Fly Fishing Report for Missoula 9/11

Missouri River, September 8

It's been a while since we have put out a post.  There's a bunch to report.
 The Blackfoot River is totally closed, including all of the tribs. There are several words that one might use but the first one that comes to mind (and is family friendly) is NONSENSE. FWP didn't do it when the river was 700 cfs, or 600 cfs, or when the water was actually warm and the fish were actually stressed.  They didn't do it when there were literally hundreds of people floating the river, littering and clogging the water with inner tubes and stupidity. I'm still scratching my head on that one.
 Here's another real gem- FWP is shocking the upper Bitterroot. A few days ago there was a mudslide on the upper West Fork. The water has since been very muddy with visibility to about one foot max. Now I'm no expert, but one might think that between historically low water and very limited visibility there might be  a better time to perform this fish count. Talk about stressed fish!  Accuracy of the tally must not be that big of a deal.
 Clark Fork- Currently absorbing all of the pressure. Try purple hopperry type stuff.  The haze will do it too. There is a bit of color in the lower river so a dropper might help you out.  We nailed a bunch yesterday on a purple hopper with a 12 Czech droped about 30".  The work and P.T. will work too. Upper-wise, look to the same stuff.  We have had good afternooons with a 12/14 ant, tan/purp. hoppers. The usual droppers too.   There is a touch of moss up above town.



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