This week’s tip is all about efficiency. Being prepared to fish a combination of dry flies, nymphs, and streamers will allow anglers to take advantage of whatever is thrown their way this week as we transition into runoff conditions. If you’re fishing with a buddy or have a spare rod available to you, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have one rod rigged up for a dry/dry dropper setup and the other rod set up to fish streamers or nymphs. Alternating between these setups could be the ticket if you’re having trouble honing in on what the fish are feeding on. Just remember, wait until after you’ve done your due diligence with your dry/dry dropper setup before you throw your streamer through a hole to ensure you’re not spooking the dry fly eaters with a big streamer.
7 Day Outlook:
Break out your warm layers again if you’re planning to fish the Blackfoot in the next week. Lows near freezing with highs anywhere from 50F-60F. More rain is expected later in the week, but we should see flows stabilize and fishing improve.
Best techniques:
Once again, nymphing or fishing a dry-dropper will be effective in the mornings and then as hatches start to fire up in the afternoon you can switch to a single dry or tandem dry fly rig. If visibility is less than 2’ stick with nymphs and streamers. Be prepared for Blue Wings, March Browns, Drakes, Mother’s Day Caddis, Goldens and even Salmonflies.
*Traveling or in a hurry? Let our knowledgeable staff pick a fly selection for you!
A slim-bodied version, featuring a hot spot, of a few top notch parachute patterns. We love to fish these when a simmer profile is necessary to get the attention of those big picky sippers.
A fly designed specifically for the rivers around Missoula. The Plan B in Olive is a phenomenal choice for anglers wanting Skwala dry eats. It sits extremely low to the water making it float very r...
The Chubby Chernobyl is one of the most versatile and effective foam flies on the market. Changing the size or color of this pattern can help you imitate a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial i...
This extended body mayfly dry is a must have for matching any mayfly hatch. When the trusty Parachute Adams just isn't getting it done, we switch to this fly right here. It has become a secret weap...
The Brindle Chute, from legendary Bitterroot angler and fly tyer Chuck Stranahan, was developed to match the mayfly hatches on our local waters. The buoyancy and bug like characteristics make it ha...
This variation of a Chubby Chernobyl is one of Mike’s “deadly dozen.” Designed to fool the finicky trout of the Henry’s Fork, this fly will get them anywhere stoneflies are present. This pattern is...
"'Scuse me while I cast this dry!"... The most popular mayfly pattern in western Montana, hands down. It's capable of matching the hatch, prospecting, and being an all around confidence fly when it...
A cripple version of the famous Purple Haze pattern. In our experience this bug works really well on Stillwater and for those picky trout during thick mayfly hatches.
Hands down one of the best mayfly emergers in the game, the Film Critic shines on technical waters, especially spring creeks. It represents a hatching mayfly at its most vulnerable stage, giving ...
This pattern is another of those you should not be without. Caddis are a staple food for trout and are available many months per year. This can be fished many different ways to elicit a strike. Dea...
Whether the mottled tan or dark brown is better remains an ongoing guide debate. Both work exceptionally well. Our guess is trout mistake these for stonefly nymphs but they also resemble small cr...
Whether the mottled tan or dark brown is better remains an ongoing guide debate. Both work exceptionally well. Our guess is trout mistake these for Skwalla nymphs but they also resemble small cra...
One of our guides favorite nymph patterns. The Spanish Bullet is the fly to match all your tiny Stonefly and Mayfly needs. Jigged with a tungsten bead.
Hot-bead worms are a mainstay in our rivers all year long but especially in late winter and early spring. For reasons unknown to us the hot bead and red color is always better in colder water. Fis...
Designed for optimal fly fishing performance, the Jig Perdigon features a tungsten bead for dense weight that ensures your flies get down quick in the water column. The eye-catching design and drop...
As a highly versatile and efficient fly, the Jig Napoleon boasts a quill body and Its tungsten material adds extra weight for getting down quickly. These quill body perdigons are lethal on the wate...
The Trusted Classic Stonefly Nymph. This pattern is excellent for imitating Stoneflies in their aquatic form. Before the hatch ramps up on the surface, Trout are sure to be feeding below. To dial ...
Another classic pattern that imitates Mayfly nymphs perfectly. This fly has been around for a long time and it's not going anywhere. This version is jigged with a tungsten bead and flash back to ma...
There is something about the Frenchie that just catches more fish than its mayfly nymph competitors. A simple fly that produces outstanding results.
Try the Yellow version in #16 for PMDs
"Tag nymphs are certainly not new to fly fishing. However, in my opinion, they are highly underused and under-appreciated in the USA.I was first introduced to them in Tasmania back in 2007. Ou...
We were fishing streamers long before fishing streamers was cool but we have to admit, Coffey’s sparkle minnow literally changed the game. There was a time when spring streamer action was limited t...
If you've ever eaten a thin mint cookie, you know how good they are and how you can't just eat one. The Thin Mint Bugger comes with a tungsten bead and a tri colored marabou tail. Whether you swing...
It's the L-I-L to the K-I-M, baby. Cast and strip, or swing with a trout spey set up. No streamer box would be complete without the Lil' Kim. Get it in copper to keep things natural, silver for wat...
Same as the Woolly Bugger but with a beadhead for added weight. Good for lakes and rivers everywhere, from winter to summer. Our undying love of the woolly bugger isn't going anywhere, this is on...
Essentially a full flash Clouser Minnow, the Kreelex has proven its worth as a fish catching machine wherever predators eat small baitfish. The slim profile and large dumbbell eyes allow it to sin...
Rainbows, westslope cutthroats, cutbows, browns, bull trout, whitefish, and suckers.
Fishing Season
All Year - Winter can be tough.
Nearest airport
Missoula International Airport (MSO)
Recommended fly fishing leader
From a boat - 7.5' 3x-4x. Wading step it up to 9'
Recommended fly fishing tippet
3X, 4X and 5X will cover 90% of our fishing applications. 1-2X is great for punching out large, wind resistant dries in high dirty water. Don't drop lower than 10lb for streamers (we recommend a 4-5' 10lb tapered leader with a sink tip fly line). Leave the 6X at home.
Best fly fishing rod
The 9' 5WT is our do it all rod. Fast action rods will be best for most of our fishing; foam dries, dry-dropper fishing and nymphing. A fast action 6WT will be useful for large foam dries, small streamers, heavy nymph rigs and punching bugs through the afternoon wind. Bring a 7WT if you plan to fish large articulated streamers.
Best floating fly line
Scientific Anglers MPX or Rio Grand
Best sinking fly line
Scientific Anglers Trout Express or Rio Predator F/I/S3
About This Water
The Big Blackfoot River is everything it’s cracked up to be. Bottomless emerald pools, boulder strewn pocket water and diamond chop riffles all shaded by moss covered cliffs and towering ponderosa pines combine to make this the epitome of Montana fly-fishing. Thanks to a diligent concerted effort between neighboring landowners, government agencies, conservation organizations and concerned anglers, restored spawning tributaries are continually enhancing trout populations – especially those native to the river. Combining such exceptional juvenile trout recruitment with restrictive creel limits results in a Blackfoot teeming with fish like biceps. Nymphing here is just plain deadly, especially from a boat. We aren't talking about spending the day untangling two pinhead size flies spun tight with 6X tippet around a stick of soft lead and a Don King indicator – this is no tailwater. 4X is as light as we go with 1X common place and bugs often the size of small rodents. Then imagine the same terminal tackle for dries! No stress, just fun. In spite of its familiarity as the inspiration for the big screen hit, "A River Runs Through It," compared to other world class destinations fishing pressure remains relatively light.
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