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Missoula's only Video and Detailed River Report for:
5/21/2013
If Video does not start in 5 Seconds, please press the play button below |
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River Name |
Current Fishing Conditions |
Current Hatches |
Current Hot Patterns |
| Blackfoot |
There are a few of us that think the Blackfoot has actually peaked for the year. It ran up to 10,000 but is back down under 5k cfs in a week. It could jump back up again perhaps if it rains hard up high but that is unlikely given the snow that is visible. We might have another one of those exceptional salmon fly years on the Foot. It will be a week or two before you can expect the big bugs there but the fishing could be good as early as this weeks end. If you are headed up the Foot this weekend your best bet is swinging a bunny and bead (or the worm)combination low and slow in the deep chop and along the banks. Olive is always a good bet but yellow, tan, white, and natural are good choices for the bunnies especially with the river on the rise. Keep in mind the fish will be on turned on to black with all the salmon fly nymphs rolling around: so in addition to black buggers you might fish the sanjuan worm behind a brown rubber leg, or double bead stone under an indicator. |
Salmon flies and green drakes are close, caddis in the evening. |
>Dries: bullet salmon fly #6, parachute skwalas #8, purple haze #16, Noble chernobyl in orange or red, green drake para.
>Nymphs: Sanjuan worm red and pink, prince in sizes 10-8, double beadstones in black or natural, and Pats rubber legs #8
>Streamers: black buggers, JJ's,double bunnies, and time for the giant duel hooked streamers: my personal favorite! |
| Bitterroot |
The Bitterroot jumped up to 6,500cfs in Darby (big water!) and up to 12,000cfs at Bell but dropped down to very fishable levels now 2,300 and 4,000 cfs respectively. It is clearing daily and expect to see salmon flies above Hamilton any day. Always be dropping a silver bead pink worm, copper john, or red san juan down about 2feet under the dry salmon fly until fish eat the top then fish dfo so you can stuff it tight to the salad. Don't notice any adults salmon flies or shucks along the banks? Double down with stones and san juans under an indicator in the backwater eddies and foam pools. |
Salmon flies any day up high on the river, with green drakes not far behind. Caddis out now in the evening. |
>Dries: Bullet head salmon flies(rouge, nobles, and godzilla) in #4-#8, #14 brown caddis, parachute green drake.
>Nymphs: Sanjuan worm red, purple and pink, prince in sizes 10-8, double beadstones, and Pats rubber legs #8.
>Streamers: Olive or black bugger on the upper river and lighter colored streamers down low. |
| Clark Fork |
The Clark Fork above Missoula at Turah topped out under 3000cfs and 34,000 at St Regis but is dropping quickly now running 1,800 at Turah and 17,500 down low. We think this might be it for high water on the Clark and you will agree after a drive up river above Rock Creek. It is scary low on up near Deer Lodge. As for hatches you'll see a few lingering skwalas,and caddis on the river about Drummond. Expect salmon flies between Beavertail and Clinton. Big grey drakes and caddis are out on the lower river but if you are not seeing fish up work the double nymph rigs in back eddies and along undercut banks, only about 5' deep under the bobber. Don't forget high water is your best chance to catch the fish of the year out of the Clark on a streamer.
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Caddis and grey drakes on lower, way up above Drummond Skwala stones, March browns, and caddis |
>Dries: Bullet head salmon flies(rouge, nobles, and godzilla) in #4-#8, #14 brown caddis, parachute green drake.
>Nymphs: Sanjuan worm red, purple and pink, prince in sizes 10-8, double beadstones, and Pats rubber legs #8.
>Streamers: black buggers, JJ's,double bunnies. |
| Rock Creek |
Rock Creek cranked up to 2,500 last week but settled quickly to 1,200 which is actually below the norm for this week historically. Folks have been catching fish nymphing san juans behind a weighted bugger or rubberleg and the streamer fishing is a good option swinging them off the banks. Dry fly fishing with salmon flies should just be kicking in as the water levels off (likely this weekend.) It appears this will be a great year for float fishing with dries if we have actually seen the highest flows for the season. Look around on the web for a picture of the largest brown we have ever heard of coming out of the Rock - in fact one of the best out of any freestone stream - 29inch giant...very cool! |
Salmon flies and green drakes are close, caddis in the evening. |
>Dries: bullet salmon fly #6, parachute skwalas #8, purple haze #16, Noble chernobyl in orange or red, green drake para.
>Nymphs: Sanjuan worm red and pink, prince in sizes 10-8, double beadstones in black or natural, and Pats rubber legs #8
>Streamers: black buggers, JJ's,double bunnies |
| Georgetown Lake |
Georgetown will be fishing great by this weekend with the warm weather we have had. Be sure and check your regulations so you do fish the closed sections of the lake before it opens entirely on July 1st. Expect to still see fish cruising the banks and try to intercept them with small buggers and leaches or fish scuds, zebra midges, and egg patterns under an indicator. |
midges,leeches,scuds. |
>Dries: midges in #20 or large attractors as indicators, #14 brown caddis.
>Nymphs: small , egg patternsSanjuan worm red, purple and pink, tan or olive scuds.
>Streamers: black or olive buggers, JJ's,blood or olive/brown leach. |
| Alternate Rivers and Information |
| Big Hole and the Missouri are good options for this time of year and we have seen plenty of big fish out of both in the past week. Call us at the Missoula shop for the latest info on them. Questions about an upcoming trip or fishing in Western Montana? Call us at our new fly shop in Missoula at 406-542-7411 (open 9 - 6 M - Sat., Sundays 10 - 2) Our Philipsburg shop - Flint Creek Outdoors - is open 9-5 Saturday-Tuesday if you are on your way to upper Rock stop by and see us-406.859.9500.
Good fishing -
John, Terri, Matthew, and Kynslee |
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