The Bitterroot has been fishing good, though last week’s frosty mornings have made for some difficult fishing. Bugs won’t come off early on a frosty morning, and the fishing usually picks up as the afternoon warms the shallows and the bugs get hatching. A few warm afternoons or a warm sunny day can make for some spectacular hatches, especially after a fairly cold week. Flows are increasing steadily with the spring runoff, currently about 2800 CFS and climbing up to the low 3000 range. 

Skwalas, BWOs, March browns and midges are all coming off right now, and the warm afternoons make for the best dry fishing. a few warm days in a row can cook up some stunning hatches, though cold frosty mornings usually indicate a pretty mild afternoon hatch. Early morning midge hatches have been consistent, though they aren’t always the easiest hatch to fish.

Nymphing is always a reliable move no matter the season, but especially in this early spring high water fishing where water clarity is an obstacle. Larger stonefly patterns like the TJ Hooker, Pat’s rubberlegs, Neo twenty-incher, or double bead stones are great options for sinking line or indicator fishing. Smaller Perdigons like the Spanish bullet are great as a dropper fly or fished euro-style with a tight line rig.

Streamer fishing is another great option that works year-round. The Bitterroot has bigger browns than most folks know, and those fish are fed on MEAT. Articulate patters like Galloups dungeon, the sparkle yummy, kill whitey, or a gonga are great options for big fish. Darker patterns will stand out in the low visibility water, and flashy patterns work well in the upper water column. Look for undercut banks, hard rock shoreline, or deep pools if you’re hunting browns, sluggish tail outs, inside bends, and warm sloughs for big pike.