The Blackfoot River is coming down quick! With the current conditions, the water is crystal clear, cold, and the bugs are blasting off the surface. Expect some crowding and even a queue for the boat launch on the upper sections this week.

As for bugs, the salmonfly hatch is moving all the way up the river, with golden stones following and have been seen around the halfway mark. This is the best time of year to throw that great big foam fly—or even two of them—to hungry and willing trout. Try the Rogue Foam Stone in salmonfly or golden stone colors to get those eager fish to rise. Cat Pukes and large Water Walkers are also a must.

I don’t know why you'd ever throw a double nymph rig right now, but if you have a hankering to watch a bobber all day, any large stonefly pattern in any color should do the trick. If your bobber is a large foam dry fly, on the other hand, you’ve got the right idea. Try throwing a Pat’s Rubber Leg in black or a large Duracell underneath that dry fly.

Streamers on the Blackfoot are always a good idea year-round. Whitefish smolt and sculpin are darting all around the rocks and through the fast water. Try stripping a Goldie up and into the shallows to get quick chases and fast action. The Blackfoot is also home to large crawfish that trout love to snack on. JJ Specials in long strips or dead-drifted through the rocks can sometimes coax those larger fish out of hiding.