Bigfork Montana Fly Fishing – River Report

General Outlook: If you are not in a tree stand this morning then you should head to the river. The fishing is good just about everywhere right now…if you can get the fly down in front of the boat a ways, mend, and set a hook. A good presentation is helpful to success. Fall mode is creeping in and the crowds are thinning. After this weekend things will really mellow on the rivers. The water temps are cooling off nice and we are looking at 70’s and 40’s in the forecast.

Blackfoot River Report: Fishing very consistent. Good action everyday, some days the bigger fish are eating better than other days. Mid sized attractors with a deep c-john, batman, psycho prince, mt prince, or worm off the back will keep you busy. DFO guys will have luck with large brindle chutes, hecuba cripples, ants, hoppers, and mid sized attractors. The streamer bite should improve with the cooling water temps.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: Hecubas, terrestrials, oct caddis / 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, Para haze, Turds, Halo Prince, Da Worm, batmans, red c-johns, psycho prince, small hairs ear Double beads

Lower Clark Fork River Report: It’s still a bit hotter weather down low than other drainages but the hopper fishing remains decent. Droppers in the am and hoppers in the afternoon. Look for the shady banks later in the day. Don’t forget to throw in a twitch (not drag) here and there. A few hecubas are starting to show so throw the big cripple off the hopper for good measure.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: hecubas, terrestrials / 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: Great weather forecast for the Flathead this week. A little wind today but then nice afternoons with highs in the in the mid 70’s. Flying ants, hecubas, and hoppers are the bugs to throw. Deep dropper rigs will pick up fish in the am. MT princes, red c-johns, Purple Halo princes, SJWs, and small turds all work and produce some nicer fish when it is cool in the morning. Should start to see some October caddis soon.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: terrestrials / Small Chubbies and willies, Fuzzie wuzzies, Hot leg hoppers, White Clouds, Pink Morrish Hoppers, Rainy’s ants, Hippie stompers, Franks, Rogue goldens, Smaller foam variations, Para haze, Quigs, Para caddis, rusty spinners C-duns, Turds, Halo Prince, MT prince, psycho prince, batman nymphs, red c-johns, Da Worm

Swan River Report: A good angler with a little patience can catch a few nice fish on the dry right now. It’s NOT amateur hour out there right now. The water is low and clear and the fish are spooking off the boat way down river. Especially in the bright sun. The late evening is the best bet for the big dry fly eaters but there are a few willing mid day. There has been a bunch of traffic up there but after this weekend it should subside and the fish will forget.
Bugs / Fly Patterns: hecubas, flying ants, October caddis soon/ 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