The rivers are finally cooling down to good fishing temperatures with the arrival of some proper fall weather. We’re finally seeing snow from the valley bottom and scraping ice off our windshield in the mornings. Water volume has been climbing steadily since early October, though the river is still pretty low for this time of the year. Water temperatures are staying down in the sub-fifty degree range, and the fishing only gets better as it gets cooler.

The early fall dry fly fishing has been wonderful, and a welcome relief from the worst of this summer. With frost on the ground, the action on terrestrial patterns slows down as many terrestrial insects go dormant for winter. Our usual fall hatches of October caddis, Tricos, BWOs and Hecuba have all been fishing well. Early morning mayfly hatches are a reliable plan as the sun rises, though the hatch may a little slower to get rolling on colder mornings. Mahogany and BWO patterns are reliable picks, though generalist parachutes like purple hazes, royal wulffs, adams etc. work just as well. In the mid-day lull between hatches, swinging a streamer or running a nymph rig is a reliable alternative. With rain and overcast weather expect less mayflies and more action fishing a caddis, especially late in the afternoon as the sun goes down. With the cooling water, larger fish will be feeding actively in the daytime, and you have shots at bigger fish in the daylight than are available in the middle of summer.

The nymphing is always consistent. Using an indicator rig, or tightline rig can be an effective way to get fish in the boat before the hatch gets going, after it’s over, and when there just isn’t a hatch going on. The hopper-dropper rig is a local favorite as the nymph will catch fish when they aren’t eating on the surface, and when they pivot to eating on the surface you’ll have a dry fly ready and presented. Stonefly patterns like a double bead stone, pats rubber legs, or TJ hooker are all great nymphs for indicator rigging, or fishing as a dropper. For tightline fishing and smaller dries, small perdigons and other similar beadhead nymphs are ever-reliable. Swinging or drifting an October caddis pattern nymph is a killer method this time of year as well.

With rain and overcast weather in the near future Streamer fishing is getting good and only getting better. Goldies, Olive Peanut Envys, Double Gonga's and Mini Dungeons have all been productive. On the sunny days running a flashy bug like the Sparkle yummy, kreelex, or skiddish smolt is a smart move to get a reaction out of spooky fish. On the dark, rainy fall days that just look streamer-y, a large dark colored articulate like a dungeon or silk kitty is a killer pick. Big browns are leaving their summer haunts to run up river to spawn, and the pre-spawn period is one of the best possible times to run into a massive brown.

North Fork Of The Blackfoot River:

A Drought Closure (fishing prohibited 24 hours) is in effect for the North Fork Blackfoot River from USFS boundary downstream to Highway 200 starting September 10.