The Big Hole Valley in early summer. Legendary for its fishing, haystacks, tough winters, and multi-generation ranches, southwest Montana’s Big Hole country is still the real West. Considered one of Montana’s most beautiful valleys, this sparsely populated landscape is home to some of the largest and oldest working ranches in Montana.
Water was still coming over the spillway at Painted Rocks on Wednesday, and I don’t remember when the last time we had this happen so late in July. A full reservoir of water means that we should have some good water levels in September and October. All of the water to the sportsmen and irrigators will be delivered by then so we can anticipate a great fall fishing season for 2020.
The water levels at Bell crossing have been adequate, but the water temperatures have raised quickly with the hot weather this past week. Water temperatures remain under 66 degrees at Darby and are near 70 degrees at the bottom of the river near Missoula. A water release was called for by sportsmen, and 50 cfs will begin shortly. This will cool the temperatures on the West Fork and the upper Bitterroot.
Even though the lower water levels have continued to drop, there are still a few places in the river that you should be extremely careful when floating. Always have your life jackets within reach if you decide not to wear one during the float. Don’t stow them away in a dry bag to keep them out of the way. It is also recommended that you have a good first aid kit along for the ride. You never know when you might need one. Contact your local fly shops for great fishing locations, and be sure to thank them for all the free advice and information that they give out daily.
The best dry flies to fish this weekend are yellow sallies, pale morning duns and hoppers. The hatches are beginning to wane, especially during the middle of the day when the sun is on the water. The best times to fish are the early morning hours and later evening hours after sunset. The caddis hatches have been more in the evenings, and a generic tan caddis will do the trick to catch the rising trout.
Credit: Source link
