**The Blackfoot, some of the coldest water in the area, and all tributaries are currently closed until further notice. Huh. Presumably Rock Creek and The Bitterroot, both warmer and lower (and in one case, with more fish per mile) will close shortly as well?** Science is silly.
Much like Rock Creek, the Blackfoot is really low but running cold. Yesterday’s high water temperature near Bonner was 63, the same as Rock Creek. It’s almost a better bet to wade this river these days since the flow is so low. There really isn’t any room for boats to fish alternate water, everybody is more or less forced to hit the same stuff. Wading will afford you the opportunity to hit “buckets” that are off the main flow channel that the boats drift right on by. Similarly, it’ll allow you to show your offering many times to the same fish, an advantage the boats generally don’t have in the drive-by shooting cover lots of water mode. The hopper/ant dropper continues to be very good for us with Dave’s hoppers or red tarantulas working the best. Bees and wasps are a no brainer. Black crickets (or blacked out hoppers) with p-tail droppers are taking bigger fish for us too with the p-tails tagging 50/50 whities to trout. The evening fishing has been a caddis emerger or soft hackle deal in spades. You will get some fish on other stuff, but do some quartering upstream FAST LONG strips with either of those and see what happens. We already have! The flow this morning at Bonner is 461
1/2 OFF Fridays. 50% Off your 1st dozen nymphs and dries! Every Friday – Every Week
HATCHES: caddis, PMDs, yellow sallies, hoppers and spruce moths – terrestrials in general
PATTERNS: golden stones in sizes 12 to 14. Attractor stuff in a size 8 or 10, elk hair or other caddis in a 12 or 14. Batman/ p-tail or red San Juan nymph rigs.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Simms guide waders on sale now . . .get them while selection is good.