The Blackfoot River near Missoula/Bonner has seen a bump of 500 CFS in the last two days. This should be th start of the end of upper eleveation runoff. Which is happy and sad news. Anyway, Flows above 3200 on the lower blackfoot make the fishing a little more challenging, but not impossible. The holding water on the banks and eddys are sort of big boils and are not the best holding water. This makes floating a little sketch and wading a little more difficult, but not impossible!

Dry fly action remains somewhat limited due to the colder water temps, but opportunities are gradually increasing. On warmer afternoons, anglers may find March Browns, BWO’s, and the occasional straggler Skwala flying around, with sporadic hatch activity showing up later in the day. The caddis are just starting so check those guys in the evenings. I personally haven't see too many fish looking up but that doesn't mean they aren't. While there may be bugs, the fish on the blackfoot are still looking for a squirmy worm. The Blackfoot typically lags behind other area rivers in warming, so consistent topwater action may still be a bit early—but the trend is improving as conditions stabilize.

Nymphing continues to be the most productive method. Heavier setups are still necessary to get flies down in the faster currents, and both indicator and tightline techniques are effective when dialed in. Stonefly nymphs, worms, and smaller mayfly patterns like Pheasant Tails and perdigons are all producing. Focus on softer holding water—inside seams, tailouts, and deeper runs—where fish are conserving energy. As always, while flows and clarity is still dropping into the perfect late spring fishery, you cannot go wrong with a turd and a worm.

Streamer fishing has remained solid and should only improve as clarity continues to get better. The slightly off-colored water still favors larger, high-contrast patterns, fished slow and deep along structure and banks. Sculpin patterns, Woolly Buggers, and darker streamers are producing, though as visibility improves, expect lighter colors like white and gold to become more effective. The upper river is currently offering the best overall conditions, but with flows dropping and clarity improving daily, the entire system is shaping up nicely heading into a strong spring window.