Bigfork Montana Fly Fishing – River Report

Sunday Mostly Cloudy Hi 66 °F

Sunday Night Slight Chc Rain Lo 42 °F

Monday Chance Showers Hi 65 °F

Monday Night Slight Chc Showers Lo 40 °F

Tuesday      Sunny            Hi 67 °F

Tuesday Night Mostly Clear Lo 39 °F

Wednesday       Sunny             Hi 73 °F

General Outlook. Cooler weather with some wind has made the dry fly fishing a little challenging the last couple days on the Swan and Flathead. The wind will quit as this cold front leaves us and the sun should be out to warm things up the remainder of the week. It’s been pretty mellow out there now that the kids are back in school and the hunters are in the woods chasing elk.  The cottonwoods are starting to turn and the waders are dangerously close to coming out of the garage. Fall is creeping.

Blackfoot River: October caddis and large mayfly patterns are getting decnt action. A few good fish are looking up mid day. The big foam flies have slowed down but make for a good bobber if you want to hang a prince, turd, or sjw off the back. Smaller p-tail stuff off the big mayfly dry will pick up some fish too.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: hoppers, October Caddis, Hecubas / smaller fuzzies, Large parachute hazes, big mayfly cripples,chubbies, morrish hoppers, fat franks, p-tails, micro mays, Red & Purple Holo Princes, Oct caddis, Oct caddis poopas, turds, and worms 

Lower Clark Fork River:Steady dry fly fishing on the Clark Fork. Large cripples and parachutes are getting good attention. Hoppers are still productive mid afternoon. Fish mayfly stuff on the front rod and a foamie with a dropper off the back rod and you should stay busy enough. The clouds / rain will increase the mayfly activity and should provide some GREAT dry fishing this weekend.
Bugs / Fly Patterns:hoppers, beetles, ants, hecubas, mohos, oct caddis / smaller fuzzies, chubbies, morrish hoppers, fat franks, p-tails, micro mays, Oct caddis, Oct caddis poooopas, turds, and worms 

Flathead River: There are still plenty of fish looking for the dry fly. Early mornings are a little chilly so no need to get out early. Mid to large sized mayfly patterns and October caddis should start to out produce the foam but attractor stuff has still been working well. Hang a deep prince dropper off your dry fly if you can’t get them to eat the dry.�
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Terrestrials, oct caddis, fall drakes / small pink morrish, little purple franks, ants, small home brewed foam variations, purple holo prince, golden turd, para cripples, Purple c-dums, purple haze, Quigley hecuba cripples.

Swan River: Getting some big fish to the net up the Swan. The dry fly fishing has been mediocre but if you stick with it you might get a couple good fish. Keep the dry down river on a long flouro leader and that will help. Don’t expect to see nice fish eat the dry 10 feet off the oar blade.  Dropper fishing and nymphing tandem under a bobber will work well. �
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Terrestrials, October Caddis, Fall Drakes /  Large parachute hazes, big mayfly cripples, willies ant, Pink morish, whitecloud hopper, chubbies, fuzzy wuzzies, fat franks, PRLs in golden/salmon/black/brown, prince nymphs, SJWs in all flavors, tungsten 20 inchers, DB poxy rubberleg stones.