Montana Fishing Report 4-24-2013

Flows: approximately 3800 cfs near Missoula Water temperatures:  43-47 degrees.  Best time of day:  12:00 pm-5:00 pm

Hatches:  March browns, gray drakes, blue winged olives

Patterns:  purple haze, parachute Adams, gray drake emergers, Pat’stonefly, bh pheasant tail, skwala stonefly.

 

River conditions are great and it’s fishing well.  Expect mornings to be a bit slow and generally all about nymphing.  Afternoons offer fantastic dry fly action as soon as bugs start to hatch.  Weather is expected to remain stable through the end of the week so great fishing should continue as well.

 

Clark Fork River beauty!

Clark Fork River beauty!

 

Kootenai River Montana Fishing Report 4-18-2013

Linehan Outfitting Company Kootenai River rainbow trout

Kootenai River rainbow trout

Flows:. 4070 cfs

Water temperatures:  approximately 40 degrees

Hatches:  March browns, blue winged olives, midge

Best time of day:  12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Patterns:  zebra midge, Pat’stonefly, bh pheasant tail nymph, bh prince nymph, parachute Adams, purple haze, olive hackle stacker, black stimulator

The recent cold front kind of slowed things down for a few days but bugs and fish should become active agSan soon.  MIT appears another front is moving into the area but daytime temps will be warmer and in the 40-50 degree range.  Water clarity is good and the entire river is very fishable.  Dam to mouth of Fisher River is still closed.