Early Spring Fishing Report: March 2026
Spring is continuing to show itself here in the Flathead Valley. This year has been anything but typical. Warmer-than-normal temperatures, inconsistent snowpack in mid to low elevations, and early-season rain events have created some unusual river flow fluctuations for much of the winter months.
Despite that, fishing has been surprisingly good, with anglers finding mixed success depending on the day. Some days feel like early April, while others remind you winter is still hanging on in Glacier National Park in Northwest Montana. That’s just part of the deal this time of year.
Now, let’s get into the fishing report.
Big Water:
Overall, fishing on the big river has been better than expected given the conditions. We started getting out consistently in February and have been pleasantly surprised by both the quality and consistency of trout. Fish look healthy, strong, and willing to eat when conditions line up.
Flows have been anything but stable. With warmer temps in the valley and periodic rain events, we’ve seen unseasonal bumps in flows—not full runoff behavior, but enough to keep things changing day to day.
The Flathead River near Columbia Falls (USGS gauge) has been holding in a typical late-winter range but with noticeable spikes tied to these warm-ups. Clarity has ranged from clear to slightly off-color depending on recent weather.
The Thompson River (USGS gauge) has been a bit more stable overall, with moderate flows and consistent clarity, making it a solid option when the main river fluctuates. At the time of writing this, that appears to be changing with increased flows throughout the drainage.
These conditions aren’t entirely typical for March, but they’ve kept fish moving and feeding. Some days have been lights-out, others require a bit more patience and adjustment.
With river flows fluctuating, please use caution out there. Expect floating debris, changing edges, and slick surfaces this time of year.
Bugs
On the invertebrate front, things are right where we’d expect for early spring, with a slight bump in activity during warmer stretches.
We’ve observed:
Small stoneflies
Occasional mayflies
Midges as the primary hatch
If fish are coming to the surface, they are almost always keyed in on smaller bugs. As water temperatures continue to creep up, we should start to see more variety and density in hatches.
Dries
There have been the few occasions where good dry fly fishing has presented itself on the big river. Seasoned anglers know to always be on the lookout for risers in several types of water.
Patterns ro consider:
Parachutes in olive, blues, and tans.
Small dark stoneflies in black and purple.
Midge and midge cluster patterns.
Bobbers
Think bright and deep.
We’ve been running bobber rigs in the 7–11 ft range, adjusting depth frequently with changing flows. If fish aren’t on the surface, they are holding near the bottom.
With variable clarity, it helps to fish flies that stand out.
Effective patterns:
Bright worm patterns
Hot beaded and hot collared flies
Getting your flies down to where fish are holding has been key.
Streamers
We haven’t been throwing a ton of streamers this spring, but when we have, they’ve produced.
Small sculpzillas
Slump busters
The key has been slow and deep presentations. Cold water and changing flows mean fish are not chasing aggressively.
Small Water
The small water has been in good shape and very fishable this month.
Unlike some spring seasons, we are not seeing blown-out or flooded conditions, so high-water techniques do not apply here, yet. Instead, anglers can rely on more traditional small water approaches.
Fish are holding in:
Pocket water
Seams
Undercuts
Structure like logs and boulders
This is classic small water fishing, target good holding water and move efficiently.
Dries
Dry fly fishing has been limited but not nonexistent.
As water temperatures continue to rise, we should begin to see more consistent surface activity. We are on the front edge of that transition.
Stay ready.
Bobbers
Standard nymphing setups are working well on small water.
No need for extreme depth
Focus on runs, seams, and structure
Flies to consider:
Stonefly nymphs (dark and light)
Mayfly nymphs (sizes 12–16)
Wine and brown worm patterns
Streamers
Streamers are always a good option on our small waters. Keep them slow and deep. Colors are not as important as where the streamer moves through the water column but through the “grapevine”, we have heard colors in olive, black, and white have been productive.
Stillwaters
We are in that transition window.
Some lakes are opening up while others are still holding ice. Water temperatures remain in the high 30s to low 40s, keeping fish deeper.
We have not yet seen consistent shallow cruising activity, but that should change quickly with continued warming.
Looking Ahead
This has been an unusual late winter and early spring in the Flathead Valley. Warmer temperatures and inconsistent flows have made things less predictable but not less productive.
With recent snow in the higher elevations, rain in the mid to lower levels, and continued warm temperatures forecasted, we can expect to see continued fluctuations in river flows heading into the coming weeks.
Fishing should remain solid, but adaptability will be key.
Be safe out there. Conditions are changing faster than normal for this time of year, and awareness on the water goes a long way.
What will this spring bring us this year? If you have any questions or would like to get out on the water with the best guides around the Glacier National Park area give us a hollar.
