Mid April and the Fishing is FUN in NW Montana!
Big Rivers
The Larger drainages in NW Montana have been similar to a yoyo when one looks at the hydrological charts of the past few weeks. This is normal for this time of year and each new day brings a change that the angler has to adjust to. Overall the fishing has been quite good with a bit of variety in the methods of fly fishing. We are still in “big fish” season in the Flathead Valley and in the lower Clark Fork Valley mayflies have been king.
At the writing of this report, most rivers are on the rise so be safe out there and take precaution in the changing conditions on your local waterways.
Dries
One can throw big, small, foam, or natural. The trout don’t seem to care when they are up and feeding. Jake’s trigger bellies, Repeat Offenders, foam black stones, parachute Adams, March browns, and goober midges are all good choices this time of year. Keep em high and dry and don’t be afraid to dangle a nymph below if your in to that sort of thing.
Bobbers
All the “big river” standards apply when it comes to nymphing this time of year. Stonefly, Mayfly, caddis nymphs, and worms are all an angler needs when it come to nymphing. Flies to consider are Pat’s rubber legs, frenchies, copper Johns, soft hackle pheasant tails, squirmy worms, or any size #6-#16 nymph with a bright collar or bead.
Small Water
The small water that we fish is currently in great shape as far as flows. Slightly high and in the grass is how we like it. Fish are hungry and hanging out in zones within the river that are making them easy to get a fly in front of. Bugs, oh the bugs. We have seen a variety of midges and mayflies flying throughout different times of the day with generally some sort of hatch is happening by mid morning and lasting until early evening which is generally when we are heading back to town for a few cocktails and stories of the “big ones” of the day. I am sure if you stay throughout the evening that the bugs only get stronger.
Dries
Dry fly fishing has not been very productive in the past few weeks. Keep doing your dry fly dance! It is only a matter of time until the trout are looking up for bugs!
Bobbers
Bobbers have been pretty productive this week on our smaller waters. Stoneflies, mayflies, and different varieties of worm flies have all brought fish to hand. Deep has been better than shallow in the waters that we targeted this week. Fish seem dispersed throughout the river in a variety of water so don’t be shy in targeting a variety of water.
2x through 4x have all been used in our leader setups with mostly the big tippet being used unless the flies is smaller than 16. Error on the side of bigger tippet. You will be happier when you get snagged on structure nymphing deep or hooking into the big one.
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 succesful this week. I watched a very good streamer angler throw a Kreelex streamer and move trout on out beloved smaller water. The particular one we saw action on was golden and white. I am sure that other color patterns would work as well. Try transition waters where it goes from shallow to deep as well a lower portions of the hole or run. Hold on, there might be a good one that smashes the streamer!
Stillwaters
Some are good and some are not so good! If you are in the business of catching trout on our local stillwaters I would highly recommend getting out there. The fish are hungry and still cruising shallow.
Toothy critters have been a little tougher to come across for me. Other folks have found some really good ones this past week but they know more about the game then I do. For us, water temps still feel a little too cold to bring those big, mean, predators into shallow water where we like to target them. We did log some water temperatures reaching the low 50’s(F) and with our sunny warmer weather ahead of us I would suspect that the fishing is about to get good! Let us know how you do.
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.
