The Blackfoot River

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The Blackfoot River

Updated 05/18/2023 at 10:34pm

Conditions At-a-glance

bad

Weather Forecast

Our Report

BRO’s tips of the week:

The Blackfoot is still blown out. If you go up high, there might be a handful of soft seams to nymph, but visibility is poor, and it’s better to hit a tailwater or lake this weekend.

7 day outlook:

The next couple of days look beautiful around the Missoula area – high 80s and mid-70s next week. It will take some time for the Blackfoot to clear up.

Our recommendations for techniques and patterns:

For nymphs, try a Rubber Legs, 20 Incher, TJ Hooker, or San Juans with a smaller option like a Jig PT or Prince under some weight above Monture Creek. A streamer fished tight to the bank or stripped deep might produce a fish here or there. Go for darker variants of a Dungeon, Bugger, Thin Mint, Lil Kim, Baby Gonga, Sparkle Minnow, or Precious Metals.

See our staff pick fly selection here!

Goings on at World Headquarters in Missoula:

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Call or email us for up to the minute updates at 406.542.7411, or if you are in the area, stop in for all your Orvis gear and the right bugs.

USGS Water Charts

Conditions

Conditions are cold and off-color. The river is ripping and will be blown out for at least another week.

The Hatch

BWOs.

Fly Patterns

DRIES - March Brown #12-14, BWO #18-20. NYMPHS - TJ Hooker, Girdle Bug, Rubber Legs, San Juan #08-#12. Perdigon, Spanish Bullet, Frenchie, Brillon’s Mean Machine, Duracell, Prince Nymph, Jig PT #14-18, Zebra Midge #18-20. STREAMERS - Double Gonga #08, Zonkers #06 & #08 in Natural, Olive, or Yellow. Lil Kims. Buggers #06-12, Dungeon in Brown, Olive, and Black.

Specifics

Water Flow

7820cfs (above average for this time of year)

Link to Water Flow Graph

http://on.doi.gov/1Tp3aKZ

Visibility

8"

Water temperature at mid-day

46 degrees

Water Condition

The river is muddy.

Best time of day to fish

Afternoon.

Best stretch

Wading is open on the lower and upper river.

Best access point

Multiple access points all along river.

Fish species

Rainbows, westslope cutthroats, cutbows, browns, bull trout and whitefish.

Fishing season

All Year - Winter can be tough.

Nearest airport

Missoula International Airport (MSO)

Recommended fly fishing leader

From a boat - 7.5' 3x-4x. Wading step it up to 9'

Recommended fly fishing tippet

2x top bug and 3x for second or 3x to 4x for smaller rigs. We use 0x and 1x for streamers.

Best fly fishing rod

9ft 5 or 6 weights for nymphing and dries - 7wt for streamers

Best floating fly line

WF 5wt or 6wt

Best sinking fly line

3ips