It has been an up and down deal on the local rivers. A week ago @ Bell Crossing flows were 2200 and off color. Today there down to 1200. Cooler weather and some snow have slowed the snowmelt and improved the clarity. On the cooler days it postpones the topwater action till later in the day. Starting off nymphing is usually the best bet. Afternoon’s are for the dry fly. And often a BWO is the best bet in the slower inside tailouts. usually the better fishing is found on the second warm-up day before we see another bump in the flows. These days a variety of bugs will work. Chubbies, Stoneflies, and any number of droppers will work. The only drawback to the nice weather fishing is crowds. Everyone and their brother is still working out the cabin fever. But it’s kinda like the ski season, crowded for a month and then it slows down. The end of April and most of May can often be better fishing and have less crowds. Until then getting on the Clark Fork or Blackfoot is a good call.
The spring moisture is putting us in a much better situation than last year. snowpack is good also. There are no guarantees, but we should be much better off than 2024. If you do venture out on the Bitteroot pleas be careful. The jams on almost every float are still there. And probably won’t change until after the big runoff.
