With the highwater June in our rear-view mirror July has brought mild temperatures and consistent dry fly opportunities. New pieces of water are coming into shape as we work our way deeper into the season, and essentially the drainage is in play right now. We have been enjoying summer days with highs in the 80s and lows in the high 50s, with daily afternoon rain and some thunderstorms becoming the norm. Our forecast looks to heat up next week with less precipitation in the forecast. As we start to warm up we’ll shift our timetable to be fishing in the coolest water temperatures accordingly, and we are thankful for a season with high water and cool rivers.
The big bugs are here and are making for fun days on the water. We still have lingering salmonflies and drakes, as well as golden stones and pmds. With the heavy food load the trout are keyed in on the bugs and are willing to move to a known meal. As different pieces of water drop into shape almost daily, the advantage goes to those willing to take shots and be the early adopters in the system.
Looking further into the season we expect hopper season to kick off here in the next few weeks, and these afternoon showers are very beneficial for tall grassy banks and August fishing conditions. This is a great time of the season to target mature brown trout on the Bitterroot and Clark Fork specifically. Give us a call to put together a package in late July and August focused on fishing dry flies and terrestrials!
Here are a few late June/early July highlights!
