Please let us know if you would like to see your weekly fishing report included in this list by emailing your report to us before the end of the day on Tuesday of each week here along with your business website/email address.
Deb says, “We really don’t have anyone fishing right now; just hunters.”
Current Conditions:
The Ruby has been hit or miss for us in the early fall but things seemed to have stabilized and it is fishing well again. The water is low and the fish are concentrated in the deeper runs. The browns are moving and this is a fun fishery to strip streamers for medium sized trout. The baetis hatch can also bring some fish up on a cloudy day.
The Month Ahead:
Streamers and nymphs will be the main game once mid to late November arrives
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Ruby is a pretty decent winter fishery. Nymphing is the staple in the early winter but by February you can get a decent rise over the midge hatch.
All sections of the Madison River holding migrating brown trout are crowded with eager anglers. This particularly so for the section between Hebgen and Quake lakes and Baker’s Hole downstream to Hebgen Reservoir. Pitching streamer and woolly bugger patterns is the name of the game.
TIPS OF THE WEEK –1. Midges will be out if the sun hits the water for an extended time, maybe some straggler bwo’s and mahoganies but those ships have mostly sailed
2. If a double nymph rig doesn’t work, try a single nymph or size down your nymphs drastically
3. The early morning and late afternoon streamer bite can be good7 DAY OUTLOOK –Good fishing conditions for the next 7 days. Get out while you can!
BEST TECHNIQUES – Prospecting with dry flies and nymphing.
Good luck and don’t forget to stop in our Philipsburg shop Flint Creek Outdoors and our NEW JACKALOPE JOE’S espresso bar! We’re open 7:30-5 seven days a week. Be sure to stop in to talk to Josh, grab a coffee, some Orvis gear, and flies from the the best fly selection in the region.
FLY PATTERNS
NYMPHS – Pat’s Rubber Legs in black, brown, #6-#10; Pheasant Tail Nymph, #12-18; Pink San Juan Worm #8-10; Hot Bead San Juan Worm Red; Montana Prince tan #12-16, double bead stone black #4, yellow sally nymph #14-16, yellow frenchie #14-16; lightning bug #14-18; Perdigon DRIES – Purple haze #14-20, yellow sally #14-16, pmd #14-16, hopper #12, ant #16, spruce moth #14 STREAMERS – Sparkle Minnow #6 in Olive; Zonkers #6, 8 in Natural, Olive, or Yellow; Kreelex Minnow #6 in Copper/Gold, Gold/Silver, or Purple/Silver.
SPECIFICS
Water temperature at mid-day
48 deg
Best time of day to fish
Late morning through afternoon
Best stretch
The entire creek is fishing well.
Best access point
Upper: Gilles Bridge Lower: Valley of the Moon
Fish species
Cutthroat, rainbow, cutt-bow, brown, bull, some brook trout, and whitefish.
Fishing season
Open year round, but catch and release for trout during winter.
Nearest airport
Missoula International Airport
Recommended fly fishing leader
9′ 3x
Recommended fly fishing tippet
3x and 4x top to bottom bug respectively unless you are swinging streamers then bump up to 2x
Best fly fishing rod
Crisp 9′ 5wt for nymphing but super fun spot to swing streamers with switch rods.
Walleye Harvest Limit Change
The Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted and implemented the following changes to walleye limits at the April 1 commission meeting: Canyon Ferry Reservoir (page 58) – Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Hauser Reservoir (page 61) – Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Lake Helena (page 63) – Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Missouri River (pages 66 and 67) Toston Dam to Canyon Ferry Reservoir – Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit.
Rainbow fishing continues to be great. Shore anglers are finding rainbows at the Causeway Bridge, Riverside and Black Sandy while using crawlers and a marshmallow or Power Bait. Boaters trolling cowbells and wedding ring combos tipped with crawlers out from Black Sandy and the Dam area have been finding good numbers of rainbows as well. Perch and walleye fishing have slowed down with fewer boaters and cooler temperatures.
OUR TIPS OF THE WEEK:1. Slowly stripping balance leeches is your best bet. Glacially slow
2. Small baitfish patterns in olive will be productive until the ice is on
3. Small chironomids drifted under an indicator are a great way to fish this time of year7 DAY OUTLOOK:The lake is fishing well, and will continue to until, well, the ice is back on. Give it a try. You will not regret it. There are places to find shelter during high wind events. Stop by for a visit and we can show you where to go.
