Kootenai River Fishing Report by Dave Blackburn’s Kootenai Angler May 15-23, 2023
By angelamontana

Posted: May 18, 2023

Kootenai River Flow: 9,200 Cubic Feet per second 2 foot visibility, 42 degrees. 

Koocanusa Inflow: 30,000 cfs,  Fisher river flow: 1100 cfs,  Yaak Flow: 2990 cfs

Hatches: March BrownsLittle Blue Quills, Midges, March Browns, Silver stripe caddis, small olive stone, carpenter ants starting to show

Effective Patterns 

Dry: March Brown, midge pupa, small parachute adams, small chubby

Nymph and Streamers:  Beadhead Prince, Pheasant Tail, Stones and Midge Pupa, Soft Hackles. Black/Olive Conehead Wooly Buggers, Sculpins, Pat’s Rubber Legs

Fishing Report: The river just doubled in flows this am diluting Fisher River runoff but also is flushing Didymo algae from the river. It should be fishing again in 3-4 days after the initial flush. Temp is running 42 degrees F. We are seeing some rising activity on the warmer afternoons, most activity is subsurface with some larger fish on streamers. Upper stretch closed for in stream spawning above Hwy 37 bridge to Dam, (4 miles) until June 1.  Call shop for guided trip and lodging info: 406.293.7578

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