Bigfork Montana Fly Fishing - River Report

Jon “Chief” Norris with a toad biscuit.

General Outlook: Fall bugs are out, the weather is cool, and the fish are looking up. A little breezy with a side of smoke the last few days…especially south of the Valley. Just got done with a 4 rivers – 4 days tour. Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Flathead, Bitterroot. Some days were easier than others but plenty of nice fish were caught. Hoppers, hecubas, tricos, fall caddis, and flying ants are all out and should be in your box. Or not, a chubby-rubby can role all day and catch fish just about everywhere.

Blackfoot River Report: Still fishing well with all disciplines. Dry dropper rigs will probably get a bit more action than straight single dry but the DFO types will have enough action to be entertained. Streamers should work well now that we are seeing cooler nights and some clouds. Nymphs will always work but no need really.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Hecubas, terrestrials, oct caddis, tricos / brindle chutes, Small Chubbies and willies, Fuzzie wuzzies, Hot leg hoppers, White Clouds, Pink Morrish Hoppers, Rainy’s ants, Hippie stompers, purple Franks, Rogue goldens, Smaller foam variations, hecuba para-cripple, Purple haze, Turds, Halo Prince, Da Worm, batmans, red c-johns, psycho prince, small hairs ear Double beads

Lower Clark Fork River Report: Still fishing well with hopper dropper rigs. You can trim the dropper in the afternoon and remember to give it a twitch(not drag) in the slower water. Mohoganies, and hecubas should be around in fishable numbers. We haven’t seen the mohos yet but the big hecuba crip is working.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: hecubas, terrestrials, tricos, sulfers / peach white clouds, pink morish, Small Chubbies and willies, Fuzzies, Hippie stompers, Franks, Rogue goldens, Smaller foam variations, Para haze, Quigs, Para caddis, C-duns, Turds, Halo Prince, Da worm

Flathead River Report: The Flathead has perked up a bit with the reduced traffic and cooler weather. Fish are still eating hoppers but smaller flying ants, and mayfly patterns are working better some days. we’ve had some wind so the next calm warm day should produce a good bite on the bigger foam bugs. Fall caddis are fluttering around as well as a few hecubas.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: terrestrials, hecubas, fall caddis / Hecuba cripples, purple haze, quigly sparkle ants in cinnoman and black, Idyles hair body carpenter ants, #8 orange elk hair caddis, orange pmx, Small Chubbies and willies, Fuzzie wuzzies, Hot leg hoppers, White Clouds, Pink Morrish Hoppers, Rainy’s ants, Hippie stompers, Franks, October caddis patterns, Para haze, Quigs, Turds, Halo Prince, MT prince, psycho prince, batman nymphs, red c-johns, Da Worm

Swan River Report: The lower upper is getting the flying ants and some fish can be found rising on calm afternoons. The big dry is still inconsistent with the dropper getting more attention. Per usual the tandem bobber rigs find bigger fish…lame! The upper river is pinner and very difficult to navigate above 10-1…if you go up high you might want to bring some wheels for your boat.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: hecubas, flying ants, October caddis/ Quigly’s flying sparkle ants in black and cinnamon, Idyles hair body carpenter ants, hecuba cripples, Larhge orange elk hairs, orange pmx, Small Chubbies and willies, Fuzzie wuzzies, Hot leg hoppers, White Clouds, Pink Morrish Hoppers, Rainy’s ants, Hippie stompers, Franks, Smaller foam variations, Turds, Prince nymphs, streamers

Find more about Weather in Bigfork, MT