Here comes the snowmelt.
Big Rivers
You might remember that old Johnny Cash lyric: “How high’s the water, mama?” While the song’s from another era, the question still hits close to home here in the Flathead Valley.
Right now, we’re in the thick of runoff season. A stretch of unusually warm weather has accelerated snowmelt, sending cold, off-color water pouring into our larger rivers. The result? High, swift, and less-than-ideal conditions for fishing the big river near Glacier National Park.
But at Wild Montana Anglers, we see this time of year as an opportunity not an obstacle. When the big rivers get wild, we shift gears and expand our fishing focus. That means targeting productive, lesser-known waters in the Glacier region and beyond. These creeks, smaller rivers, and stillwaters offer exciting, unique opportunities to stay on fish and keep the rods bent.
We’ve come to think of this window as “exploratory season.” It’s a time to wander a bit off the beaten path, chase trout in new places, and enjoy some solitude while others sit out the high flows. We hope you’ll join us on the water.
Small Water
The small water game has been an absolute hoot lately. If there was ever a time to describe the hatches as “bug soup,” this is it—and that might still be an understatement. While guiding on one of our favorite smaller streams last week, I counted two different species of large stoneflies and at least four varieties of mayflies popping off throughout the day. It’s a buffet down there, and the trout are taking full advantage.
The proof? Several of the fish we landed had firm, round bellies—classic signs of fish that are actively feeding and getting fat. Morning water temps have been holding in the high 40s, with afternoons creeping into the low- to mid-50s. With above-average air temps, this cool window likely won’t last long, but for now, it’s providing some incredible fishing conditions.
When it comes to rigging, we’ve been fishing everything from 2X to 4X tippet depending on the flies. If you’re throwing anything smaller than a size 16, you might drop down—but more often than not, we recommend staying on the heavier side. That thicker tippet will save you headaches when you’re dredging through structure or when the fish of the day decides to eat. Better to land ’em than talk about the one that got away.
Now’s the time to get out there and enjoy what these small waters have to offer—hungry trout, light traffic, and some of the best bug activity of the year.
Dries
Stoneflies and mayflies are the prolific species hatching on our smaller water. Orange and Yellow have been the primary color of stoneflies used and the trout don’t seem have a preference on what color the angler chooses. Mayflies in a variety of colors and emergence forms have also been used. Don’t be afraid to use emergers, adult dries, and spinners depending on what stage of the hatch you are experiencing . Successful colors have been green, tan, and rust in all forms of emergence.
Bobbers
Bobbers have been put away the past two weeks and most of our nymph fishing has been happening as droppers on larger foam flies. Morning have been most productive for the nymph. Don’t overthink the fly selection in the nymph department. Think general patterns like a frenchie or girdle bug and concentrate on getting them into the right spots.
Stoneflies: black, brown and yellow have been used. sizes #8-#12
Maylfies: in sizes #12-#16. Color hasn’t seemed to matter.
Worms: sizes #8-#14. Wine and red have been used.
Streamers
Streamers have been successful this week. We haven’t thrown a lot of them but olive, and yellow have been productive on floating lines in outside corners that have cut banks. We have seen a few brown trout leave there hollow bank refuges to smash a well paced streamer being pulled away from the banks. Smaller streamers have been more productive than the larger articulated streamers but your milage may vary on which streamer you choose.
Stillwaters
The stillwaters have been fishing well these past couple of weeks. Our go-to cutthroat and grayling lakes are picking up as fish bounce back from the spawn and start feeding again. Balanced leeches and classic stillwater nymph patterns have been the top producers lately.
The pike bite has also turned on in a big way. Over the past 10 days or so, we’ve seen some aggressive eats and big fish cruising the shallows. It’s our version of saltwater flats fishing, and it’s hard not to get fired up about it. Streamer size and color are changing day to day, but presentation and stealth seem to matter more than anything. If you can drop a fly in the zone without spooking them—and make it look like it just showed up out of nowhere—you’re in the game. Do that, and you’ve got a real shot at an unforgettable day.
As always, be safe out there, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to get on the water with one of our experienced guides here in the Glacier National Park region. We’d love to help you find some fish.
As always folks, stay safe out there and let us know if you have any questions or would like to get out on the water with the best guides around the Glacier National Park area.
