Summer Solstice Fishing Report

Bitterroot Fishing Report:

The lower river has fish rising to PMDs and yellow sallies throughout the morning. Bigger goldens are good searching flies for large, once-a-year fish as the day goes on. Cloudy days mean search the mid-river slots for the lurkers. Up top, look for stonefly hatches with more density — Bitterroot stones and goldens, the former much tougher to match than it seems at first glance. Natural fibers? Great place to throw a single dry fly all day long!

Clark Fork River Fishing Report:

This river is fishing well from Rock Creek to Saint Regis. PMDs, golden stones, caddis — you name it. The angler willing to experiment with water-type will find the most fish. Hint: They aren’t where they usually are on June 25th. Pattern-wise, too. Don’t stick to the old standbys–he who switches most wins. The evening caddis blitz has lived up to its name on hot nights. Some riffle corners will remind you of feedings at the hatchery — lots of huge mouths coming to the surface at once. We’ve seen some hoppers already on the banks, and the river near town has been giving up some beasts.

Blackfoot River Fishing Report:

Are you serious? Yes. We’ve seen some hoppers on the banks. Up here too. The goldens are waning as are the salmonflies, but there’ll still be time to throw big bugs down the trenches. For now, look to small attractors as these fish peel off the large hooked nuisances for a week or so. Someone around here has a license plate that says “Twitch-it,” and we always make fun of him, but doggone it, he’s right!