The upper Swan is swollen but green and fishable.....opens tomorrow.

General Outlook:  Most of the western freestone rivers are high and out of shape. You can get creative and find a few spots to fish but the river options are limited right now. Plenty of stillwater options if you’re into that sorta thing. The weather forecast is looking a bit more normal for the next week. The cooler nights have all ready turned down some of the graphs but only for a few days according to the NOAA river forecasts before they start back upward again.

Blackfoot River Report: NOT
Bugs / Fly Patterns: 

Lower Clark Fork River Report: Nope
Bugs / Fly Patterns:

Flathead River Report: Toast
Bugs / Fly Patterns:

Swan River Report: The upper river opens tomorrow and is looking fish-able. It’s high but green with a couple feet of vis. The higher you go the better it looks. You should be able to dredge up a few on streamers or big stonefly nymphs. The Piper Creek access is a mess with construction right now so check our post about it before you go. Remeber the river is high so be careful and look out for new wood.  The lower river and bay continue to produce fish but not in great numbers.  A few big ones have been released. Some lakers around too.
Bugs / Fly Patterns:
Caddis, Salmon flies / 20 incher stones, double bead stones, rubber legs, princes, San Juans, beadhead whatevers, urchin buggers, flash fry, skiddish smolt, sparkle minnows.

Other Stuff: The Thompson is dropping. The Little Blackfoot is at a good level and can be good on salmon flies this time of year……a couple feet of vis is all you need. The Dearborn opens tomorrow and is at 300 but we haven’t heard about the visibility. Little P-Pear is open tomorrow and is stable at 125 cfs. The mouth of Swift Creek on WF Lake can be good this time of year with cutties rising in the evenings and Lakers on the streamer bite. There’s probably a bunch of goobs out there pounding it everyday though.

 

Jason Lanier
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