October: When the Leaves Fall and the Fish Rise

As the days grow shorter and the light gets lower, the big fish get on the move. It’s our favorite time to be on the river–solitude, cool weather, and the chance at the fish of a lifetime. The Clark Fork, Blackfoot and Bitterroot have all held strong in the past week or so, producing big fish on nearly every trip. On the sunny days, it’s time to break out your A-game if you want to take fish on dry flies; cloudy days, on the other hand, have been big-time net-fillers. It’s also not a bad time of year to park yourself near a river mouth (ie Rock Creek) and sling some shoulder-straining streamers all day. As our friend says, even on a slow day, you’re only a cast away from greatness!

Blackfoot River Fishing Report:

Great days to be had up here even with shorter windows of warm weather. Streamers, caddis, and tiny tiny nymphs have bent the rod on the Blackfoot in the past week with very large trout. Keep a couple of rods rigged and throw the big junk through the deep holes adjacent to the tributaries….the browns are waiting to hate on your streamer!

Bitterroot River Fishing Report:

On the sunny days the risers we’ve seen up here have been few and far between, but they have been more than willing to eat a caddis or mahogany. Streamer fishing has produced some dandy fish as well, and don’t think you need to go huge up here to take big fish. A small olive bugger will work wonders.

Clark Fork River Fishing Report:

Mostly a sedge game right now on top, but small Royal Wulffs and H and L Variants have produced as blind offerings as well. Underneath anything resembling an October Caddis case/pupa has been a good bet, as well as something small to trail.

We’re counting on another burst of mayflies down here, and will know in the next couple of days (if the weather-guesser is right) if the dark days produce the feeding frenzy we expect.