Positive Vibrations: Missoula Fishing Report

Not to sound like a broken record, but once again a big rain saved our tails and we are looking for smooth sailing through August. Water flows hit the above average mark on the Bitterroot after the rain, and temps are within the safe zone. Put your bare foot in the Blackfoot at 2:00, and you’ll wonder why you’re being asked to stop fishing. Our daytime highs for the week are projected in the 90’s, but the overnight lows are downright chilly, with 40 degree swings predicted. Translation: good for water temps! The warm afternoons will get the hoppers clicking. Take a stroll down some of the banks on the lower Clark Fork and you’ll find swarms of small hoppers. Translation: it’s going to be an epic late August and early September for hoppers!

Clark Fork River Fishing Report:

Cloudy days have been outstanding on dries, twitched and dead-drifted, and the sunny days have found us digging around for the right dropper — and the right one has been magic in the waist-deep riffles. Some Tricos starting to show on the beats close to town, but the spinner falls have been thin so far.

Bitterroot River Fishing Report:

The lower reaches have begun to amass decent Trico action, and the upper stretches are still fishing well with small hoppers, ants, beetles and droppers. The middle section remains at the mercy of the irrigators. Be kind, boys. Great time of year to pick a few big leggy bugs and let em run down the middle of the river–the beasts appear after the longest drifts…just when you’re ready to pick up to recast.

Blackfoot River Fishing Report:

Spruce moths were epic for a week or so, but they’ve waned big time, and the topwater action seems to be concentrated between 11-2. The right dropper up here can make the difference between a good day and a stellar day. This is the time of year your guide will clip your rig off before letting you in another guide’s boat after lunch!