The river has been  on  a steady drop the last couple of days and it is clearing up.  The fish are going to feeding like crazy!  You won’t see much for dry fly action these days, but nymph rigs should keep your rod bent.  At least we can fish again!  Look for the fish in the slower soft edges and back channels.  They should be eating nymphs and worms.  Try rubber legs, pink worms, bright pink worms, red worms, and more pink worms.

If you are floating, keep a sharp eye downstream for new obstructions.  The river will have changed after the big water of last week.  Have fun and for gosh sakes, BE SAFE!!!

The river is high and muddy.  Lots of warm weather and several days of rain has pushed the river out of it’s banks in several places.  The water is raging, fast, and full of debris.  If you can’t take it and feel the burning need to fish anyways, your best bet will be tailwaters such as the Beaverhead, or Missouri.  The mountain lakes may bring you some spring action also.  Unfortunately the river probably won’t come back into shape for some time.

When the river does stabilize and is fishable, you can bet we will be the first ones on the water.  In fact we PROMISE to be the first people on the river once it comes back into shape.  Check here often and we will let you know when it is fishing again.  In the meantime, get out and play some golf, go for a hike, finish up that yard work and check off the chore list.  The fishing WILL return and you will know the instant it does if you check here often.  We will tell you all about it.

Also, we have some exciting things happening in the shop.  We are fully stocked with all the fly tying materials you need to fill those boxes up so you are ready when the fishing returns.  We have new apparel and a couple of good sales going right now.  Stop on in, have a cup of coffee and tell us your favorite fish story or two.  We love to hear them, and love to share our stories as well.

The river is on a steady climb and the water is high.  High water can make things dangerous.  Be on the lookout for new hazards and use caution.  The fish will be in the side channels.  All the same patterns should work if the water color is acceptable.  Rubber legs, pink worms, red worms, etc. will still bring fish.  Dry fly action may suffer a bit, but we are hoping conditions will improve soon.  Enjoy the sunshine, tolerate the river conditions, have fun and most importantly BE SAFE!!!

No, not fishing WITH dynamite, the fishing HAS BEEN dynamite!  We are getting lots of action on the surface with March Brown Drakes, Grey Drakes, and Skwalla’s.  The warmer temps have caused a push of water but the fishing hasn’t suffered so far.   Remember, you don’t have to see a lot of rising fish to get them to eat your properly presented skwalla patterns.  They will hit it, don’t give up.  Most of the dry fly action has been in the afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00-ish.  If you are having trouble getting them to take dry flies, switch to a dry/dropper set up or a double nymph rig to put fish in your net.  We are getting consistant hookups with san juan worms, rubber legs, skwalla nymphs, and prince nymphs.

Keep an eye on the river and for sure stop in the shop and get the up to the minute report of what the river is up to.  Conditions will fluctuate over the next few weeks and the fishing should remain good if you know where to find them.  AND WE DO!  Our guides are on the river every day and we always know what is working, what is not working and where the fish are hiding.  Come on in, we aren’t afraid to share our secret spots or our secret flies.  The coffee is fresh, the stories are exciting and we have the pictures to prove it!

The river has really cleared up and the fishing is spectacular!  We have been having good luck with nymphs in the morning, dries in the afternoon and a dry/dropper set up during the transition times.  For nymphs we are hooking a lot of fish with rubber legs, san juan worms, skwalla nymphs, and the like.  Try a skwalla dry with a nymph dropper during lunch time and when you see some surface action cut the dropper off and fish the skwalla dry.  We are also netting lots of fish with March Brown’s.  If you aren’t getting many takes in the afternoon with the skwallas, try a march brown.

The fish seem to be holding in the softer water.  Look for the slower, softer water and back eddys and concentrate on those.  There are lots of feeding fish in just about all of them.  The water is looking good and the afternoons have been beautiful.  The forecast calls for daytime highs in the 70′s as we approach the weekend.  Don’t forget sunscreen and drink lots of water.  Most importantly, get out there and have some FUN!!!

Don’t forget to stop in the shop and pick up a few secrets!  We never hold anything back.

