Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot River is our home water and holds something special that leaves every angler feeling complete. From the Swift canyon waters of the East and West Forks to the classic undercut banks of the middle river. You can truly spend a lifetime on this river as it changes from year to year due the natural cycle of downed trees and seasonal run-off. For this reason the Bitterroot holds a vast variety of aquatic wildlife that is in an incredibly healthy state and has the fishing to prove it!

Bitterroot River is rapidly becoming known as one of the best trout rivers in western Montana. It flows through the beautiful Bitterroot Valley which is the "banana belt" of Montana. The valley itself is very lush by Montana standards and although it does get cold in the winter, it is not as frigid as it is in eastern and central Montana. Many rivers in Montana are isolated and remote. The Bitterroot River, however, is well developed and is part of the fastest growing region in Montana. Therefore, services and amenities are easily accessible. Fly fishing pressure is moderate compared to other rivers in Montana. Fly fishing pressure is heavy in the early season but decreases as the summer progresses. The river flows moderately in the upper stretches with slower flows downstream from Florence. The banks of the river are a mix of woods and grass as the valley is one of the prime agricultural areas in Montana.

• Confluence of West and East Forks Bitterroot River: 83
• Hannon Memorial FAS: 81.8
• Wally Crawford FAS: 67
• Demmons FAS: 57.4
• Woodside Bridge FAS: 54
• Tucker Crossing West FAS: 47.3
• Bell Crossing FAS: 40.6
• Bass Creek FAS: 30.2
• Florence Bridge FAS: 23.4
• Chief Looking Glass FAS: 21.4
• Lolo: 10
• Highway 93 Bridge: 5
• Confluence with Clark Fork: 0

Spring

The Bitterroot River provides excellent fishing opportunities early in the season. The main attraction is the significant stonefly hatch called the Skwala. Alongside the Skwala stoneflies, there are two smaller species, the Nemoura and Capnia. As April progresses and the water warms up, the first mayflies start to emerge, such as Blue-Winged Olives and Gray Drakes. May brings the Mother's Day Caddis hatch, known for being one of the most prolific hatches of the year, offering an exciting dry fly fishing experience with a ton of insects on the water.

Summer

Summer on the Bitterroot River starts with the impressive Salmonfly and Golden Stones hatches, mainly seen in the upper stretches of the East and West Forks. In June, the high water levels provide thrilling dry fly fishing with big dry flies on both forks. As the water recedes, the entire river from the forks to Missoula becomes a hotspot. July brings PMD's, Green Drakes, Caddis, Tricos, and Hecubas. Most anglers utilize dry/dropper rigs to match the hatch in key spots. By August, terrestrial fishing becomes prominent and produces some of the rivers biggest and most exciting eats. Find the trout keyed onto the Trico hatch in the morning, then switch to Hopper-dropper rigs in the afternoon. Explore your terrestrial box and find those beetles and ant patterns. Late in the summer sinking an ant as your dropper can find some wary fish.

Late summer/Fall

In late summer/fall, dry fly fishing opportunities stretch into September, with Tricos and Terrestrials proving to be consistently fruitful. September's standout fishing event is the Mahogany Dun hatch, spurring trout to feed eagerly on Size 14 & 16 duns. This hatch carries over into October, blending with the autumn emergence of Blue Winged Olives and October Caddis as temperatures drop. This time of year streamer fishing picks up speed as trout become more aggressive in their feeding behavior before winter arrives.

We offer several boats perfectly outfitted for the experienced oarsman to explore this watershed with. The PAC 900 is great 1 person option as you can truly fish while controlling the boat with the use of kick fins. If you have the crew fishing then rent one of our expertly designed fishing rafts. PAC 1150 is great 2 anglers, the 13ft Dodger is great for 3, as is the New NRS 12'9 SlipStream.