Rock Creek/Blackfoot River Fishing Reports

Drilling a few before I drag the boat over. The creek is happenin'!

ROCK CREEK- The fishing has been very, very good. Our best flies have been a 6/8 Chubby with a touch of pink/yellow/black on the under-side, smaller orange stimi, para-drake in 10.   The fish have moved off of the bank a bit with the drop in flow. Yesterday the green drakes came off in a big way. We found nice fish in the braids and they were very willing. As for the big jam, it's really not too bad. Just pay attention.  Also, did anyone lose an oar around mile 23 recently? If so, send a note with a description.  If not, then I guess I have yet another oar to put in the pile.
BLACKFOOT RIVER- The salmon flies have been out here and there. Rubberlegs in 6/8, pink and red worms, halloween buggers have all been doing the trick. If you want to toss a dry around, think BIG.  Fish the heavy twitch and you might drum up a little biz. Look to the big olive, pumpkin, tannish streamers to move some nice fish. The flows look great and the best fishing is yet to come. Stay tuned.
MISSOURI RVER-The fish are tuned into to a bunch of winged critters. Caddis, PMD and sallys are on the daily menu. As usual, there isn't any real reason to go chase bobbers around at the damn dam. If you want to hang a dropper off of a dry, try peepshow 16/18, czechs in 14/16. The flows are low and the fish are hungry. There has been no shortage of rising fish each day. Simply put, the fishing on the Mo' is very good.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow

The Blackfoot River has been pretty hit or miss. There are a few reports about adult salmon flies in the canyon. This is the time to gamble on insects, and once in awhile it pays big. Look to everything below Sperry for some big'un opportunities. On the big sweeping inside seams try Rubberlegs #8, SJ Worms in red/pink, girdle bugs. Don't be afraid to use a bit of lead. In California it's highly toxic, but once you cross sate lines it's not that bad. Use some.  Streamer-wise, try olive/yellow, pumpkin, tan. Think about how you fish 'em. If the straight strip isn't doing it, then try a dragging or jigging presentation. I don't get why people keep fishing a fly the same way, cast after cast, when it isn't working. If you want to fish a dry, fish a big one on a twitch. It is a matter of time before they start murdering the dry. If you see kayakers and/or inner-gubers, try to hook them in the nose-ring with a massive streamer. We are offering a bounty. Seriously, they suck.

Predator

www.flyfishmissoula.com

Rock Creek Fly Fishing Report

There are salmonflies out on Rock Creek.  They seem to be thickest below mile 35, but the fish were on the dry above that today. Stop in to Trout Bums at mile 8 and pick up a few big ol' dries.  If you still insist on staring at a plastic bobber ( yeah, it's been a while since we have seen a trout eat a dry fly) you can try a pink or red worm, rubber legs in gown/black #8, big prince. They were into that from mile 50-40. There are some nice fish looking up now, but it isn't the every cast mayhem that will ensue in the next few weeks. If you can put 30-40 in the net on dries, it has been a good day. The flow is big and pushy, but if you actually use your over-priced oars you can do it.
IF YOU GO: Listen, I know that you all think that rowing is easy and getting down a debris filled, raging creek is no biggie. The creek will eat your lunch if you slack off. Seriously, it will.  There is a horrific log-jam at about mile 28. Please get out and scout if you think things are sketchy. It wasn't that long ago that a life was lost on the creek.
BLACKFOOT RIVER: I have heard some reports about some fishing. Try rubber legs in 8/black/brown and the mighty pink worm. Olivey/yellow streamers might turn a big one. There isn't much slow water, which is where all of the trout are right now, so when you find it you better pound it. This one should come around in the next couple of weeks.
ALSO, what is the deal with stickers? Why are so many people covering their trucks/boats/coolers/buttocks with stickers? I saw a guy today that had so many stickers on his boat that I thought he was rowing a quilt.

Predator

www.flyfishmissoula.com

Missoula Montana Fly Fishing Report

Slabby McSlabberson

In the Missoula area fly fishing is about done. Run-off has really traken hold and the rivers look huge and muddy and HUGE!  We fished Rock Creek a bit last week. It was quick, but clear. The best bugs were #10 prince,  #6 white streamers, SJ worm in red. There were a few March Browns kicking around but the fish weren't really on them. Now the water is really up. You might find a little nymphing on the insides, but be careful wading. The road received its annual Brazilian; smooth as a baby's bottom. There is some stubble in a few spots, but other than that it's ship-shape. Thanks USFS.  

Last week we were on the Missouri. All of the usual stuff was working. We caught some big fish jig-twitching brown buggers. Also, we avoided chasing bobbers by fishing dries with long droppers. Peep shows, Czechs, Green Machines about 36" down. The flows continue to look really good over there. Oh yeah, the Caddis-fest was this past weekend. A Caddis-fiesta with no caddis? I'm thinking Thingamabobba-fest next year. Who's in?

We haven't ventured to Georgetown yet. There are some trips on the schedgy soon and I think the lake might be an option. If you go, try any #14 nymph in your box about 3 feet under a SMALL indicator. olive buggers will work, too. You might luck out and find a few callibaetis. In that case, try a parachute adams. Listen, if you can't catch fish there maybe you should consider another past-time. Golf, or perhaps geo-caching might be up your alley.

The Clark Fork has been great beginning at about 11 each morning. The fish have been up on tricos until 2 and then they are more than happy to attack a hopper. Ooops...      I just started day-dreaming about dry fly fishing. The good news is that we won't have any of the hoot-owl closures this summer. Uhh, I'm thinking that there will be plenty of water.