Bigfork Montana Fly Fishing Report

Nice fish make you want to hug…

General Outlook – A few days of cooler weather with some rain has really recharged our rivers. Water temps have cooled and it feels like the dog days are behind us…let’s hope. It won’t be long and night time temps will start to drop, cooling off the rivers and lifting the hoot owl restrictions. I swear I saw a hecuba yesterday but it vanished….maybe my mind playing tricks on me. The Hecuba is the real indicator that summer is on it’s way out…soon

Flathead River Report: The Flathead has really been treating us well. The dry fly bite is a little tougher for beginners but the droppers have been racking up good numbers if the dry fly drift can’t be achieved. The guides have been buying smaller patterns and lighter tippet, a clear indicator that the fish are getting a bit smarter out there. Mixed numbers coming in from our trips but all report plenty of opportunity.
Bugs / Fly Patterns:  Caddis,  terrestrails / hoppers, Ants, beetles, small mayfly cripples, purple haze, parachute mayflies, para caddis, elk hares, small foam variations, princes / c-johns  / attractor nymphs.

Swan River Report:  More of the same. The dry fly bite is still weak unless you like catching twinks. The weather has been a little weird so maybe it will improve in the next couple days. Maybe a couple good eats from proper trout if you are lucky. Evening is best for top water. Hoppers and umber moths are fluttering around. Stonefly droppers will get some nice fish. If you wan’t to bobber fish use a dry fly, it’s super low and some of them are out in the shallow flats. No word of flying ants on the lower yet but maybe….go check.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Terrestrials, umber moths/Hoppers, Willies, fuzzies, chubbies, rogues, stimis, J-Slams, rubber legs, prince nymphs, SJWs, rubber legs, 20 inchers, small double bead stones

Blackfoot River Report: Mixed reports but some days are producing decent dry fly fishing. Cooler water temps are helping. Lot’s of traffic up there since it’s the only river in Missoula you can fish after 2pm. Tung droppers in the green troughs afternoon.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Spruce moths, terrestrails/ Hoppers, ants, spruce moths, P-chute Haze, Para caddis, J-slams, Willies, fuzzies, chubbies, rogues, foam whatevers, Streamers in the early am, stonefly nymphs, SJW, tunghead attractor nymphs in the 12-16 range, psycho princes, halo princes, c-johns

Lower Clark Fork River Report: Good dry fly reports in the clouds a couple days ago. Fish are eating the hoppers decent and things should get better if we don’t get any more scorching weather. We are waiting for the restrictions to lift so we can start hitting it again. Not to many folks want to wake up at 4am to go fishing on their Glacier Park vacation. If you go, go early and throw some hoppers. You should get a few hours of good fishing in before the sun scares them away.
Bugs / Fly Patterns:  Terrestrails / Hoppers, ants, Para caddis, Mayfly cripples big and small, Willies, fuzzies, chubbies, rogues, J-Slams, foam whatevers, Urchin buggers, Pats Rubbers, Double Beads, SJW, Tung 20 inchers, p-tails,  princes / attractor nymphs