Our Philipsburg location, Flint Creek Outdoors, is open 7 days a week, 7:30a-5p. Stop in and talk to Josh for up-to-date information.
BEST TECHNIQUES:
Stripping leeches and small baitfish patterns, floating chironomids under an indicator. Stop by the shop in Philipsburg for rigging ideas and the best Georgetown Lake flies.
FLY PATTERNS
Balance leeches, small baitfish patterns, chironomids
SPECIFICS
Water Flow
Check FWP regulations for the closure on the SE shoreline of the lake.
Link to Water Flow Graph
N/A
Water temperature at mid-day
45 deg
Best time of day to fish
Afternoons
Best stretch
Stuart Mill Bay, Philipsburg Bay, Rainbow Bay
Best access point
Stuart Mill Bay, Philipsburg Bay, Rainbow Bay
Fish species
Rainbow and Brook Trout, Kokanee Salmon
Fishing season
See FWP regulations. Some closures apply. Georgetown Lake is closed to fishing until May 15, 2021. Try Rock Creek nearby!
Nearest airport
Missoula International
Recommended fly fishing leader
12′ 2x
Recommended fly fishing tippet
2x
Best fly fishing rod
Crisp to cast but soft enough to fight big fish.
Best floating fly line
Short head weight forward floating to quickly shoot line and turn flies over in the wind.
Best sinking fly line
Clear tip intermediate.
Stream levels are still well below normal levels. There are still some good hatches taking place. We received one good report from a customer recently.
Stream Conditions: Near Melrose
Rate: 377 cfs
Level: 1.60 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 44 degrees
Clarity: clear
Weather:
WISDOM WEATHER
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Midges: Blood, Lt. Green, Cream sizes 22, larva, pupa and adults
Green Sedge Caddis, size 14/16, larva, pupa and adults
Spotted Sedge Caddis: 14/16, larva, pupa and adults
Strategies, Techniques and Tips:
The Brown sculpin, White Belly sculpin and Articulated streamers are great flies to use at this time.
Blue-winged olives are hatching. Spotted sedge caddis are hatching. Midges are hatching.
Green Sedge Caddis are hatching.
Stream levels are up to normal in all sections. We are getting good reports from our customers. Midges and BWOs are hatching good.
The old fishing report archive is at the bottom of this page. Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Type of Stream
Freestone/Tailwater
Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Bull Trout (Few)
(Wild Trout)
Size
Large
Location
Southwestern Montana
Nearest Towns
Missoula
Season
3rd Sat. May – Nov 30th (Open
year-round some areas)
Special Regulations
Clark Fork Special Regulations
Access:
Fair
Non-Resident License
State of Montana
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Stream Flow Data:
Real Time USGS Data (Deer Lodge)
Real Time USGS Data (Bonner)
Real Time USGS Data (below
Missoula)
Seasons:
Fly fishing the Clark Fork River is good from March through November.
Spring:
Springtime is the best time to fish the river except when runoff from its many tributary streams affects the clarity.
Summer:
The water can get warm in some areas but it is cooled by many of the streams that flow into it.
Fall:
This is a good season and the best time for the brown trout.
Winter:
Although it is possible to catch fish during the winter in some areas, it isn’t usually very productive. .
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Flows
USGS CFS Data is not available for this date.
Streamflow
Jim Mitchell’s Tip of the Week
The West Fork is now at winter levels. Floating is not recommended on any section. This is a good time to wade. Drys with droppers and nymphing in the am. Purple Haze, Adams, Pheasant tails, Perdigons size 16/14. May fly’s in the morning Hoppers in the afternoon. Steamers are working ok
Five Day Outlook: Start later let it warm up.
Techniques & Tips:Drys with droppers or two nymphs in the am. Single small mayflys
Water Temperature: 52 degrees
1450 CFS @ Livingston – The Yellowstone is still experiencing low flows, and the fishing has been iffy at best. Streamers, especially olive-colored ones, will turn some fish, but be prepared to experiment until you find what’s working. Nymphing can net you some trout, but you’ll likely catch more whitefish than anything.
