The Kingfisher Fly Shop

  The Bitterroot continues to run well below the 25th percentile mark with one of the most “vulnerable wetted perimeter” profiles of all the area rivers.  The cooler nights and daytime highs have lowered water temps into the 50s now, down from lower river daytime water temps that hovered around 68 to 70 degrees most…

It’s beginning to feel a lot like fall up here these days.  The best dryfly fishing is now firmly midday although you can still catch some fish on dries early and late.  The big fall mayflies have begun to show up along with some mahoganies and October caddis.  Our best bugs still haven’t changed though,…

Ohhhhhh . . . .it looks like a happy place over here today!  Clouds and not much wind to speak of should make for some very good end of summer/beginning of fall Missouri fishing!  While the best numbers continue to be subsurface with nymphs, the streamers have gotten much more productive and are taking BIG…

Looks like a perfect fall Clark Fork day is on tap today!  The dryfly fishing has picked up considerably in recent days with fish rising to a variety of dries and hitting streamers much more consistently.   Slow moving streamers in black, olive or brown have been working for us right out of the chute and…

On Aug. 5th, the Blackfoot and all its tributaries closed to fishing on the recommendation to FWP by the Blackfoot Challenge/Irrigation District as levels fell below 500 cfs., a drought response plan “trigger level”.  (http://blackfootchallenge.org/Articles/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Blackfoot-Drought-Response-Plan-Revised_April-2013.pdf). This year, according to Gary Burnett, executive director of the Challenge,  “presented something of a phenomenon as water temperatures remained…

On Aug. 5th, the Blackfoot and all its tributaries closed to fishing on the recommendation to FWP by the Blackfoot Challenge/Irrigation District as levels fell below 500 cfs.  This is one of the “trigger levels” written into the drought response plan (http://blackfootchallenge.org/Articles/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Blackfoot-Drought-Response-Plan-Revised_April-2013.pdf) wherein actions begin to take place at 700 cfs.  These actions can mean…

The Blackfoot is once again open after a total closure. The restriction was recommended by the Blackfoot Drought Committee and began on Sept. 5th.  It was initiated by flows at Bonner falling below 500 cfs to 488, a “trigger point” independent of temperature in the Blackfoot Drought response plan. In spite of the wind that’s…

Nice fall weather looks to be on tap finally. With this being the case, look for your best fishing to more more and more towards the middle of the day as the nights get longer, the water gets cooler and the fall hatches begin in earnest.  Tricos are still working well in the mornings, but…

We had a pretty epic weekend over here on the nymph rigs.  Silly actually.  If you’re willing to ball and chain it, you’ll catch some fish.  Smaller (18s and 20s) tailwater nymph fare was the key.  They definitely seemed to want stuff with a hint of muted green or gray. the first day we spent…

Still some trico action up here, especially mid and lower river, but like we’ve been saying, it ain’t for the faint of heart.  6X, VERY specific patterns (day to day so you’ll have to rotate through ’em) and drag free drifts are key.  If you can find a spot that’s a backwater where fish are…