The Clark Fork is holding relatively steady as November fishing continues around Missoula. The river above town is currently running around 1,511 cfs, down slightly from the 1,540 cfs recorded in Monday's report. Below Missoula, flows are approximately 2,459 cfs. The gradual decrease has kept the river in a good late-fall range, with plenty of productive holding water along deeper banks, foam lines, and current seams.

The Clark Fork remains one of the better options for anglers interested in technical dry-fly fishing. As water temperatures continue dropping, trout are moving away from faster feeding lanes and concentrating in deeper, slower areas. Look for fish holding along inside bends, soft current seams, deeper pools, and riffle transitions.

The weather looks particularly interesting heading into the weekend. Friday should be relatively cool, with some afternoon sunshine and temperatures near 46 degrees. Saturday brings increasing clouds and scattered showers, while Sunday looks drier with temperatures around 48 degrees.

Saturday's overcast conditions could produce some of the better late-fall dry-fly opportunities of the week. However, the colder weather means anglers should plan on fishing from late morning into the afternoon rather than starting at sunrise.

Fall Hatches

BWOs remain the primary dry-fly attraction on the Clark Fork. Cloudy, damp afternoons can create excellent opportunities to find trout rising consistently in slower water. Small Comparaduns, parachutes, and emergers are excellent options when fish begin feeding selectively.

Midges are also becoming increasingly important. As the larger fall insects disappear, trout are focusing more on smaller surface food. Griffith's Gnats, CDC midge emergers, and small cluster patterns are worth carrying when fish are rising but refusing larger flies.

The larger fall hatches are effectively finished. October Caddis are now sporadic, while Mahogany Duns and Hecubas are largely done for the year. Terrestrials are no longer a dependable part of the fishing program.

Nymphing remains productive throughout the day. Pheasant Tails, Frenchies, Perdigons, BWO nymphs, and Zebra Midges are all good choices for fishing deeper seams and soft buckets. Lighter tippet and careful presentations can be particularly important when targeting trout in clear, slow-moving water.

Streamer fishing is another excellent option heading into the weekend. The Clark Fork's deeper banks, shelves, and drop-offs provide great opportunities to target larger trout with Sparkle Minnows, Peanut Envies, Kreelexes, and smaller articulated patterns. Saturday's cloud cover may improve the streamer bite, particularly around deeper structure.

Weekend Outlook

Saturday looks like the better day for anglers hoping to find BWOs and streamer-eating fish. Sunday should be drier, with afternoon nymphing remaining productive. Focus on softer holding water and watch carefully for rising trout as the day warms.

What's Working

Dry Flies

• BWO Comparaduns #18–22

• BWO Emergers #18–22

• BWO Parachutes #18–22

• Griffith's Gnats #18–22

• CDC Midge Emergers #18–24

• Parachute Adams #18–22

• October Caddis Adults #10–12

Nymphs

• Pheasant Tails #16–20

• Frenchies #14–18

• Perdigons #16–20

• BWO Nymphs #18–22

• Zebra Midges #18–22

• Caddis Pupa #14–18

• Prince Nymphs #12–16

• Worm Patterns

Streamers

• Sparkle Minnows

• Peanut Envy

• Kreelex

• Mini Dungeons

• Thin Mints

• Sculpzilla

• Woolly Buggers

• Small Sculpin Patterns