GO-TO FLIES:
Rubberlegs #6
Lightning Bug #14
Dungeon, Olive/Yellow #2
Sculpzilla, Olive/White #4
Zirdle, Natural #6
Flathead Lake – Reports of Lakers showing up on the east side of the lake. Throwing Spoons and Rapalas in the shallows has been very effective.
Flathead River – Whitefish are on the FEED!!!!. Small plastics on a 1/8th or 1/4th jighead seem to be the ticket. Look for deeper pockets in the river where the whitefish will stack up. Old Steel bridge has been very good. Pike are getting more active, Focus on bigger baits. Weeds are receding and the fish will start moving into hard structure. Look for bait fish.
Loon Lake –Powerbait has been working very well, 1-2 foot off bottom with Chartreuse dough.
Whitefish Lake – Lake trout are very active! Jigging has been very productive with a small tube tipped with cutbait. Look for rocky points that have access to deeper drop offs.
Rogers Lake – Cutthroat trout being caught in 10 foot of water, Small jigs under a slip bobber are very effective on the weed edges.
Foys Lake – Rainbow trout are getting active! Silver and gold spoons being trolled or casting into the shallower depths (5-15 foot of water).
Little Bitterroot – Rainbows are being caught. Trolling with planer boards can be very effective this time of year. Bigger fish have been pushing into the shallower water looking for an easy meal!! Rapalas remain to king.
Echo Lake – Whitefish are being caught in 20-30 foot of water off main lake points. Small tungsten jigs tipped with a micro plastic are working very well! Lots of fish being caught.
2800 CFS @ Holter – Despite low flows, the Missouri has been fishing pretty well. Midges, sowbugs, and other tailwater standbys have been producing. Almost daily BWO hatches have been providing some good dry-fly action in the early afternoons. Streamers have also been working quite well, both swung and stripped.
GO-TO FLIES:
Film Critic, BWO #18
Zebra Midge, Black #18
Lightning Bug #16
Little Spanker #16
Kreelex, Silver/Gold #6
As November approaches we are easing into a late fall pattern here in Livingston. Even though the weather might not feel like it, winter is right around the corner! Fishing has remained pretty decent, even if it’s not the normal fall pattern.
Action on the Yellowstone River has been primarily subsurface. The BWO hatch has been scattered at best with this bright and sunny weather. Nymphing has been the most productive – if you want bent rods all day and don’t mind catching whitefish tie on something bigger and flashy and go have a blast.
Dead drifted streamers have also been quite productive. Always fish a streamer under an indicator with a dropper fly. Fish will see the larger fly from farther away, come investigate, and if they don’t want to eat that the smaller dropper can often be the ticket.
If you are only looking for dry fly action, the local private spring creeks on a cloudy day are your best bet locally. Feeling like a drive? Head to the Missouri River for more consistent hatches. The Madison (both Upper and Lower) is fishing well enough to justify the drive these days. The Gallatin has been a little off color from snowmelt up the canyon.
If you want to fish Yellowstone National Park one last time before the season closes, now is the time. The fishing season always closes on the first Sunday of November, which this year is the 7th. The Firehole is very low and the fish have had a pretty stressful year with low water and hot temps. You can still find a few fish here and there, and there are scattered BWOs out. The Madison in the park has been very busy, but fishing well. The Northeast Corner is a great option in the fall, and should be less crowded than the west side streams.
One thing to keep in mind from here on through the winter is we are getting to windy season here in Livingston. Especially on warmer days, expect the wind to be blowing. Not just a gentle breeze, but like blowing. Local know what we mean. Livingston in the fall/winter/spring = wind and lots of it. A good waterproof jacket or shell can be a total gamechanger on windy days. Find the sheltered water if you can.
Need up to the minute info, gear and flies? Come down to the shop! We’ve got everything you need and more.
Current Conditions:
The Stillwater River is low but trout are moving into the deeper slots and nymphing has been productive in the late morning. The afternoon can provide some good dry action with some cloud cover over the baetis hatch. Stripping streamers for some Yellowstone run browns on the lower river can often produce a pleasant surprise.
The Month Ahead:
Fishing will start to taper off as November progresses and as water temps continue to drop on the river.
Long Term Fishing Forecast:
The Stillwater is a relatively cold river and isn’t as productive as some other fisheries in the region in the winter months.