The river is gradually coming down and stabilizing.  The water color will continue to improve as this happens and dry fly fishing will be back to the front of all of our minds.  The fish are still in there and are still feeding.  We have been having dynamite fishing with nymphs on a dry/dropper set up or even a double nymph rig.  We have found fish just about everywhere we tried.  With the bump in flows, the fish are a little more spread out which means you can get a couple in just about all water types.  Try drifting nymphs under an indicator in the morning and watch for risers.  If you see some, you are probably safe to switch back to the dry flies we all prefer.  During the transition you will double your chances with a dry/dropper set up.  Try a skwalla dry with a san juan worm, rubber leg stone fly, prince nymph, or skwalla nymphs as your dropper.

If and WHEN you see some surface activity, switch it up to dry flies without the dropper.  The rastaman skwalla, and march brown drakes have been producing good strikes.  We are also seeing bigger fish on average lately.  Get out there and fish while the big boys are showing themselves! We have been pulling some very large browns and rainbows out this week.  Don’t miss out!!!

Also, don’t forget to stop by the shop and get the up to the minute report of what the river is up to.  We have been keeping a close eye on it.  Our guide boats are all reporting exceptional fishing.  If you are struggling, there is probably a reason.  Stop in and let us help you figure out what you are doing wrong.  Better yet, why not book a guided trip?  The information you learn with one of our professional guides will make you a better fisherman.  If you have never taken a guided trip, you owe it to yourself.  I am sure your spouse will understand.

The river took a big bump the last few days.  It is starting to come down now and fishing should be returning to the fantastic conditions we had at the beginning of the week.  Most of your consistant action is going to be subsurface.  Try fishing a large skwalla dry with a dropper.  Most of your fish will be on the dropper.  We have been having good luck with rubber legs, san juan worms, skwalla nymphs, and the like.  In the afternoons you should be able to cut the dropper off and go straight dry fly fishing.  As the water clears up and stablilizes it should just continue to get better and better.

Good luck and stay safe!

The river has been dropping steadily for the last few days and the water is clear.  The fish are responding nicely and are hungry apparently!  The weather is supposed to be gorgeous the next few days and the trout should be coming to the surface with authority! Skwallas are still the order of the day with a smattering of March Browns and BWO’s a close second.  We have been fishing a dry/dropper set up in the morning and getting lots of fish on the dropper.  In the afternoon we have been cutting off the dropper and having some nice fish eat our skwallas on top.  There is nothing like early season dry fly fishing!  Can it get better than this?

For nymphs we are throwing the usual assortment of skwalla nymphs, rubber legs, worms, prince nymphs, and 20 inchers.  Nymph fishing is really bringing a lot of fish to the net. Nymphing is going to be your most consistantly productive method, but it is just too fun watching those trout aggressively feed on the surface!

Stop by the shop and find out what all the buzz is about.  If you haven’t been in in a while, we have a lot of new fly patterns, and tons of new apparell.  We are fully stocked and have everything you need to have a great fly fishing adventure!  Come see us, the coffee is hot and we aren’t afraid to share our secrets (or our stories).

The river spiked last weekend and has been pretty muddy and high.  It is finally coming down and fishing should be returning to normal.  With the snow today most of the action will be with nymphs, but look for risers in the afternooon if the sun comes out.  The fishing has been picking up again and should continue to get better as the weather gets nicer.  The forcast calls for some nicer days starting this weekend.  The sun is going to shine, the fish are going to eat, and the fisherman are going to be happy!

Make sure you stop by the shop and pick up some flies and get the up to the minute report of what the river is doing!

Recent warm weather and the rainy past few days have bumped the river up this week.  The Bitterroot is rising and the water is a bit colored.  The upper stretches seem to be in better shape than the lower river.  Fishing is still good with nymphs though and there are still plenty of places to find fish.  Try weighted nymphs like Rubber Legs, Prince Nymphs, Pink Worms and Skwalla nymphs.  If the river stabilizes and clears up a touch, the dry fly action should return in the afternoons.  Don’t give up on it just because the water is murky.  The fish are still in there and are still eating.  Be patient and work carefully and you can still find plenty of feeding fish.