Small waters, big fish. Escape the crowds and have a little slice of Montana all to yourself.
The Missoula area is home to four Blue Ribbon trout streams which receive the majority of the attention, and rightly so! However they are certain times that the small stream fishing can be absolutely incredible. Trout are extremely migratory by nature and large fish from the main river systems will push into smaller tributarys for various reasons. Spawning runs, big bug hatches, and thermal refuge are a few examples. Fishing pressure is quite low compared to the larger streams. The smaller water is much more challenging to row which keeps the crowds away. Wade fishing requires some physical effort to get to those hard to reach places. If you are up for an adventure these off the path excursions can lead to some amazing fishing!
Pre – Runoff: March – April
This is a great time to wade fish as the water is quite low and easily waded. Fishing pressure is almost non-exhistant and the fish haven’t seen flies for months. Streamers and nymphs are the best choices as the water is till quite cold. Stealthy approaches and good presentations are a must as the water will be ultra clear this time of year. This is a great time for serious anglers who are looking to land some trophy sized fish. *some of our small streams will be closed to fishing at this time of year.
Summer: June – August
As soon as the waters start to taper down from peak runoff we start to push into the tributaries in search of big trout eating big dry flies. Salmon flies and Golden Stones love fast-moving turbulent water and floating smaller creeks in early/mid June can produce some of the most memorable days of the year. This is a timing game as the creeks generally have a short window when they are able to be floated by boat. Once the creeks drop below float levels we then start to access them via wade fishing. The wade fishing is good throughout the summer until late August when the fish make their downstream migrations to the bigger water to overwinter in deeper pools.
Late Summmer/Fall: September – November
Generally this is the toughest time to wade fish the smaller waters as a majority of the migratory fish have moved on the bigger water for the winter. The tributary streams also have cooler water temps which will reduce the amount of insect hatches you will see this time of year. Your time will be better spent floating the bigger rivers in search of rising trout this time of year.
