The
Fishaus River Report
The Bitterroot River in Southwestern Montana
is characterized by pristine waters and fine fishing. From
its tributaries in the East and West Forks to its finale
at the Clark Fork you can find a myriad of fishing opportunities
including Rainbows, Cutthroats, Browns, Bull Trout and Brookies.
West slope Cutthroats abound here due in part to the catch
and release regulation for this species. This species is
native to Montana rivers and has been on the increase in
the Bitterroot. Biologists are not able to explain why this
fish population is rising here while the rest of the state
is experiencing declining populations. Many of the tributaries
such as Skalkaho, Tin Cup Creek and Sleeping Child have
good populations of catchable Cutthroat. Upper tributaries
such as Blue Joint and Martin Creek are full of Brook Trout.
They provide some excellent small creek fishing for lighter
two and three weight rods. Bull Trout, another of the native
fish in Montana, preferring pristine waters still inhabit
the river. In the last three years I have caught several
Bull Trout, not on purpose mind you, in several of the upper
stretches. Regulations cite that it is illegal to fish directly
for Bull Trout.
The Bitterroot in its seventy plus miles of
meandering it is almost like two rivers. The upper stretches
have a higher gradient and are characterized by runs and
riffles. Most of the stone flies hatch here. The stone nymphs
prefer oxygenated water and the upper runs provide this.
The lower stretches of the river are much slower because
of less gradient. You will find an occasional riffle and
run but mostly longer and deeper pools. Here you find larger
hatches of mayflies.
Many consider the Bitterroot a sleeper simply
by the low numbers of fishermen who come here compared to
other rivers in Montana. Many discover the Bitterroot because
they were just passing through and stopped to wet a fly.
Once the river is fished most find it to their liking and
return year after year. This is how I discovered it. A couple
of my fly fishing friends invited me along on a weeks trip.
We spent the first day floating the Hannon Memorial to Wally
Crawford section. It was a blustery day and we caught very
few fish. The next day we floated the West Fork from Painted
Rocks Dam to Applebury and we caught all five species of
fish that I mentioned above. I was hooked.
There are twenty or more different combinations
of stretches that can be floated and fished as well as waded
on the Bitterroot. Stream access laws in Montana are very
friendly to fishermen and there are plenty of available
walk in sites providing miles and miles or river bank to
fish. A copy of the access laws are available at any local
Licensing Agency. The East and West Fork have all five species
in them. There are high populations of Rainbows and Cutthroats
as well as some Browns. Brookies are sometimes caught but
are primarily found on the smaller tributaries feeding the
forks. After the two forks come together one of the most
popular stretches is from Hannon Memorial to Wally Crawford.
The upper half of this stretch is mostly Cutthroats while
the lower half has higher populations of Rainbows and Browns.
The lower half is catch and release for all fish. One extremely
popular way to float the river is a one person floating
device such as the River Otter. These devices have been
more increasing popular during the past five years. I find
that the advantage to using the Otter is that I can fish
all the time I am floating. With a raft one person is always
on the oars and is unable to fish.
The Bitterroot is well known as one of the
finest dry fly fishing rivers in the state. The dry fly
fishing season begins sometime in March, depending on the
weather, and ends in late November. Spring is always blessed
with high water that lasts for two to three weeks in late
May and early June. This time of year is always good for
the trout because of the abundance of food available when
rocks are washed along and nymphs uprooted. Once this is
over the river returns to its meandering nature and settles
in for the summer fun. The first major hatch is the Skwala
(stonefly) in March. If the conditions are right the fish
will key on the imitation pattern for a full 6 weeks. One
pattern to use for the Skwala is a bullet head fly tied
with a black egg sack and dark body. The underwing is dark
brown or black and the overwing is tied in bullet head style
with dark brown premo-deer hair. The fish seem to look for
this hatch to begin their yearly feeding habits and with
the size of this stonefly they can build bulk fast. The
late fishing which continues into November includes patterns
such as the October Caddis and Midges. The October Caddis
are large and can be fished with an imitator that is size
#8 or #10. The Midges on the other hand are from #20 - #24.
In between the major hatches include Pale Morning Dun, Blue
Winged Olive, Green Drake, Salmon Fly, Golden Stone and
several varieties of Caddis. The mayflies are typically
sizes 14 - 18 with the exception of the Green Drake which
is size 10. The Salmon Flies should be fished with a size
6 or 8 and the Golden Stones are sizes 8 - 10.
The summer fishing is best described as a
continual opportunity for dry fly action. With the abundance
of mayfly hatches the expert as well as the novice fisherman
can do well. If you are not capable of matching the hatch
a well tied attractor pattern such as a stimulator will
usually do the trick. There are opportunities for fishermen
who prefer wading as well as those who prefer floating from
a raft. Many access sites provide the wading fisherman ample
stretches to spend a few hours or the entire day.
September and Labor Day mark an end to the
heavy tourist season. With children going back to school
and vacations over the river lulls to a slower pace. As
October approaches the local Montana people begin to ready
themselves for the winter. Many begin gathering wood that
they will use to heat their homes during the next 6 months.
Elk and Deer seasons begin later in the month and it is
time to sight in that favorite rifle. After the third weekend
in October you can count on having the river almost to yourself
almost the entire day. The only local fishermen you will
bump into are those like yourself who have chosen to spend
their time fishing rather than hunting. Late fall fishing
can be the golden opportunity that you have been waiting
for.
Good
Fishing!
