Missoula Fly Fishing Report – March 22, 2020.

It’s no secret that the fishing has been great all week. Everyone is getting out and enjoying the nice weather and with a lot of other activities being restricted fishing seems to be the most popular option right now. Have fun out there just don’t expect to have the water all to yourself.

Bitterroot River – The weather has been warm all week and water temps are rising. Skwala and March Brown patterns are both working quite well. Fish have moved up along the banks and into the classic Skwala water. Dry fly fishing is here to stay for awhile!

Clark Fork River – The water has cleared up on the Clark Fork and the fishing has picked up. The fish are starting to spread out and with the water temps rising we should start to see the fish looking up.

Blackfoot River – If you like to nymph and don’t want to wait in line for a run on the Bitterroot the Blackfoot can produce some great fishing right now. Plan on fishing subsurface patterns; worms, rubberlegs, and streamers are great options to start with. The fish will still be holding in overwinter water so when you find one expect more to come.

Rock Creek – More access points are starting to open up and the spring fishing is very underrated on Rock Creek. Find a nice deep run and work it thoroughly. If you get the right depth you can get into a lot of fish.

Top Patterns – #10 Skwala, #14/#16 Parachute Adams, #10 Pat’s Rubblerlegs

Looking Ahead – The weather looks to be good for the upcoming week and there will likely be a lot of people out there getting their social distancing on. Have fun and enjoy those bent rods!